Could the Softphone Become a Killer Application?

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The softphone is a bit of a sleeper, but we think that is about to change. Their potential is not yet widely appreciated. They may well become more popular than mobile phones and a lot more useful.

Will they supersede VoIP business phones? We doubt it, they are complimentary tools and will almost certainly coexist.

Millions of us have downloaded one or more of them to access an Internet telephony service provider (ITSP) such as Skype, Gizmo, Vonage or .... We have used other softphones to connect with the head office VoIP PBX and speak with colleagues from a hotel or airport terminal when traveling on business. They're popular with contractors and home based employees who need to conference into discussions with fellow workers. They have also become a familiar feature in thousands of call centers around the world. Despite these practical uses and many others the Web-based phone client has not enjoyed universal acceptance as a credible alternative to a desktop phone.

The Softphone Comes of Age - the Reasons

To explain why we think the technology is about to become wildly popular, we need to look at the reasons why they haven't been more widely embraced to date. We will then look at the reasons why we think these issues will evaporate.

1. Quality of Service (QOS): users are generally disappointed with the voice quality and reliability of service they experience. As long as dial up lines and slow Internet connections are used this will not change. QOS issues are nearly always bandwidth related. The good news is that the technology is rapidly improving and high speed Internet and LAN connections will be universal in the foreseeable future. The tier one telecom carriers will be forced to refresh their infrastructure to support end-to-end IP communication or lose out to competing ITSP's selling SIP trunks.

2. Closed Networks: The ITSP's who first introduced us to the idea of downloading and using a web based phone client are focused competitors. Their networks are closed to prevent users of competing services from calling one another. While ITSP's will no doubt continue to keep their networks closed until the bitter end they must now contend with the broad acceptance of SIP open standards. There are already dozens if not hundreds of SIP softphones. Users of these products are not restricted to using a single ITSP or network.

See also: What is SIP Trunking?

3. Headsets: The idea of wearing a headset and talking into a computer screen deterred many potential users. They don't like the look.

On the other hand the iPod generation is relaxed and comfortable with wearing earphones and Bluetooth headsets and wouldn't leave home without them.

Softphones can also be loaded onto handheld computers. There's no need to sit in front of a screen to make a call. A handheld PC with access to roaming wireless connectivity is an alternative to using a mobile phone.

4. The Cloud: The SIP-based VoIP client is a tool that is consistent with life in the clouds. No need to lug around a laptop or even a mobile phone. All the essential communication applications: voice, conferencing, emails, text, white boards, file transfer and so on can be directly accessed from a handheld device or a convenient workstation. Will we be carrying laptops with us on business trips in 3-4-5 years time? We don't think so and neither does Microsoft. The future of Office is also in the clouds.

5. VoIP: within a few years the great majority of TDM PBX's will have been repaced by VoIP phone systems. As a consequence the reasons for using a VoIP softphone will become even more compelling and attract even more users.

6. Features: the technology is loaded with useful features and developers are announcing even more functionality on a daily basis. There are versions that include all the feature available from mobile phones plus unified communications, voice recording, presence, speech automation, interactive voice and video, IM, multi-language interface and dozens of other features.

By combining the features available from a softphone with handheld technology we can visualize a very potent package that will have universal appeal as a business phone tool.

See also: The WiFi SIP Phone - not just any WiFi Phone

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