Comments on: Vonage clarifies purpose of deal with VoIP Inc.

Net phone service says contract with network wholesaler not a work-around to help Vonage avoid using Verizon's patented tech.

[Penguinisto]

Well, so what if it was a dodge?

Seriously - they got hit w/ an injunction whether they were actually guilty of infringement or not, but they still have to pay the bills, so...

Verizon can go stuff themselves in either case with such blatant patent trolling.

/P

[chazzsubscribe]

EXACTLY

Verizon attacks the one name-brand company that is competing for voip customers, to try to shut them down. All these internet technical patents are broadly written mumbo-jumbo. Vonage had licensed and bought patents that cover their operation, so they aren't trying to get something for nothing. But because they are a fierce competitor with a better price, Verizon is trying to smack them down by saying Vonage's patents aren't enough -- that Verizon's patents also cover some of the same voip stuff. Somehow they convinced a clueless jury -- and now the judge has to go by what the jury decided.

But you notice Verizon is NOT suing Packet 8 and the countless other small time voip companies who use the exact same technology? They are only suing Vonage, hoping to crush them. Then, they can sell their over-price voip to their broadband customers as a "bundle" deal.

I am not a Vonage customer, I live in Comcast territory. Comcast is selling their "digital voice" (voip) at only about a 15% discount off BellSouth's prices -- but with free long distance thrown in, of course (since it's voip). Whereas Vonage is giving a 50% to 66% discount off Bellsouth's prices, plus free long distance and many free international calls. I'm sure the discrepancy is the same in Verizon territory -- so they've decided Vonage must die.

[Blito]

Probably not infringing on patents

Because in software you could sue anyone for a comperable MINOR hardware innovation like Call Fowarding etc. It is so minor that any software designer would have to pay Verizon money based on basic software operations.

I have a hard time believing Verizon's claims or at least a work around needs to happen for such basic technologies. Verzion seems likes it want to own the software industry.

Vonage needs to prove that Verizon's claims are intgral to basic software practices.