Gizmo Ups the Ante with GizmoCall

SIPphone, the company behind Gizmo Project, has upped the ante on the VOIP wars with the launch of GizmoCall. I've posted previously on the VOIP wars between Skype and Gizmo, and on the services of Jajah. After the intensifying of offerings from VOIP companies, I am still predominantly a user of Gizmo and Skype. For me, call quality is paramount and I believe Gizmo's call quality is better. However, I believe being open to all networks is key.

GizmoCall is much like Jajah's service. It is VOIP accessible from the browser without any download. It allows calls to landlines, cellphones, and Gizmo users. The guys at SIPphone are smart guys and I think they see the big picture of VOIP communication. While this is a competitive space, they are clearly interested in innovation and taking VOIP services to the next level. This is all great news for the consumer and I hope it promotes even more VOIP adoption.

Comments

[Goal Should Be Acquisition]

Each one of these companies should look to build a user base as fast as possible. Advertisements/Partnerships with myspace, youtube, and others should help get them to be a household name in the 18-35 generation.

They should then shop themselves to AT and T, Verizon, Google, and all other service providers.

With technology changing so fast, VC funders should try to flip their position ASAP so they can get their money back before the technology used by the company they funded is obsolete 5 years later.

[James]

I believe SIPphone has been trying to become brand name as the Skype alternative and utilize partnerships to this end as evidenced by their previous LiveJournal deal. In speaking with the company president prior to receiving VC funding last year, it sounded like they were positioning themselves for an acquisition and branding themselves as the only "open" network that was not attached to an existing carrier or network. Since receiving funding I am not sure how this goal has changed but it is obvious that they have been doing great things and I would imagine would be extremely valuable to any major communications company who has been sluggish or ineffective in their VOIP strategy.