ooVoo is a service not wholly dis-similar to Skype. I’ve used it on occasion for multi-way video conferencing calls. Like most services of its kind, performance is wholly dependent on the quality of the broadband connection between the parties on the call. Video sucks bandwidth like crazy so that pretty much rules out video calls to the US and as for Australia and New Zealand? Fuhget it. At least on my 300KB uplink.
I know speeds will improve. It’s just a question of time. What’s more interesting are the prices ooVoo is able to charge for calls from the US to various parts of the world. Check the table I received earlier on in the day. The price differentials are truly stunning, There is ONE problem with this.
While the rates look great on paper, getting a connection is a lottery. It has nothing to do with bandwidth issues but what are called termination fees imposed by the telcos. Since ooVoo is charging such a small amount, the telecomm providers can’t get their otherwise lucrative pound of flesh. Here’s a good discussion on the topic.
Don’t ask me how this works but at times I can make a connection, at other times, I am told by an automated message that I am not allowed to call the number in question. That’s because of the arbitrary way termination fees are applied. What it amounts to is a tax on our ability to communicate. That’s not what I would call fair.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e6da2fa7-aaf9-4b9d-b704-31bf8cd51ddf)
