Can VoIP Resolve Its Security Issues?
One of the most important developments in the VoIP industry in recent times has been the growth of mobile VoIP technology. Although still relatively early days for the mobile Voice over IP companies such as Truphone, it certainly seems they have the capacity to mix things up in the telecoms industry. Some of the recent incumbent mobile operators’ actions seem evidence of this with T-Mobile recently being forced to allow the use of Truphone over its network, having previously not allowed calls to Truphone allocated numbers.
Whilst some people argue that as VoIP prices fall towards zero, this is making it a very difficult industry to make any substantial profit in; the increasing prevalence of cut cost high speed broadband and has resulted in a huge surge in the availability of free Wi-Fi. Consequently this is making mobile VoIP operators an increasingly attractive offer for consumers. The trend in the availability of new ’smart phones’ with the ability to run mobile VoIP client software, at ever reducing prices is also, it could be argued, creating a situation where mobile VoIP could really take off.
We have recently seen T-Mobile introduce their Voice over IP service called @home giving customers the option of paying a single low monthly flat rate. However whilst the industry is finding people not entirely willing to give up their fixed phone line all together, mobile VoIP operators have no such issue to contend with. The seamless integration of mobile VoIP clients into the functionality of mobile phones, as well as the reduced cost of data-inclusive phone packages has resulted in a predictably fast growth in the mobile VoIP sector.
At present it has been reported that there are 4 million VoIP customers in the United Kingdom, and its likely this figure will go up. How established mobile phone operators will harness this remains to be seen but the decision to force T Mobile to allow calls to Truphone subscribers surely transmits a clear signal that rather than try and resist the mobile VoIP operators, the incumbent industry monoliths must find a way of working with them.
One issue which may have an influence on the amount of subscribers of mobile Voice over IP is security, with many highly publicized stories highlighting the vulnerabilities in making calls using VoIP. Another issue to contend with is ‘VoIP phishing’ where people are convinced to part with their personal data voluntarily after falling for a thief’s lure. This is also symptomatic of other VoIP security problems where unscrupulous would be thieves can tamper with the caller ID making it appear as though they are calling from reputable financial institutions. Once such problems have been dealt with and fears allayed it is likely that mobile VoIP will become will become much more integral to peoples lives as people take the opportunity to turn their mobiles into VoIP phones.