Re: Vonage IPO-How Many First Time Investors?
I have this funny feeling the voip outfits wont be able to grow as fast as some people think. While the technology can be easy to install, its completely impossible to troubleshoot when you have an ISP, wiring inside and outside your home, a router, a voip box, computers on the wire, some other guys telephone, etc.
All I see from the voip providers as far as customer service goes is to blame the other parts and try to close the ticket.
The technically adept and somewhat adept that have adopted the technology can work through some of the issues. The rest seem to just shrug and wait for the line to come back up on its own. If it doesnt, chuck it and get another one.
Plus, when you're being undermined by far cheaper offerings, its tough to see a PROFITABLE growth into a significant market share vs the telephone companies. And its just a matter of time before the phone companies offer it via naked dsl and cable/satellite companies offer it as a bundled service. It might cost a bit more than current cheap offerings, but at least they own most of the parts and hence the troubleshooting.
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Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Just another form of "buy low, sell high" for those who have trouble with things. This rule is not universal. Do not buy a 1973 Pinto because everyone else is afraid of it.
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