VoIP Backlash From Phone Companies

denis-The-menace writes "An article from the online edition of IEEE Spectrum says phone companies in France, Germany, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have announced they will block VoIP calls on their networks. Using new software from Narus Inc., the carriers can detect data packets belonging to VoIP applications and block the calls. Gotta love Ma Bell." From the article: "Narus's software does far more than just frustrate Skype users. It can also diagnose, and react to, denial-of-service attacks and dangerous viruses and worms as they wiggle through a network. It makes possible digital wiretaps, a capability that carriers are required by law to have. However, these positive applications for Narus's software may not be enough to make Internet users warm to its use. 'Protecting its network is a legitimate thing for a carrier to do ... But it's another thing for a Comcast to charge more if I use my own TiVo instead of the personal video recorder they provide, or for Time Warner, which owns CNN, to charge a premium if I want to watch Fox News on my computer.'"

rly?

[gr8gatzby]

If I lived back in the wild west days, instead of carrying a six-gun in my holster, I'd carry a soldering iron. That way, if some smart-aleck cowboy said something like "Hey, look. He's carrying a soldering iron!" and started laughing, and everybody else started laughing, I could just say, "That's right, it's a soldering iron. The soldering iron of justice." Then everybody would get real quiet and ashamed, because they had made fun of the soldering iron of justice, and I could probably hit them up for a free drink.

Bell?

[Thu25245]

phone companies in France, Germany, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have announced...Gotta love Ma Bell.

Which RBOCs would those be? BellFrance, German Bell, and Mideast Bell?

Fight Fire WIth Fire?

[Bodysurf]

# ping -f narus.com

Re:fp

[rovingeyes]

Hey can we also get Narus to detect this fp crap? I'd pay for it goddammit!

Wiretaps?

[slashmojo]

It makes possible digital wiretaps, a capability that carriers are required by law to have. However, these positive applications for Narus's software may not be enough to make Internet users warm to its use.

Wiretaps are a positive feature for users? No doubt governments/law enforcement get very warm and tingly over wiretaps but I can't see users warming to it quite so much.

Now spyware on the other hand, thats something that really does get users hot and bothered! ;)

Re:BS

[Anonymous Coward]

...for Time Warner, which owns CNN, to charge a premium if I want to watch Fox News on my computer.

That would be an idiot tax, not a premium.

Re:slashdotted out of the gate

[chucks86]

I accidentally clicked the link and was directed to the site right away... Strange thing, this Internet.

Re:Raising a good point - online games for talk

[Anonymous Coward]

"Hey, grandma. Just called to wish you a happy birth-"

"0wn3d!"

"Grandma, I'm on your team. Stop fragging your own team."

"lol!"

"So, Grandma? What's been keeping you busy since-"

"u r l4m3! ph33r m3!!!!"

"Sigh. It's been nice chatting, grandma."

"wuss"

I think *that* is what would stop it.