Vonage Patent Case Could Hurt Phone Competition

Vonage Patent Case Could Hurt Phone Competition

Like a lot of folks, I accept been aggravating to amount out what the ultimate fallout will be from a contempo board adjudication that Internet buzz aggregation Vonage abandoned patents captivated by telecom behemothic Verizon.
C/NET News is out with a well-reported allotment today that goes through the assorted possibilities.The commodity does a abundant job of laying out all the capacity of the case, so we won't get into all that here.
While it charcoal cryptic absolutely how the bearings will comedy out, Vonage says it ability be affected out of business if it isn't able to get the adjudication angry over on appeal.
By itself, that would be bad for all buzz consumers, not aloof Vonage customers. Competition from fresh rivals such as Vonage and cable operators accept affected acceptable buzz companies such as Verizon and AT&T to action harder for customers, about active bottomward prices and convalescent service.
Far added troubling, however, is the achievability that Verizon ability try to use agnate action to attenuate or shut bottomward added fresh competitors in the buzz business.
Let's put this in agreement of cold, adamantine cash. For years I had apparent old buzz account with Verizon, which amount me added than $60 a month. That didn't accommodate continued distance. I was additionally answerable added for appearance such as alarm waiting, etc.
A few months ago I switched over to Comcast for my buzz service, demography advantage of a array accord for phone, Internet and cable television. My buzz account now costs about $35 a month, including chargeless continued distance, alarm cat-and-mouse and a agglomeration of added features.
Verizon offers agnate accumulation to its barter through bundles of services, but it doesn't yet accommodate it's cilia optic television account in my neighborhood. When it does, I will accede activity aback to Verizon.
This is why the Vonage/Verizon apparent case should be so awkward to anybody who pays a buzz bill. If Verizon and added acceptable buzz companies can get the courts to annihilate off their fresh competitors, they will accept little allurement to action cheaper ante and more good service.
Competition has acutely benefited buzz consumers. It will be adverse if Verizon is able to use lawsuits to annihilate off its rivals rather than aggressive with them.