Free telephone calls in 5 years!

Meg Whitman, SWMBO at EBay, defended the amazing $4 billion Skype purchase price by suggesting that within 5 years all network-based calls will be free, paid for by advertising and transaction fees. The current minutes-per-month plans will, she believes, go the way of the dodo. It is hard to imagine that the cell service providers are excited by this prospect. However, as the devices get smaller and more web-enabled, it is easy to see VOIP dominating the landscape. I recall a discussion within the last year with a CTIA member who voiced confidenct that VOIP was nothing big, and would end up being priced essentially at the same level as the POTS providers. We'll all have to wait to see the impact of the Brand X tariff ruling on this space.