You've been Voiped!

[hexagon]

What is the feasibility of encrypting VOIP traffic to bypass the "scanning" for VOIP packets?

It's theoretically very feasible, and there's nothing the networks can do about it (unless they happen to have quantum computers sitting in their server rooms . . .)

The standard Skype protocol is already encrypted, although I've heard conflicting reports whether Skype traffic is actually detectable by examining packets. One of the problems is that the Skype protocol has not been opened to external review.

However, there's no reason why VOIP calls can't be routed over encrypted anonymizing networks, e.g. Tor (tor.eff.org) or I2P (www.i2p.net), which, assuming there are no bugs, *really can* provide undetectable routing. Unfortunately, many of these "mix" networks depend on volunteer networks of PC's and tend to be on the slow side. If you believe strongly enough in the cause, donate to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (www.eff.org), who have been relatively active

The danger of not resisting is that we become a milkable proletariat for the telecomms companies . . . (somewhat hysterical, but true, I think)

 

[Syndyre]

The other option, if you have an ADSL connection at home, is to set up an encrypted VPN link to that and then route your Skype traffic via that.

 

[sabagamma]

This is a futile defensive move by MTN and Vodacom. The changing technology, the general public, the business world, the lobbyists and the government will make sure that this will never succeed in the long term.

The only people who are looking forward to this would be lawyers and marketing, the former to keep the mess and the latter to sweep it under the carpet.

 

[stix]

Consumer gets knobbed again

 

[bwana]

Embrace the technology - its the future and you're going to need all the goodwill you can muster.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Ahh... If only this were America... Vodacom, Telkom, MTN... they'd be burnt alive.

 

[Prometheus]

Vodacom charges R1,50 per megabyte and MTN charges R2 per megabyte for normal data traffic, but they reserve the right to charge R10 and R25 respectively per megabyte for Voip traffic.

I would really like to know where Lloyd got this from. Perhaps confused by the latest "reduction" in after bundle usage?

Seligmann says MTN does have the technical capability to block Voip calls and charge them at the higher rate, but had not done so as yet. He says the rate was a precautionary measure to prevent the MTN network being swamped with Voip data, which would lower the quality of service.

The lies just keep coming and coming. If this was the case then their network is swamped by normal voice traffic as well which most people don't know is just data anyway. VoIP traffic is different in that you can choose lower quality at reduced data rates which could save consumers money and operators network load.

“Customers can download and use Voip clients such as Skype but will experience the typical ‘bursty’ nature of the internet leading to poor voice quality, and could be charged mobile Voip tariffs,” says Field.

So one spokesperson (v3g) says there is no intention yet to charge VoIP tariffs and another one now says they may charge VoIP tariffs. This kind of double talk doesn't help to establish trust in their customers. No wonder people start running wild when they overhear consersations.

Don't think they have that many broadband customers for it to be an issue, and they don't offer 3G/HSPDA anyway.

Guess again, I think most of Virgin's customers are using them mainly for data.

There's not much in the article to interpret. Its just unfortunate that MyADSL is reported as giving the reasons for the dual tariffs rather than its opposition to them.

To the uninformed "just a safeguard to protect against new phones" makes the dual tariff sound like a wise and sensible thing.

Honestly, to me it sounds like MyADSL hardly feels it is even worth a comment. If mobile networks start implementing this we know very well they will be shooting themselves in the feet especially when VoIP becomes the talk of the day every day and everyone remembers what they did. If there's one thing that always comes back to haunt you it's the way you treat your customers. Telkom is a prime example of this.

Ajax and others: Skype traffic can be encrypted but that does not make it undetectable. There is some weaknesses in the protocol that makes it detectable as skype traffic. The protocol is proprietary which only means it is unique to Skype. It is open to public scrutiny like every other protocol and uses tried and proven encryption.

 

[zambussi]

The rape of the South African public continues.....................

 

[Tns]

They can't do that!

data is data! pitty there isn't a voip utility that runs straight from your phone.....

 

[semtex]

Don't think they have that many broadband customers for it to be an issue, and they don't offer 3G/HSPDA anyway.

I have spoken to Cell C and Virgin the same people at the end of the day.
They are implementing 3G next month, from what I have been told.

I think Vodacom and MTN are becoming a Telkom as they know if they both fight this they will both reap the benefits extreme call rates for VOIP.

What irritates me even more is why they even stock phones that have Skype pre-loaded on them. Why not just band all those phones and take us back to the Stone Age like they want to do.

 

[bwana]

I have spoken to Cell C and Virgin the same people at the end of the day.
They are implementing 3G next month, from what I have been told.

I think Vodacom and MTN are becoming a Telkom as they know if they both fight this they will both reap the benefits extreme call rates for VOIP.

It would be nice to get confirmation of that from someone high up on their food chain as this, though encouraging, is contrary to all the other reports.

Hope it is true.

 

[Prometheus]

I have spoken to Cell C and Virgin the same people at the end of the day.
They are implementing 3G next month, from what I have been told.

Don't think so. Don't think they have the money for it anyway. They will probably use Vodacom and maybe implement 3G slowly. They will definitely not have a full fledged 3G network in the next year.

 

[Gadget_guy]

I have spoken to Cell C and Virgin the same people at the end of the day.
They are implementing 3G next month, from what I have been told.

I am not so sure about this?, I guess the key word is "implementing", and it could mean they start putting down Node-B's or they start thinking about a 3G network, two very different points of departure

 

[PhireSide]

Okay okay, according to me this is utter bullsh1t!! Voip is a solution that would make calls cheaper, not even more expensive! Let's take a guesstimate and say that every Vodacom subscriber spends R5 a day. Multiply that by their 20 million subscribers and you get R100 million a day. Times that by 30 for a month...R300 million. Times again by 12 months and you get R1.2 billion. Hardly small change heh? A Nice fat amount...I could live off a days earnings my whole life, and still have enough for my "back pocket".

 

[Prometheus]

Okay okay, according to me this is utter bullsh1t!! Voip is a solution that would make calls cheaper, not even more expensive! Let's take a guesstimate and say that every Vodacom subscriber spends R5 a day. Multiply that by their 20 million subscribers and you get R100 million a day. Times that by 30 for a month...R300 million. Times again by 12 months and you get R1.2 billion. Hardly small change heh? A Nice fat amount...I could live off a days earnings my whole life, and still have enough for my "back pocket".

Don't know what you call bull exactly, but if it's that the cell operators will not charge extra for VoIP then you are WRONG. Yes VoIP will make calls cheaper but NOT for the operators. You get charged a premium for voice calls that get converted to a low cost data stream. If you now use a low cost data stream instead then they don't get the premium for the same service. Of course they will charge you the premium in return for priority service on the network by artificially crippling all other services in order to provide it. Remember MTN has already considered even blocking VoIP which is why they and their representatives are so silent on the matter and for some reason Vodacom does not to remove the VoIP pricing from its charge card.

I think if you do the multiplication it adds up to R36 billion which is pretty close to the R40 billion profit between the 3 network and possibly very close to Vodacom's gross income.

Btw. welcome to the forum. Have you popped in to be ninja'd yet?