VoIP inboxes theoretically are vulnerable to spam attacks because of e-mail addresses associated with accounts. Qovia is seeking a patent for technology designed to guard against VoIP spam, but VoIP spam attacks have not yet been reported because VoIP has only recently become popular.2
As mentioned, VoIP could eliminate the need for a regular telephone line, but if you use a digital subscriber line (DSL) for Internet access, you will need to keep at least a local telephone service.
Telecommunication: the future
The development of faster Internet access with Internet2 could lead to consolidation in the communications industry, allowing voice, data, video and other media to be managed via one connection. Internet2 is a consortium of universities working with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies for the creation of tomorrow’s Internet.
Related resources
- 1. Federal Communications Commission. Voice-over Internet protocol: frequently asked questions. http://www.fcc.gov/voip/
- 2. Internet2. http://www.internet2.edu/
Disclosure
Dr. Luo reports no financial relationship with any company whose products are mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed by Dr. Luo in this column are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Current Psychiatry.