VoIP, Mobile and Canada - an Update

In an earlier article I mentioned that, while technically feasible, there are several factors that make VoIP largely unusable over mobile (wireless) carriers' data networks in Canada. Some of these factors are now being overcome in the US, sooner than I expected. Let's briefly review these issues from a Canadian perspective:

• Competitive pressures: Nothing has changed as yet, with new licensees not ready to make an appearance on the Canadian market for some months yet, at the very least.
• Receiving incoming calls: Smart phones can easily run VoIP, however being available for incoming calls has a deleterious impact on the battery life, among other technical hurdles. The first sign that this barrier is coming down is Apple's announcement of iPhone OS 3.0 which enables an application to receive push notifications (APNS). It isn't reliably real-time, but it is a step in the right direction.
• VoIP application availability: With AT&T prepared to allow VoIP apps like Skype and Vonage onto its 3G data network, Apple has less reason to block any VoIP app. While they are still delaying Google Voice, since it is not a VoIP app it is an unrelated issue. Of course, VoIP apps can be used on Android phones.
• Application filtering: This is the mobile version of the net neutrality public policy issue. Carriers have the technical ability to filter VoIP apps (communications protocols in the data channel), and they frequently do this to protect their voice business and (controversially) to protect overall service quality on their data networks. Again, this is where competition is needed to loosen restrictions in Canada since the CRTC cannot be relied upon to act.
• Data plan pricing: This remains expensive in Canada in comparison to other countries, and VoIP requires more affordable pricing if VoIP is to become a competitive alternative to the carrier's own voice service.

It's these last two points where the situation in Canada markedly differs from that in the US. I suspect that there will be a period of time during which we will only be able to look on in envy as the US mobile VoIP market begins to seriously develop.