Re: [rtcweb] Requiring ICE for RTC calls

[Cullen Jennings <[e-mail]>]

On Sep 26, 2011, at 9:44 PM, Bernard Aboba wrote:

> 
> > And "interoperability with SIP-PSTN providers" is only relevant if you
> > are trying to turn the browser into another phone. We have enough
> > phones. What we don't have are new real-time communication experiences
> > that can only be created within this environment.
> 
> [BA] I think you may be on to something here.  POTS lines are dropping so rapidly
> that wireline service won't even exist in some countries within a few years.  While
> PSTN interop may have been a key scenario in the early days of SIP, I have serious
> doubts as to how much attention we should pay to this in RTCWEB.  Ability to
> make a call to an E.164 number?  Probably.  Support for every potential corner
> case?  Not necessarily. 

I wish I could agree but I think we have a long, long, way to go here. I will point out that the only way Microsoft can phone Cisco is over the PSTN and that is two of the most pro VoIP companies in the world. Thought I agree with rate of land lines is dropping in some countries, the rate of  what VoIP reaches via the PSTN, which is land lines + mobile phones, is growing in every country I have stats for. Now of course, I'd love to see the PSTN replaced with something better but I think it is highly unrealistic to think that is going to happen in less than 10 years.