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There is a recurring question I’ve heard many times during conferences on VoIP: when will the PSTN network be turned off?

Some say 2015, others 2020. We can bet, but it is surely a very difficult question.

Anyway, there’s someone who has always worked to try to accelerate this process and make it happen sooner. This person is Jeff Pulver, that back in 1995 launched Free World Dialup, a pure IP voice service through which FWD users could call each others for FREE by using their internet connection.

Now that broadband is a reality, this concept can be pushed more and more, so Jeff decided that it’s time for a FWD makeover. Jeff invested a lot of money during this time and in order to make FWD reach its real potential and in order to start adding new features, Jeff asks help from their users introducing an annual fee.

There are over 700.000 FWD accounts and over 30.000 are actively using this service every day. The annual fee is $30 for personal usage and $300 for businesses. It’s not that much comparing to the value you get. And, finally, we can see an innovative and disruptive IP communication service growing up thanks to the participation of its members.

Here is how Jeff explains this move:

FWD does not seek to operate as a stand-alone service provider analogous to the usual notion of a telephone company. We do not compete in a direct sense with AT&T, DTAG, or other incumbents. FWD provides self help tools and information for people unhappy with the options offered by the telco’s, but users will not find any FWD services that provide direct replacements traditional services. FWD seeks to reduce our dependence on the traditional telephone network, so we only reluctantly pursue interconnection with the PSTN.

FWD seeks to champion and educate people about the emerging IP communications ecosystem. Membership does not preclude using any or all of the offers from companies like Skype, Vonage, or PhoneGnome. FWD wants to help members find the latest and greatest cool new communication products. In particular, FWD provides a means to register and use the growing stream of IP voice/video enabled equipment and consumer electronics devices.

I really appreciate this initiative, it’s a plain example of paying for something that brings value to you. No minutes, no traffic concept are in there, but value added services from a pioneer of the IP communication. If any broadband owner became a FWD member, the dream of PSTN-free communication could quickly become reality.

I’m going to become a paying member right now. I recommend to do the same, by clicking here.

UPDATE: done

disrtuptive communications, free world dialup, jeff pulver, luca filigheddu