FreeConference.com Is Back! – AT&T And Qwest Lift Ban
By Will Park on Thursday, April 12th, 2007 at 11:43 AM PST In AT&T, Announcements, Services
The underdog wins! We were rooting for David in this Goliath tale of small startup FreeConference.com vs. AT&T (NYSE: T) and Qwest – turns out we were rooting for the right team! FreeConference managed to get their service un-blocked by AT&T and Qwest after rallying for public support and filing suit against the telecommunications giants. But you better get your fill of free conference calling, because this service is not likely to last. All the buzz surrounding this whole debacle kicked up details on how the Iowa-based FreeConference and their rural telco partners are fleecing the system. FreeConference’s overcharging tactics are just an exploitation of a loop-hole in telecom regulations, and now that the FCC is taking a look at the matter, the future of free-calling services may change – for the worst.
Via: techdirt
Don’t worry about these services going away. Free is a fundamental part of the landscape and there will always be a free model in conferencing. These businesses also make money from premium services and that part of the business is expanding rapidly as heavy users find more value in a broader array of group communications and collaboration services.
I totally agree, free will always be around. But the loophole that these companies are using may be closed up in the near future. I really hope that they continue to thrive thought!