Microsoft Teleo Acquisition Spells Advanced MSN VOIP
Microsoft’s MSN most likely will be joining Yahoo, Google, and Skype with its own VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol or Internet Phones) offering after the announcement that Microsoft will be acquiring the net phone company Teleo. The addition of VoIP to the MSN Messenger service via the Teleo acquisition will enhance the exisiting compeition in the instant messaging field, which is rapidly turning its concentration on VoIP tele-messaging and voice oriented services. MSN Messenger currently lets users talk from one computer to the next, however MSN does not offer the ability to make calls from a computer to a traditional phone.
Like Skype’s Skype-Out PC to Phone offering, MSN will be using the Teleo software and technology to let its Messenger users “dial out” to traditional phones on a local and international level. “Given that the space is so hot at the moment in terms of activity, the competition is going to be great for customers,” Global Product Manager for MSN Messenge Will Collins told the NY Times. According to MSN, ” Microsoft plans to incorporate and expand upon Teleo’s technologies, integrating them into the MSN services infrastructure, with plans to ultimately deliver new VoIP consumer applications in future releases of MSN services, such as MSN Messenger.”
Now is asgood of a time as any for MSN to plan the launch of a PC to Phone VoIP service as Skype, the leader in VoIP messaging, has recently been hit by VoIP offerings from Yahoo Messenger and the new Google Talk. If MSN can roll out a PC to phone dialing package before Google does, they may be able to attact more messaging customers while fortifying their currrent base of users by offering a total VoIP service while Google Talk is still playing with PC to PC only calls. And you know how it works, the more messenger users, the more registered MSN users, the more potential MSN searches to serve MSN Keywords ads on this fall.
