Aswath Weblog

Early Look at PhoneGnome

Om talks about a new VoIP adapter called PhoneGnome. Based on a quick look it seems to be an enhanced clone of Call-in-One adapter from SIPPhone. This device connects to PSTN and to broadband. With a standard phone connected to the device, one can make/receive calls from either. Neither TelEvolution (the company that is marketing PhoneGnome) nor Om compares it to Call-in-One.

So far, I have identified two additional capabilities that are not available in CIO – it has a built-in answering machine that can forward voice mail as an email and the other one is that it has a built-in call screener. Also you can select one of many interconnect provider. But it is not clear whether I could select different provider for different countries. For example, the rates to India by two of the providers listed in their web site are more expensive than AT&T PSTN rate I get (the link to the third provider does not load). But it is a step in the right direction.

I also have some questions that can be answered in the near future.

1. Their website makes repeated mention that this is a product and not a service. But it looks like they are providing the needed proxy service. Will this product function if TelEvolution ceases to offer the proxy function? Aren’t they providing services just like FWD or SIPPhone?
2. The device implicitly uses a SIP URI made up from your phone number, namely sip:yourphonenumber@sip.phonegnome.com. What happens if you change the phone number? Do you get a new SIP URI? What happens to the old one? When will it get reassigned?
3. Currently it is being sold at $120, where as CIO is $70. So what do we get for an additional $50?
4. They say that they offer call waiting service. If I am on a call on one interface (say PSTN) and a call comes on another interface (VoIP)? (Three and half years back, I had developed a proposal along this line. My erstwhile partner pick pocketed the idea, but as far as I know, didn’t bring the product to the market.)
5. The call logs are maintained at their website. They say so in their Terms and Conditions. If this is really a product, shouldn’t it be stored in the super ATA itself and served from there?
6. There is no mention of the codecs they support. I hope a wideband codec is in the list.