[asterisk-biz] calling card business

[Alex Balashov]

IP is compelling for access, but the carrier world is still firmly TDM. 
  That, and IP just isn't as reliable at this point.

When someone offers a cheap TDM switch, I get intrigued.

David Knell wrote:

> It's not dead; it's merely changed.  
> 
> Last time I bought a TDM switch, I paid about US$150,000 for 64E1s - so
> it'd switch about 1000 calls.  Several years later, we run that traffic
> volume and more through two commodity Dell servers which, with
> bandwidth, cost us about $250/month.  And it takes a few hours to hook
> up to a new carrier, rather than weeks or months in the TDM world.  So
> it's no wonder that there's a lot of TDM equipment coming onto the
> market; IP is too compelling.
> 
> There is also a lot of activity around cellphones - for example, a
> couple of the UK calling card companies have launched MVNOs with an
> emphasis on cheap international calling (such as Lycatel with
> Lycamobile), selling SIMs through their existing distribution, and
> existing carriers are starting to offer cheap international calling
> packages, both to postpaid and prepaid customers.
> 
> Question back at you - what do you say when someone asks if you can sell
> their TDM switch?
> 
> --Dave
> 
>> is it dead? i have many people e-mailing me asking if I can sell their
>> switches (NACT, DTI, Excel) I also know from last year the intelecard
>> show was a bust...so what do you guys think? are we all just heading
>> to mobile phones and unified communications? what about the people
>> that have credit issues? prepaid cell phones? 
>>
>> -- 
>> Thank you,
>>
>> -Wes-
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-- 
Alex Balashov - Principal
Evariste Systems
Web     : http://www.evaristesys.com/
Tel     : (+1) (678) 954-0670
Direct  : (+1) (678) 954-0671