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I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any other
business that derives revenue from customers' use of their telephone
facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks, forcing us to pay
them when we make calls.

Are any hotel chains already doing this?

Jeremy wrote:

> I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any other
> business that derives revenue from customers' use of their telephone
> facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks, forcing us to pay
> them when we make calls.
>
> Are any hotel chains already doing this?
>
>

A few chains in the US are starting to offer broadband, and many offer
internet service (for a charge) - VoIP would ride on the latter - so
they get their cut.

Besides, how would they 'block voip'?

"Rick Merrill" <> wrote in message
news:b5mdnWRCYtg50w7fRVn-...
> Jeremy wrote:
>
>> I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any
>> other business that derives revenue from customers' use of their
>> telephone facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks,
>> forcing us to pay them when we make calls.
>>
>> Are any hotel chains already doing this?
>
> A few chains in the US are starting to offer broadband, and many offer
> internet service (for a charge) - VoIP would ride on the latter - so
> they get their cut.
>
> Besides, how would they 'block voip'?

The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
blocking the ports used.

Ivor

Ivor Jones wrote:
> "Rick Merrill" <> wrote in message
> news:b5mdnWRCYtg50w7fRVn-...
>
>>Jeremy wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any
>>>other business that derives revenue from customers' use of their
>>>telephone facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks,
>>>forcing us to pay them when we make calls.
>>>
>>>Are any hotel chains already doing this?
>>
>>A few chains in the US are starting to offer broadband, and many offer
>>internet service (for a charge) - VoIP would ride on the latter - so
>>they get their cut.
>>
>>Besides, how would they 'block voip'?
>
>
> The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
> blocking the ports used.
>
> Ivor
>
>

Like this?
http://www.vonage-forum.com/ftopic4184.html

But I don't think hotels have that much sophistication in internet!

Ivor Jones wrote:

> "Rick Merrill" <> wrote in message
> news:b5mdnWRCYtg50w7fRVn-...
>
>>Jeremy wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any
>>>other business that derives revenue from customers' use of their
>>>telephone facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks,
>>>forcing us to pay them when we make calls.
>>>
>>>Are any hotel chains already doing this?
>>
>>A few chains in the US are starting to offer broadband, and many offer
>>internet service (for a charge) - VoIP would ride on the latter - so
>>they get their cut.
>>
>>Besides, how would they 'block voip'?
>
>
> The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
> blocking the ports used.
>
> Ivor
>
>

Actual ports appear to be

TCP & UDP 5060/5061 for SIP

UDP 10,000 to 20,000 (range) -- these ports are chosen dynamically
during call initiation.

"Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> "Rick Merrill" <> wrote in message
> news:b5mdnWRCYtg50w7fRVn-...
> > Jeremy wrote:
> >
> >> I would think that it is only a matter of time before hotels, and any
> >> other business that derives revenue from customers' use of their
> >> telephone facilities, decides to block VoIP on their data networks,
> >> forcing us to pay them when we make calls.
> >>
> >> Are any hotel chains already doing this?
> >
> > A few chains in the US are starting to offer broadband, and many offer
> > internet service (for a charge) - VoIP would ride on the latter - so
> > they get their cut.
> >
> > Besides, how would they 'block voip'?
>
> The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
> blocking the ports used.

Does anyone know if a hotel that offers internet access is considered an ISP
and therefore regulated by the FCC?

> Does anyone know if a hotel that offers internet access is considered
> an ISP

Probably not, but it doesn't really matter.

>and therefore regulated by the FCC?

Why do you think that ISPs are regulated by the FCC? They aren't.

Hotels usually charge enough for Internet access that they're not
hurting even if you did make VoIP calls. What they really would like
to block, of course, is mobile calls.

In article <r8Kke.25921$>,
says...

> > > Besides, how would they 'block voip'?
> >
> > The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
> > blocking the ports used.
>
> Does anyone know if a hotel that offers internet access is considered an ISP
> and therefore regulated by the FCC?

The market will quickly sort this out. I don't patronize hotels that
don't provide broadband. If I discover that they are blocking VOIP over
the broadband that they provide, I will inform them that they have
placed themselves on my "do not patronize" list.

Actually, I don't believe this will ever be a serious problem. Most
hospitality operators are far to savvy to think that they could get away
with this. Moreover, the use of cell-phones has pretty well gutted the
revenue from hotel phones anyway.

Vox Humana wrote:
....
> Does anyone know if a hotel that offers internet access is considered an ISP
> and therefore regulated by the FCC?

The chains I've used are NOT an ISP, but contract with one. The
physical setup however LOOKS as if the hotel is an ISP (T1 line, etc).

"John Nelson" <> wrote in message
news: ews.com...
> In article <r8Kke.25921$>,
> says...
>
>> > > Besides, how would they 'block voip'?
>> >
>> > The same way some telcos and ISP's have been accused of doing so - by
>> > blocking the ports used.
>>
>> Does anyone know if a hotel that offers internet access is considered
>> an ISP
>> and therefore regulated by the FCC?
>
> The market will quickly sort this out. I don't patronize hotels that
> don't provide broadband. If I discover that they are blocking VOIP over
> the broadband that they provide, I will inform them that they have
> placed themselves on my "do not patronize" list.
>
> Actually, I don't believe this will ever be a serious problem. Most
> hospitality operators are far to savvy to think that they could get away
> with this. Moreover, the use of cell-phones has pretty well gutted the
> revenue from hotel phones anyway.

How much revenue do they get anyway..? I assume we're talking about the
USA here..? All the recent hotels I've stayed at in California provided
free local calls within the same area code anyway, and as all I used them
for were just that, I didn't pay any extra.

Ivor (UK)