VP overkill?

BradB08

BradB08

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I've always wondered if there were too many VP companies.

I see them all the time, from Convo to Sorenson to Snap! to Purple and so on.

Do others think that there are too many VP companies out there?
 
Mmm...there are too many cars, motorbikes and oh... too many hearing aids...
 
or too many vibrators to choose from...

No...no...this is not what I mean guys!!
 
Too many VRS providers?

You realize that you can "dial around" to those other VRS providers and use their interpreters regardless of which VRS provider your videophone uses, right?

Different providers have different staffing levels, with different caliber interpreters. If a VRS provider has too many calls and not enough interpreters, you are forced to wait until one becomes available. Some VRS providers staff interpreters that are not fully certified to meet that demand and minimize cost. Other providers strive to have only the best certified interpreters available at all times in appropriate staffing levels able to handle the call volumes with a minimum of wait for their customers.

More VRS providers means more choice in who interprets calls.

As for "VPs", I think you're referring to VideoPhones. There are a number of "VRS Default Providers" that offer videophone devices of various sorts for customers to use, either fully or partially subsidized in price. They want you to use their interpreters, so they eat all or part of the cost of the videophone to entice you to use their equipment so they get the call when you dial a hearing number directly.

I think you're going to see these physical devices start to disappear now that mobile phones are capable of placing videophone calls. There will be a few that remain in the market, but it's far more likely that you will merely install a videophone app on your phone and place calls with that through the VRS default provider offering that app for you to use to reach them.

Competition is a good thing. It forces VRS providers to offer innovative new products and services to customers. A provider that does not attempt to address the features offered by a competitor will find their customers migrating to their competition for those features. It keeps VRS providers honest: they cannot sit on their laurels and refuse to offer new functionally equivalent services.

I say "the more VRS providers the better!" More providers means more competition. More competition means more threat of losing existing customers, which means more innovation to improve services.

I would love to know how many VRS providers you think is appropriate, and your reasoning behind that decision.
 
haha, too many netbook & laptop, too many android tablet and ipad tablet, too many cell phones & iphone, too many hdtv,too may dvr record devices, too many tivo box like google internet tv box, too many camera& camcorders, etc............
 
Now, Skype already been installed in PS3, now this going to be very interesting competition! However, you still can't use VRS service to use their interpreter on Skype but P2P calls can work anyway...
 
There are only 3 major: Sorenson, Purple and ZVRS. While many rest other are under them.
 
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