Vonage has partnered with Viseon to promote a videophone package and service in Q1 2005. The phone is going to look a bit like this:

I think videophones and VoIP make a powerful combo and will popularize yet another acronym: VVoIP. The Apple iSight inserted new life into the videophone market a year ago, but carriers have been largely unenthused by the devices. I do think people will want this product/service - particularly travelers who want to stay in touch with loved ones (and possibly the office).

But I think a few things need to happen before this can become mass market:

1. A video phone/video softphone bundle. This would include the fixed line phone and a webcam that attaches to the laptop (like the iSight) and includes supporting software. I don't think it will be enough to just sell the fixed line phone by itself. Vonage needs to provide a package suited to business travelers so they can stay in touch with home. They key is to provide bundled devices so that people instantly have someone to "video" with. I think Apple would have had much greater success with iSight if they had created a non-Apple video phone to bundle with it. But they're only just beginning to test the non-Apple waters with the Windows iTunes software. Perhaps their much-rumored Apple wireless phone will be another step in that direction.

2. Video Phone Interoperability. I want to know that this phone will work with other webcams that are already out there. Is there a videophone standard in the works already? I'd certainly like to see some standard -- officially or unofficially -- that everyone can support, including Apple. Apple's iChat software does interop with AOL software, so that's a start.

3. Cellular Phone Interoperability This is perhaps of less importance, but I'd like to see a point where VVoIP works with cellular-based video. This is no doubt a larger challenge because carriers don't like to open their "walled gardens." But I think it's an issue that will need to be addressed eventually. Perhaps Wi-Fi-enabled smart phone/camera phones will bypass carrier networks altogether.

Anyway, I'm glad to see Vonage out there looking for more ways to utilize its network. I'd like to see it pursue home monitoring services as well, as I believe this is currently being overlooked by all carriers.