XMPP lovers out there – it’s time to pack your things and head home. It seems like SIP has won the battle for VoIP dominance. Don’t come complaining to me – Google is to blame.
A few weeks ago we were all looking for Skype to step up to the plate, scoop Gizmo5 and save their asses from the patent issues by giving them a SIP infrastructure. Didn’t happen. Instead, we are now dealing with a much bigger issue: Google has “stolen” Gizmo5.
Andy Abramson does a great job (as usual) providing his analysis on the value Gizmo5 brings to Google. Go read his post – you won’t be disappointed. That being said, I’d like to deal with the other aspect of it – the possible end of the standards war.
Up until today, whenever Google was mentioned as a company dealing with VoIP, people used to say that it uses Jingle – an extension written on top of XMPP. This was given as a reason why all VoIP networks in the world should migrate from SIP to XMPP. Google Voice, which utilizes SIP, was usually forgotten in those tedious discussions.
What was missing for Google on the GTalk front is connectivity: their network was closed, with no way to communicate with people out of the network. Unlike Skype (which is now opening up a bit to SIP), GTalk doesn’t have the required user-base to grow fast enough or offer a service that is compelling enough.
Now Google has their own VoIP network, curtsey of Gizmo5, which is SIP based. I see two options here:
- In the long run, Google will ditch Jingle in favor of SIP, which is a smart move. SIP today is the winner in the VoIP arena as the protocol of choice – not supporting it simply means closing up your network, which is not the brightest thing to do if you have a small user base.
- Google will use both protocols, providing a gateway from their Jingle-based GTalk to SIP on Google Voice and Gizmo5 networks. This will give a similar end-result but a bigger maintenance headache for Google.
So, will Google Jingle with SIP or single the Jip? Will they commit to a single protocol – SIP – or will they end up in multi-protocol hell?
Tags: Andy Abramson, connectivity, Gizmo5, Google, Google Voice, GTalk, Jingle, Protocols, service, SIP, Skype, standards, Support, voice, VoIP, XMPP
Comments and trackbacks
1. Alok Saboo@truvoipbuzz.com | November 23rd, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Looks like it will be the option 1 (at least in the near future). SIP could well be one of the reasons (imho) for acquiring Gizmo…
2. Eelco | November 23rd, 2009 at 6:40 pm
It will be protocol hell either way. There will be SIP (voice mainly) and XMPP (presence, messaging, wave). I’m wondering when we will see the first networks that use XMPP for presence, messaging, identity, etc) and uses SIP for media sessions.
3. Tsahi Levent-Levi | November 23rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
@Alok,
For some reason I tend to agree with you, though I am not sure how easy such a process would be.
@Eelco,
I was wondering how much time it will get you to comment on this one
I share your concern regarding a combined XMPP+SIP solution, but as far as I am reading the map so far, it will be the preferred solution of most in the coming years.
4. Eelco | November 23rd, 2009 at 7:05 pm
I’m not sure yet if I see it as a concern or as a logical next step. It will be interesting to see how things will move from here.
5. Binyamin | November 23rd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I think that Google will develop and “force” us to use Jingle. (in the long run)
6. Tsahi Levent-Levi | November 23rd, 2009 at 7:32 pm
@Eelco – it’s just nice to see people coming back here – makes me write more posts
I am also interested in seeing what’s next.
@Binyamin – these were my sentiments as well, but there are two things that don’t work in this puzzle:
1. GTalk isn’t that popular at the moment, so forcing here is hard
2. Google have invested in SIP as well, so I don’t really know if they lean towards Jingle, SIP or if they simply don’t care at all
7. Thiago Camargo | November 24th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Similar analysis but including market and technology perspective: http://xmppjingle.blogspot.com/2009/11/gizmo5-is-now-part-of-googles-family.html
8. Tsahi Levent-Levi | November 29th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Thiago,
Thanks for the link – I share your views in that post, at least in the short run there will be a gateway.
What I see is Google opting for a SIP infrastructure for their VoIP network, gatewaying from it to other realms – XMPP, PSTN, etc.
This means SIP becomes the focus for Google.
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