IP Democracy: Murdoch: VoIP Will Be Free Within Three Years

Speaking at Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia Conference today, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch predicted that VoIP services will be offered for free within three years. “I believe that free voice will be ubiquitous, not within ten years but within three years,” he said.

Even so, News Corp. would like to enter the VoIP space, presumably as an enhancement to its recent spate of Internet-related properties, Intermix, MySpace.com, Scout Media and, most recently, IGN Entertainment. “It [VoIP} would be nice to have, particularly now,” Murdoch said.

It’s clear that News Corp. will continue its expansion into the Internet. “The world is changing very fast. I think the timing is absolutely right [to pursue the Internet business.] The tremendous use of the Internet and growth in it has really come in the last year or so with the growth of broadband,” he said. “Entry is not expensive or difficult and this is the time to go for it.”

News Corp. will soon close a carriage deal with Verizon for Verizon’s FiosTV initiative, Murdoch said. The negotiations are “99% close” to being completed.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on September 21, 2005 2:00 PM to IP Democracy