VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Frank F

O,K., as many of you know, I am working on a non-ISDN project. But this topic is not related to that issue.

I just reviewed an article which stated that Vorizen is no longer putting new installations of ISDN in the State of New Jersey and some other areas. Further, two other telcos are no longer doing new installs in other parts of the country.

Costs here (in my area) for ISDN have almost doubled recently. I now understand that PAC Bell (SBC) is dropping new installs of ISDN in California and is phasing out of ISDN in some medium size cities. (Few, if any of the smaller cities in California have ISDN lines available)

So, the question(s) is/are: "Is ISDN dead or dying?"

What is your usage of ISDN (how often do you use the service), if any? What is the availability of ISDN in your area? Do you have your own Codec, or do you use a local studio when you need ISDN?

Would you buy ISDN today?

I realize ISDN is the formost possibilty of real-time audio delivery at present, But with the advent of other services, does this/would this change your mind?

I would appreciate your comments. Ask other users of ISDN their opinions too. It will make for an interesting min-survey of the technology.

Frank F

Drew · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject:

I gave serious consideration a year ago when a potential client asked that I install ISDN. Once I reached the ONE guy in all of North Texas who dealt with ISDN for, then SBC, now AT&T, he told me the telco would be phasing out that "old" technology within a year or two. Soooo, I figured I'd sit back and wait for what new technology would come about making use of high speed broad band.
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VO-Guy · Guest

Charlie Channel · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject:

Hi Frank,

A couple of years ago, I bought AudioTX. Generally, ISDN works better than anything else. I'd have some real concerns if there is nothing as real-time reliable to take its place, at this very moment in time.

My stage of business development would cause me to not purchase ISDN resources at this time. I know of a voice talent who simply sends content using the Internet and mp3 files to one major TV station in the S.F./San Jose, CA market. The station's got no complaints, either.

Woops. Oh, I fogot to answer your other questions.

My useage is infrequent. I'd done a few demos and two or three job over the past year. So, having it has enabled me to be competitive; however, it's not a boost that gets me over a hurdle as much as a key that opens a door to opportunity. The Internet and mp3's seem to be the launching pad.

C

dhouston67 · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:50 pm Post subject:

If I, as a non-ISDN-equipped voice talent, may opine...

It seems that high-speed DSL and broadband connections have already rendered ISDN obsolete in terms of audio delivery options; FTP and e-mail generally guarantees availability of audio files within minute if not seconds.

The only advantage ISDN has left is its ability to a) allow a remote producer to hear the audio in real-time and b) allow a director to direct in the same way. It seems to me that if costs grow more prohibitive and availability becomes scarce, then the above entities will have no choice but to embrace a new method of real-time remote session monitoring.

The above useless blather brought to you by a break in my otherwise hectic day...
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Deirdre · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject:

To paraphrase Banksey: ISDN is as useless an "Old Technology" as 35 mm film and the internal combustion engine.

I use my ISDN line every day, sometimes several times a day.
ISDN, as a means of transmitting broadcast-quality sound, is not going anywhere soon. Radio stations and affiliates use it all the time; nothing comes close for quality and reliability.
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billelder · Guest

Please forgive my post being completely speculative as I do not own or use ISDN. It seems to me that the people that will decide the next system will be the engineers at the studios. If you have "Bobby's Magic Box" and the recording studio still is using ISDN, you're out of luck. The problem is not that you can't get it. The problem is that you can't get it and John Leader already has it and is using it.

I don't think ISDN is going anywhere. There are too many studios and radio stations still using it. If I got a gig that required ISDN, sure, I'd (try to) get it. The Phone Company may be cutting back on new installations, but you can bet your "party barge" that current users of ISDN aren't cancelling their lines any time soon. <g>

EDIT: Sorry Deirdre, you beat me by 2 minutes.

dhouston67 · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject:

I'll gladly defer to Deeb's experience.

From outside the ISDN world looking in, I've often gotten the impression that a catch-22 is in place: you can't justify installing ISDN unless you're getting "those kind of gigs", but you can't get "those kind of gigs" without already being ISDN-equipped. (I'm oversimplifying...)

In all seriousness, though: say I get a call that demands an ISDN session. Do I call a studio and try to book with them per the client's schedule (and roll the studio's charges into my fee), or am I better off referring the gig to ISDN-equipped talent?
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Do That Voice! - The DHV Blog

Frank F · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:36 pm Post subject:

ballenberg · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:38 pm Post subject:

The only advantage ISDN has left is its ability to a) allow a remote producer to hear the audio in real-time and b) allow a director to direct in the same way.

Directing in real-time--please, is there any other way?!

Hello! That's a HUGE advantage--client confidence and ease of direction isn't just a thing; it's the biggest thing. Also anytime I can take off the engineer hat and totally focus on performance and only performance, I'm a lot happier.

Count me as someone who hopes ISDN is around for a long time.

Drew · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:43 pm Post subject:

Hmm, who's bigger the telco or the studios and broadcast outlets? When it took me two days just to track down the "ISDN Guy" for all of North Texas, and that includes Dallas, and I got the "...we're gonna phase it out here in a coupla years.." response, I had to take pause. I had the codec in the shopping cart...so to speak. And now that Ma Bell's back bigger than ever, having swallowed up her "baby" here in the Lone Star State last month, it would seem if she decides she isn't doing ISDN, the studios and broadcasters aren't going to have much sway. AT&T is gonna do what she's gonna do. And if Ma ain't getting any bang for her buck, those few entities that use the service will probably stand little chance of preserving it.
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Deirdre · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:47 pm Post subject:

billelder · Guest

Drew, Well said! Personally, I don't think AT&T is going to drop the profiatble stream of revenue they have from existing ISDN customers. But then again, I still own a Betamax.

EDIT: I'm sorry. I know I'm thick but I just don't see AT&T dropping existing customers. Just to be clear. What AT&T or anyone does in the future of ISDN isn't important except to those of us who don't have ISDN. I believe that those that own ISDN right now will continue to have it as long as they pay the bills. I just don't see a company saying to these long time customers and studions, "Um sorry guys, we can't offer the service you've used these many years." But, if I call and say I want to put in a new order for an ISDN line, then they are well within their right to tell me they aren't going to offer it anymore.

I'll go in my corner now. I shouldn't even be in this thread anyway. Foot in Mouth

Philip Banks · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:07 pm Post subject:

Frank F · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 4:09 pm Post subject:

Texas, Georgia, Louisiana are some of the states that are dropping ISDN from it's structure... AT&T currenlty is selling off ISDN holdings to what once was a "baby-bell", what will come is yet to be seen....

DB, Thank you... One issue you just made me aware that I was right on track with is: