Topic: Voip

Linda Lupakin of ImageMakers Inc. is recognized for her support, and David Elcott is knighted as "Sir Voip of the Jersey Shore" for his long career in voice-over IP. Per Elcott's request, the hosts perform a brief, chaotic musical interlude using various noisemakers and instruments.

Dame Early Turtle is elevated to Baronetess of the Gethsemane Swamp, and David Elcott is officially knighted. Listeners are directed to noagendarings.com to purchase custom Knight and Dame rings, which come with a wax seal and certificate of authenticity.

A critique of modern "destination dispatch" elevator systems describes the lack of internal buttons and the resulting inefficiency in Manhattan hotels. An anecdote about the Hearst Building mentions the use of podium stewards to operate elevators. Additionally, a complaint is lodged against Cisco VoIP phones that rebooted nightly at 3:59 AM, illuminating hotel rooms with bright white screens.

Technical documentation for Cisco's "Lawful Intercept" function is examined, which allows law enforcement to perform electronic surveillance on specific targets. This process supports the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) and enables the capture of IP addresses, usernames, and VoIP data packets. The capability suggests how intelligence agencies might monitor network traffic at a granular level without physical taps.

The hosts discuss the vulnerability of modern VoIP services and the difficulties of managing GPG encryption keys, noting that fake keys can be used to intercept messages. They reference a leaked email exchange between attorney Jesslyn Raddick and journalist Glenn Greenwald regarding a potential appearance by Edward Snowden. The conversation touches on the technical hurdles that make secure communication difficult for the average user.

Congressman Jerrold Nadler grills FBI Director Robert Mueller regarding the actual national security damage caused by the Snowden leaks. The hosts speculate that the inclusion of "PalTalk" in the leaked PRISM slides was the most significant revelation, as it was a service previously unknown to be under surveillance.

The program opens with technical difficulties as Skype repeatedly crashes during the initial connection. The failure is attributed to Microsoft's ownership of the product, with comparisons made to the "abort, retry, fail" errors of older operating systems. A full reinstallation of the software was required to stabilize the connection for the New Year's Day broadcast.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson testified before Congress that the Microsoft-Skype merger and the AT&T-T-Mobile merger would drive innovation in "wireless operating systems." The hosts debunk these claims, explaining that Skype's primary innovation is a closed-loop Wi-Fi connection system rather than a mobile OS. They argue that the mergers are monopolistic moves intended to stifle smaller competitors.

A technical discussion explores the limitations of the Skype Mac client, specifically the difficulty in accessing a dial pad during active calls to enter passcodes for conference bridges. The Windows version of Skype is noted for having "extras" like Chinese Checkers and "Skylook" for Outlook integration. The hosts express skepticism about the stability of these third-party Skype plugins.

The Democratic Party's use of technology, including reverse VoIP systems and social engineering to match callers by ethnicity, is cited as being far superior to Republican marketing efforts. Strategists like Joe Trippi are credited with revolutionizing how the internet is used for political mobilization and fundraising.

The Jajah telephony service is presented as a cost-effective alternative to Skype and traditional carriers like British Telecom. The platform functions by connecting two standard phone lines via a web interface, utilizing preferred exchanges and backhaul networks to provide near-landline quality at a fraction of the cost.

The hosts discuss the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and its history in the telecom industry, referencing Jeff Pulver and early expectations for free calling. Dvorak criticizes the Gizmo software for being poorly implemented and resource-heavy, while Curry explores why Skype remains the dominant, albeit closed, standard for internet calls.