Voice APIs a Part, Not The Solution
The response to my Voice API post on GigaOM has been pretty good. Lots of insightful comments and several good posts in response. It did mostly confirm a lot of what I was saying, but I felt it was worth spending a moment tying up loose ends.
APIs as Part of a Solution: I think the general consensus is that APIs by themselves are meaningless unless they are attached to a platform with significant value. I think it’s also pretty clear that APIs need to be part of a larger value chain, e.g. consultants to do the integration and a clear solution to a compelling business need. IfByPhone makes it easy to integrate, Jaduka offers the custom integration work for enterprises. Voxeo, mentioned by commenters, also offers a full suite of services.
Consultants Make the Money: While many voice API vendors make varying claims about how easy it is to integrate their APIs into your applications, chances are, you’re going to hire some consultants to do the integration work. I’m sure that makes Thomas Howe happy.
