McDougal's VoIP world

Restricted bandwidth

Probably the other biggest difference between the parent company and ISPhone is the underlying telecommunications infrastructure in Australia. In the United States, ISPhone had lots of inexpensive high-quality bandwidth, even in remote areas because ISPs supplied broadband on overhead cables. In Australia most ISPs are reliant on Telstra’s underground network.

“That was the other big challenge. For technology such as VoIP the
end-user needs a lot of bandwidth for a high-quality service. Getting around that challenge probably has been the biggest hurdle for the company,” he said.

McDougal believes with the Labor Party bringing out its broadband initiative, it has finally got the Australian Government and Senator Helen Coonan, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, talking about the issues.

“Australia is a wealthy country but there is a general lack of quality in broadband. It’s crazy and there is no reason for it,” says McDougal. “With the technology we use, it’s important for customers to be educated on the need for business-grade broadband.”

Having a good connection makes technology, such as VoIP a lot easier, said McDougal.

Once Australia’s bandwidth issue is ironed out, people will be able to talk to other people via video conferencing, which is big overseas.
“Technology such as video conferencing takes a lot of bandwidth, so right now it looks a bit funny and as though someone has taken a video with a shaky camera. For Australia the technology is still a year away and its potential won’t be realised until ADSL 2+ is rolled out across the country,” he says.

From drama to technology

McDougal has always been interested in technology and thinks traditional telcos have always had a bad rap.

“I always tell people everybody hates the phone company especially where we have Telstra as the number one phone service in Australia. But people always want to talk to people and when you add a cool technology to enhance that experience it catches their attention,” he said.

He started at ISPhone Inc. in late 2003. The US company caught his eye when he began working with nifty new technology and rapidly gaining a reputation for low-cost calls and great service. Sensing that he was onto something big, he quickly became involved as an external sales and marketing expert, working closely with Victor von Schlegell, the company’s president.

“I worked in the States for a few years and then came to Australia in April 2005. I started the company in May, got married in June and then opened for business in July, all in one year. Most of 2005 was spent in research and development, hiring staff and reorganising our channel strategy,” he said.

His American experience and the heritage of the overwhelming success of the ISPhone business model stand him and the Australian company in good stead. With an expert local team he has developed a business-grade VoIP wholesale product to support thousands of small to medium businesses throughout Australia.

He loves the work, especially his job and being able to build the company. But he has many good friends around him who help take
his mind off work.

“I also go back to the Gold Coast where I have a home. The pace is much slower and I am able relax and spend time with my wife. We are about to have a baby soon and I think that is much more stressful than what I do career-wise.

collaboration gavin mcdougal networking