Not Gaga on Jajah

I have been cold about Jajah from the first time that I saw it running. Basically it allows you to connect two phones together over the internet by typing the numbers in from their website. It is basically a cost play, that is the chief advantage is that it is cheap to use and doesn’t require equipment and software like a pure VoIP solution does. Other than a pure cost play, I am not sure that it is useful from a day to day perspective. It is something that you use if you desperately need to make a long distance call and you have no other option. It does have it’s own problems, you need to have a browser handy, or have loaded up the cellphone app to use it (with it’s own host of problems). These things are unnatural acts for the average Joe to use and understand. I agree that it is useful for the more sophisticated user, who will sign up quickly to try the service, but it would be interesting to see if they manage to retain usage over time. Apparently Deutsche Telecom, the German Phone Giant has invested in Jajah. This looks as though there is less there than meets the eye. I would also like to point out that it is NOT Deutsche Telecom that has invested in Jajah but the investment arm (or venture fund) whose job it is to invest in start ups. I give credit to Jajah for have a world class Public Relations group that manages to make noise over anything they do. However like all things, you have to at the end of the day meet the expectations you create. I look forward to seeing how Jajah can make a business out of this.