The Ribbit platform is now live. To date, the platform has been in beta and was only available to selected developers for testing and refinement. Now, the Ribbit platform is publicly available. Any developer, integrator or carrier around the globe has access to the Ribbit platform and can design, test, deploy and manage their voice and communication applications.
What is the Ribbit Platform?The Ribbit platform is a "first of its kind" technology that introduces "programmable telephony" to the extended world of web developers through "everyday" web development tools. Historically, telephony development was possible only by a limited number of telco-type programmers, and could only be deployed by carriers and network providers. The Ribbit platform brings the capabilities of a large global carrier to all web developers.
What about pricing? How much does it cost to use the Ribbit Platform?Pricing is based on use. You purchase Ribbit services based on your anticipated use of the network, infrastructure and communication features. Accordingly, pricing is variable and will have a different total cost for every deployment.
For the first time ever, a developer can simply go to the Developer Website, estimate their anticipated use, put in a credit card, and "automatically" purchase the communication features they expect to use. Feature use will be different for each integration. While some developers will want to "comms enable" a small business web site, other developers will use Ribbit for large scale deployments. Ribbit customers will pay for the services they end up using.
What's the big deal? Why is this important?As phones merge with computers and computers merge with phones, a new class of voiceware solutions and services are destined to emerge. Ribbit was created to foster innovation and accelerate the creation of this new class of applications. As the Internet merges with telephony, we expect it to result in a new, converged global communications industry. Taking the Ribbit platform live is a milestone event in the creation of this new industry.
So what does this mean for developers?The live platform enables the global community of Flash and Flex developers to design, test, deploy, manage and monetize the next generation of software-based telephony services. Developers now have a commercial-grade telephony platform development site where they can develop new applications, move them into production, secure them, and serve them up for billing. Ribbit provides all front-end development tools, the peer community, developer support, as well as the monitoring and management tools you'd expect from Silicon Valley Phone Company.
Why would a developer want to add communication features to a website?Ribbit features make sites, projects and communities more effective communication tools by shortening the distance between companies, customers, and community members. By adding voice and other rich communication features to their web sites, companies will increase sales and increase customer satisfaction by making it easier for site visitors to get information, order a product, make a reservation to a restaurant or hotel, or get expertise and/or customer support.
What does it mean to carriers? What does "Bring Your Own Network" actually mean?Programmable telephony is the next generation of communications. Static services and limited telco-defined communication offerings will soon be a thing of the past. Since the core Ribbit infrastructure was built using telco-industry technical and quality standards, carriers around the world can easily "plug" Ribbit into their networks and gain access -- not only to the benefits of a multi-protocol soft-switch, but also to the 7,500+ Ribbit developers and the next-generation applications they are creating. For web developers, Ribbit provides the global network. But for carriers who already have a network, Ribbit provides rich new capabilities as well as new opportunities for revenue.
Now that Ribbit is a part of BT, how does BYON work? A carrier is selling to other carriers?Ribbit is a stand-alone subsidiary of BT, and is encouraged to make partnerships and relationships with global integrators of all types.
BT is emerging as the first global, programmable phone company and BYON enables BT to broaden its global footprint and offerings by providing the first platform for the development and delivery of new communications services.
Why would you launch at Adobe MAX?Adobe MAX (San Francisco, Nov. 17-19) is the home for the largest community of web developers anywhere - Ribbit believes the next generation of telephony innovation will emerge from the million plus Flash and Flex developers around the world. Ribbit believes that supporting and encouraging this community is the fastest way to accelerate the creation of innovative voice-enabled applications. Ribbit has a booth and is doing an on-stage presentation with selected developer partners on Monday, November 17th, (Booth 314).
I heard you are also announcing the Killer App Challenge. What's that?Yes, to further accelerate innovation, Ribbit is offering $100,000 in prizes across a range of categories. The competition begins on November 17, and will conclude in March 2009. Cash prizes will be awarded to the most compelling, creative, and useful applications in each of five development categories, as well as a grand prize for the best overall entrant. Full contest details can be found at www.ribbit.com/killerappchallenge.
The five contest categories are:
- Media, Advertising and Entertainment - Add unprecedented interactive value to a media campaign by captivating a target audience through rich voice capabilities
- Social Networking and Communication - Create a Web 3.0 preview application that connects people via Open Telephony
- Business and Productivity - Integrate voice and rich communication features into a business application workflow
- Carrier, Network, or ISP Integration - Integrate innovative voice capabilities into an existing cable, carrier, mobile network, or ISP
- Wildcard - Create an application that uses voice to improve the usability of any device or interface, from vending machines to ticket kiosks
