Blabbelon uses Skype, P2T to connect gamers

A new voice-over IP (VoIP) vendor Blabbelon today took the wraps off what it calls the first browser-based VoIP chat tool designed for online gamers. Developed using Skype’s SILK super wideband audio codec and push-to-talk functionality, the service is designed to scale up to thousands of simultaneous users chatting online at once.

The service is being tested in Beta with online users participating in Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) games, an industry that captures millions of online gamers for titles such as the popular World of Warcraft. These users have relied on text-based chat or complicated client-based software downloads like Ventrilo for the hardcore gamers, according to CEO Ed Ikeguchi. But modern gaming is increasingly about social elements, he said, and the stickiness of the games is based on the communication tools available. While game consoles have headsets to communicate, PC games have largely lacked this outlet.

“From a social-science perspective, I was interested in what they were doing with games and figuring out how to communicate,” Ikeguchi said. “They were all looking to push-to-talk technology. The games require lots of people from five to 50 to 100 – all these people ganging together then they go on raids that are highly coordinated. They require a lot of leadership and instructions; it’s fairly complex tasks being done. They really need to be communicating in real time.”

Ikeguchi said the service is also applicable to the competitive space of telepresence for global conference calls involving upwards of 7,000 people, ecommerce, online auctions, sales meetings or even families looking to keeping in touch. It doesn’t require a software download nor a sign-in. Users register once on Blabbelon’s Web site then are given one-click access to communicate in whatever game they are playing. The push model of the service and Skype’s SILK codec lets it use 50% less network bandwidth than previously required, Ikeguchi said. It also makes the service ripe to migrate to mobile, a move that is in the company's near-term strategy, he said.

“It is real interesting that AT&T has given the thumbs up to access certain applications over 3G,” Ikeguchi said. “We think it presents a really great opportunity for us with an application that can be used on the handheld to be accessed anywhere, whether WiFi or not.” Dean Elwood, chief technology strategist at Blabbelon, added that using the P2T technology improves two-way VoIP telephony because it doesn’t require real-time access. This means the service would work well over a 3G data network.

Online, Blabbelon lets session leaders create and maintain private or public groups to which they can text or email, as well as manage the privacy settings. The service runs in a standard Web browser and can be used simultaneously with other online applications. Elwood said the goal of the service is to use VoIP for more than just cheaper minutes, but for a value-added, free service, but one with massive scale at a negligible cost per user.

“We have a relationship with Skype where we got a fairly early output and beta of SILK, which we wrapped in the Java format to enable it to work through the browser,” Elwood said, adding that there were significant technical hurdles to overcome in development. “The user experience is as close to one-click and you are talking to friends as quickly as possible using the best audio codec we can use.”

Blabbelon will offer the service free to consumers, and Ikeguchi said it will be able to sustain this model because of the scale it can achieve. The company will also eventually charge for additional features, such as a network of titles and applications that users can purchase through the Blabbelon interface in an application store environment.