Microsoft hooked-up with a SIP gateway to support Web Browser click-to-call enhancements atop Windows Live Maps for local search. Let’s see what happens…

When Google launched click-to-call in late 2006 atop Google Maps, they abruptly discovered that clickable “hypernumbers” are subject to intentional and addictive abuse or misuse. Within the first 24 hours of activation, Google allegedly received dozens of direct complaints from harassed merchants. Google subsequently modified the feature forcing users to call themselves on their mobile phones when clicking on a merchant hypernumber which further prompts callers to verify genuine intention to reach the merchant.

The trial demonstrated click-to-call features of larger consumer applications may introduce dangerous consequences. Perhaps more valuable VoIP implementations live within the enterprise where the feature fuses well to other interconnected communications and collaboration processes, creating ROI stories with cost and time savings. In either application segment, converged-world capabilities clearly introduce tremendous amounts of power easily harnessed to create innovative applications. But, just because that power can be harnessed, doesn’t mean that it always should be …