Recently in Broadband Telephony Category

I just returned from travels south, to Fort Lauderdale and Internet Telephony EXPO -- and arrived in Winter in New York. It was bound to arrive at some point (although I thankfully missed the deep freeze, eight-degree temperatures of a couple of days ago).


The show was great -- well-attended and full of good content in the conferences.  Jon Arnold and I spent some time together basking in the glow of our recent announcement.  See Jon's post about show highlights.

And yes, I did spend a little time in the sun -- and barely escaped serious harm. I keep forgetting that the Florida sun can burn you alive -- even in the dead of winter...
  

Here are a few takeaways from the show  -- a mix of events, observations, and the like:




Peering is Hot:

Apparently the VoIP Peering Fabric sessions had to be relocated to larger quarters due to the overflow turnout.  Greg Galitzine has more on this and other happenings in his show recap.


SIP Trunking Adoption Gaining Momentum

The other standing-room-only crowds I saw were soaking up as much as they could about SIP Trunking. A number of sessions, including the SIP Trunking Series hosted by Ingate with presenters from BandTel, Cbeyond, Sphere, Ericsson, Objectworld, Level 3, pingtel, and Shoretel, covered everything from a basic introduction to SIP and SIP trunking, to deep dives into the service provider and enterprise networks, a look at SIP trunking in Latin America, and case studies showing SIP trunking actually at work -- delivering real-world benefits.

I've been covering the SIP trunking movement for a while -- here's a link to a whitepaper I authored a ways back -- so, I'm glad to see the excitement over it -- and the adoption rate -- is building nicely.


VoIP Security Issues Finally Getting Respect

Some really good education came out of the sessions covering VoIP Security. It's an area I've covered before in blog posts and columns, and I'm glad that not only is information about current VoIP vulnerabilities coming into the light, but awareness is also growing about the ways to effectively deal with them. Greg also wrote up a nice review of the issues that were presented by Mark Collier, CTO of VoIP security specialist SecureLogix and VoIP security blogger.


Billing Takes Front and Center

I had the pleasure to moderate the session, "VoIP and NGN Billing: A Primer" last Thursday at the show, and was very impressed by each and everyone on the panel, which included  Bruce Trvalik, Director, Product Management at Sonus Networks; Joe Hogan, CTO and Founder of Openet Telecom; Jim Dalton, CEO, TransNexus, Inc.; and David McNierney, VP of Market Development at Highdeal Inc.

The discussion was lively and insightful, and I found it very interesting to hear that billing and other "back office" functions are starting to migrate to the "front office" of providers -- all the way into the executive suite -- as they start to play a bigger and bigger strategic role and become integral in various marketing, cross-selling, and promotional activities. 

For more about current billing trends, you should check out Rich Grigonis' terrific article in the January issue of Internet Telephony magazine.


Great Drawings

I was sure the Harley was mine. Then the next day I was sure I was driving the Toyota TJ Cruiser home. But alas, this did not come to pass...

The bike and SUV were in close approximation to Internet Telephony yellow -- and were definite crowd-pleasers -- and great choices for grand giveaways.

Jon Arnold and I figured that since most everyone else was making some sort of announcement, issuing press releases and generally making noise  -- especially to pull in the crowds at Internet Telephony Conference & EXPO East going on right now -- that it was OK to make some noise of our own.

Hopefully it will be music to your ears

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NEW YORK, TORONTO, and FORT LAUDERDALE, January 23, 2007-- Robins Consulting Group (RCG) and J Arnold & Associates (JAA) – both leading IP Communications industry research, marketing and consulting firms – have proudly announced a new partnership that includes the two firms joining forces to provide an array of marketing, communications, strategy consulting and market research services to their growing roster of IP communications technology vendors and service providers.

In addition, RCG and JAA will be jointly developing new information resources, including an electronic newsletter and related Web site, which will offer unique industry analysis, a healthy dose of opinion, provide a new platform for other industry thought leaders, and offer valuable coverage and information not readily available elsewhere about the rapidly evolving IP communications industry.

Veteran industry thought leader Marc Robins, RCG's founder and Chief Evangelism Officer, has been involved in the IP communications industry since its inception, and has served the industry as a leading reporter and analyst, conference producer and magazine publisher, and marketing executive and consultant.

“I’ve known Jon for several years, and have come to consider him one of the best minds in the industry,” says Marc Robins. “I’m thrilled to be forging this new partnership with Jon and JAA, as I believe the unique combination of our highly complementary capabilities will allow us to deliver even more value to our clients and to the industry at large. I also look forward to working with Jon to create exciting and compelling new resources of industry intelligence to help industry professionals navigate the constantly shifting sands of this dynamic, fast-moving industry.”

J Arnold & Associates, founded by Jon Arnold, one of the IP communications industry’s most highly regarded analysts, is closely associated with VoIP, for both consumer and business applications. His marketing and strategy advice on the broader IP communications market is widely sought from vendors, carriers, the investment community, PR agencies and many facets of the media community.

“Marc brings a rich perspective to this space, and is an independent voice that is widely followed,” says Jon Arnold. “Together, I think can we offer a valuable resource that can benefit anyone involved in the IP communications market. In a nutshell, I’d like to think of us as the go-to-guys for all things IP.”

About RCG (Robins Consulting Group)

RCG, founded in 2003 by Marc Robins, is one of the leading consulting firms for companies in the IP Communications industry, offering market intelligence, high-value strategic planning and communications, messaging and branding expertise, and a variety of marketing consulting services including awareness and demand creation, distribution channel strategies and development, public relations support, and market research and analysis. Prior to founding RCG, Marc served as Vice President of Publications and Trade Shows, Associate Group Publisher and Group Editorial Director at TMC (Technology Marketing Corporation.)

Over the course of his career, Marc has authored hundreds of articles and columns for leading industry magazines, and he continues to evangelize new IP communications trends and technologies as a regular contributor to trade, mainstream and business publications, and as the author of his popular column “Mind Share 2.0” for Internet Telephony® magazine and blog “Beyond VoIP”. Marc is also a frequent moderator and speaker at leading industry events. For more information about RCG, visit www.robinsconsult.com.

About JAA

Jon Arnold is Principal of J Arnold & Associates, an independent analyst and marketing consultancy with a focus on IP communications. JAA works with a wide variety of clients in this sector, with expertise in VoIP, cable telephony, IPTV, Triple Play, enterprise IP, WiFi/WiMax, Peer-to-Peer, Web 2.0 and Open Source. His views are frequently cited in the business and trade press, and he regularly speaks at leading industry events. He also maintains an active profile through his widely followed blog and podcasts. Previously, he was the VoIP Program Leader at Frost & Sullivan, where he was responsible for managing their subscription service for Global VoIP Equipment Markets. The consultancy was launched in March 2005. For more information about JAA, visit www.jarnoldassociates.com.

I'm looking forward to a little travel now, just as the weather is starting to behave wintery (pretty soon NYC will look like this).

Thankfully, upcoming travel will take me south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for Internet Telephony Conference and EXPO East.

I'll be moderating, checking out the latest technology on the show floor and sussing out the latest trends, holding meetings in the press room and elsewhere in the convention center (maybe out on a sun-drenched  patio) and generally enjoying catching up with folk and putting new faces to new names.

I'll be attending from midday Wednesday, January 24th till the show's end on Friday afternoon. If you're also attending the show and would like to meet up, please let me know.

Pandora Networks, fresh off a new round of funding, just announced that it and D-Link will jointly sell D-Link hardware with Pandora's hosted communication solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. The partnership is designed to permit SMBs to purchase “off-the-shelf” bundled solutions that include hardware and services that deliver a hosted IP-PBX along with unified communications applications.

Pandora's Worksmart UCX, or Unified Communications Exchange, delivers a complete IP communications service that includes voice, video, messaging, and collaboration services. “D-Link has pre-configured several bundled options designed for a variety of office environments. Included in the bundles will be IP phones, switches, routers, and VoIP acceleration hardware to ensure a high quality VoIP connection to Pandora Networks' Worksmart hosted service.
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“Both organizations will be selling the bundled packages through their respective distribution channels.

Cablevision has made it a strategic imperative to develop leading-edge, interactive iTV and broadband services that leverage it's advanced digital network and interactive platform, and the company is looking to fill in the blanks in its iTV executive suite.
 
The company is currently on the hunt for a new VP, iTV and Broadband Development, Interactive Advertising & Development.


Here are the job particulars:

Job Location: Bethpage, Long Island

Background: 
With more than 1.7 million interactive customers, Cablevision has the highest digital penetration in the nation and offers access to more than 200 channels, including 50 premium movie channels, 45 channels of commercial-free digital music, more than 1,200 titles available on demand at all times, an interactive programming guide, 18 high-definition programming services and groundbreaking interactive television applications including subscription games packages. Cablevision Systems Corporation is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies and its cable television operations serve 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area.

Description:
The VP, iTV and Broadband Development will work with the organization to coordinate the design, development and delivery of new interactive products and features on television and broadband leveraging Cablevision’s advanced digital network and interactive platform.

Additionally the VP will:
· Work with key stakeholders and executives in assembling a vision for TV and PC user Interface design and development.
· Combine technology, content and user interface to create seamless experiences that support interactive revenue opportunities and goals.
· Identify and evaluate new technology in the market for relevance, feasibility, and scale.
· Champion the organization’s adoption of suitable and innovative ideas.
· Oversee and manage the capital development budget process
· Oversee external vendor relationships.
· Coordinate with internal operational groups to ensure optimal customer experiences for existing products and timely delivery and launch of new products and features.

Qualifications:
· 5+ years experience successfully managing high profile cross-functional projects.
· 10+ years managing interactive product development including experience in interactive user interface design and interactive television.
· 5+ years of budget analysis and optimization.
· Ability to relate and prioritize technical/design accomplishments with revenue goals.
· Ability to problem-solve practical problems in technical areas without extensive technical knowledge; a quick study.
· Internet knowledge and experience in technical product management, advertising operations, basic understanding of web technologies, and processes.
· Must be comfortable working in a start-up business environment and must be able to excel in high-pressure under tight deadlines, working with a wide array of internal and external advertising and content clients, while responding appropriately to their needs and input.
· High level of energy and commitment; must be proactive leader able to influence and motivate others as well as grow and manage teams.
· Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills - comfortable with exposure to senior management.

Qualified candidates can send resumes to: execrec@cablevision.com

'Tis the season for VoIP deals a plenty. Also, the new, annual "all you can eat" plan from Skype was bound to make waves in the industry, and lo and behold, the competitive response from other service providers are beginning to sound out.

This morning, ViaTalk, a  New York-based VoIP service provider that provides residential broadband telephony service of the same ilk as Vonage (they also have SMB plans), announced that they too are putting a little something extra under the Christmas tree this year. As part of a special holiday promotion, new ViaTalk customers can get a free year of telephone service when they pay for the first year of service in advance.

The residential service is normally $199/year -- with the promotion, new customers can get a full year of unlimited calls to the tune of $99.50 a year for two years. It's doesn't pack the same punch as Skype's deal, but then again, ViaTalk is competing primarily against Vonage and other broadband VoIP providers, not Skype.

The offer is available for a limited time, and is open to new customers who have not had ViaTalk within the past 60 days.

The folks at blog VoIP Lowdown have come up with a great list of ten leading-edge VoIP, VoIM, IP and mobile applications we should all be keeping our eyes on -- apps that go WAY BEYOND plain vanilla VoIP calls. The writer -- the mysterious "ewriter" -- is definitely a person after my own heart.

Tomorrow, November 28, I'm honored to be the opening presenter at the 4th Annual Industry Conference on Broadband Communications and VoIP, hosted by the New York Society of Security Analysts (NYSSA). The event is a half-day investor conference attended by institutional investors and analysts, and features companies that want to get more exposure on Wall Street, and includes CTI Group, mPhase, and VoIP Inc.

The New York Society of Securities Analysts (NYSSA) is the premier membership organization on Wall Street for portfolio managers and security analysts, and the largest society of its kind in the world. Founded in 1937, it is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating investors and advancing the competence of investment professionals. Founders included Benjamin Graham, considered to be the father of security analysis.

According to a new 2007 Industry Review study from Boonton, New Jersey-based Insight Research Corp., the worldwide telecom industry is in a strong growth mode, and overall industry revenue is expected to climbs to $1.3 Trillion in 2007.

According to the study, strong growth in wireless is leading the way as wireless service revenues are expected to grow at a compounded rate of nearly 10 percent over the next few years, while wireline service revenues grow much more modestly at two percent. Nearly all of the growth in both sectors is expected to occur in broadband services, with wireless broadband service revenues expected to grow at a compounded rate of more than 60 percent over the forecast period, while wireline services grow at 10 percent over the same forecast horizon.

“The 2007 Industry Review states that in the growth environment set off by the rush to meet subscriber demand for broadband services, service providers are trying to create viable business models on the fly in order to deliver new types of IP-based services, including Residential Video Telephony, Fixed Mobile Convergence, File Sharing/Downloading Services, Audio/Video Streaming Services, Location-Based Services, and Presence-Based Services.

The study highlights rapidly growing industry segments such as VoIP, WiFi and WiMax, fixed-mobile convergence, IMS, IPTV and streaming media, as well as technological innovations such as grid computing and DWDM and WDM in fiber optics. The report also looks at changes in telecommunications buying patterns among enterprises that purchase managed services as well as other communications services.

“According to Insight Research president Robert Rosenberg, the telecommunications industry has fully recovered from the malaise of the past few years and is again in a growth mode as it ramps up to build the broadband networks that will provide new service types. “But even with the build-outs going full steam ahead, the overall revenue contribution from these new IP services is expected to be modest. Voice still rules, and will for some time to come.

An excerpt, table of contents, and ordering information for the 279-page report are available online here.

In the lastest mash-up of VoIP and a Web 2.0 application, Google's Click-to-Call feature is now available as a free enhancement to Google Maps. Here's how it works: After you find the specific selection you're looking for on a map, you can click on it and a small "click" link will appear. When you click on this link, you'll launch a small box to enter your phone number into. Then Google will call your number and connect you to the number of the map selection.

FYI, Google is using VoIP, Inc. to partner with in providing this service.