December 2006 Archives

Presence... just in time for the holidays

December 21, 2006 2:51 PM

They told me I would find presents, but I guess I misunderstood.

Honestly, there’s a fascinating conversation going on regarding the ongoing evolution of the terms “presence” and "relevance" and in fact what that terms mean to each of us, individually, in a given context, at a given time, etc…

It’s something we should all be aware of — and by “we” I mean the press, the bloggers, the thinkers and framers of the conversation — and we need to massage this technology, and use it and bend it and twist it and try to break it. Then we need to build it up again and do it all over again until it becomes something that becomes easy enough for Mom to use. (My mom only recently joined the e-mail “revolution” albeit she types the ‘letters’ and asks my dad to ‘send’ them.)

Andy does a great job distilling some of what’s going on in this most recent dialogue. Follow the links to Ken’s and Brough’s thoughts and of course back to Alec’s original thesis.

These bright folks are all leading us in the right direction, and you would be doing yourself a service if you took a closer look.

FCC Decision: More Comments

December 21, 2006 8:22 AM

A number of other groups have added their voices to the conversation in the aftermath of yesterday’s FCC decision to make it easier for competitors, such as traditional telcos, to offer TV/video services.

Here are a couple of comments I’ve received over the past 12 hours or so:

Joe Savage, President of the FTTH Council, stated, “The FCC is to be applauded for today’s action streamlining the outmoded and detrimental video franchising process. This action caps a year in which state legislators and governors in eight states joined Texas in enacting new laws facilitating new video entry over fiber-to-the-home and other advanced broadband networks. As a result, American consumers will have more choice, lower rates, and access to much higher-speed broadband networks.”

Savage also praised the FCC for initiating a new proceeding to deregulate incumbent cable providers. “We feel that where competition exists, it is important to extend deregulation to all participants.”

According to Cindy Christy, President North America, Alcatel-Lucent: “This is a victory for both consumers and for the advancement of next-generation broadband networks across the U.S. Through these reforms competitive entrants in the video market can help accelerate the availability of high-speed broadband to consumers and enterprises across the United States.”

Paul Bowen on Ericsson/Redback

December 20, 2006 5:03 PM

In the wake of yesterday’s Ericsson/Redback news, I had the chance to ask Paul Bowen for his take on the news. Bowen is president of Bowen Advisors, a strategic M&A consulting firm and a well-known boutique banking brand for emerging and established communications technology companies.

GG: How does this merger position Ericsson versus competitors Nortel, Alcatel-Lucent, and others?

PB: Ericsson has long threatened to make bigger waves in U.S. Telco market. While they certainly paid a high price from my perspective, the notion of buying Redback, a $70M per quarter revenue company (as of 9/30/06 quarter), to fend off Cisco in the IPTV for Telco space, hardly qualifies as a big splash. If you believe as I do that Tellabs, Juniper, and Redback all spent 2006 trying to sell to Ericsson — the story here is the one that got done and the two that did not.

GG: Did Ericsson overpay for Redback?

PB: In the land of >$10B revenue companies — Cisco, Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia-Siemens all qualify — adding $280M of revenues (Redback’s run rate) must imply that the SmartEdge is strategic. By comparison, Juniper did $574M in revenue last quarter ($2.3B run rate) and Tellabs did $523M in revenue last quarter ($2.1B run rate). The message is Ericsson, seeking a bigger footprint, bought the smaller footprint of the three — arguably 80% to 85% smaller. And they paid 7.5x for those revenues... kind of makes you wonder what was wrong with the bigger and less expensive companies.

GG: Do you think this deal is a positive one for Ericsson?

PB: It is also a bit ironic that in the week that we have seen the most uncertainty around ATT & BellSouth (Bellsouth is Redback’s biggest RBOC customer/future story), this deal gets announced.

Generally, this deal is good for Redback as they sold at a recent-term high; decent for Ericsson as they can be a bigger player with next-gen technology at RBOCs and better leverage their global ambitions; bad for Juniper — but good for industry as Juniper now likely stays independent longer and grows through acquisition.

Ericsson, Redback - The Consolidation Continues…

December 19, 2006 10:30 PM

The consolidation continues…

Swedish telecom gear-maker Ericsson is buying data networking equipment vendor Redback Networks Inc. for $2.1 billion in cash, the companies announced late Tuesday. The deal will be internally funded by Ericsson. Redback will maintain its current leadership team and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Ericsson.

Following on the heels of the recently completed merger between Alcatel and Lucent, which formed the world’s largest telecom equipment maker, this new deal marks further consolidation in the telecom industry.

It appears that Ericsson is positioning itself to better compete with Alcatel-Lucent and Nortel, among others. Redback is an up and coming player in the edge router market, which is being driven by new IP communications applications such as IPTV and VoIP. While the company was founded in the late 90’s, a recent Dell’Oro research report had Redback growing faster in the edge router space than its larger competitors Cisco and Juniper. Redback had year over year growth of 114%.

According to the Dell’Oro Group report published in August, worldwide sales of service provider edge routers increased 30 percent year on year. Shin Umeda, Principal Analyst of Router research at Dell’Oro Group wrote, “Service Providers are driving strong demand for edge routers as they gear their networks for the next generation of broadband services such as IPTV and VoIP. Cisco and Juniper remain the market leaders, but Alcatel and Redback are gaining ground with strong product offerings optimized for these new services.”

Congratulations to... Me!

December 18, 2006 5:28 PM |

1 Comment

I sat by my mailbox all day waiting patiently for a note or a postcard of some kind wishing me well.

I watched my fax machine for the congratulations I was certain would come at any moment.

I checked my voicemail several times, convinced that the message waiting lamp was simply broken.

And yet, no one seems to care about this achievement of mine.

In case you hadn’t heard I was named TIME magazine’s “Person of the Year” for 2006.

No less a luminary than Lev Grossman had this to say about me:

For seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time's Person of the Year for 2006 is you.

I had no idea he was such an avid reader of my blog.

Well, thanks anyway, to those of you who meant to send your congratulations, but got derailed by one thing or another. As TIME’s Person of the Year, I have to be more gracious now.

So thanks again. It really, truly means a lot.

In the words of my good friend Pink (Floyd, not Rose):

You! Yes You! Stand Still Laddie!

iPhone: Linksys VoIP, Not Apple Cell

December 18, 2006 9:42 AM |

1 Comment

Cisco’s Linksys group has announced the most-awaited product of the year. Sort of. Linksys today unveiled its iPhone family of VoIP solutions, which comprises seven solutions:

iPhone Cordless Internet Telephony Kit — CIT200
iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit — CIT300
iPhone Dual-Mode Cordless Phone for Yahoo! Messenger with Voice — CIT310
iPhone Dual-Mode Internet Telephony Kit for Skype — CIT400
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone — WIP300
iPhone Wireless-G IP Phone with Web Browser — WIP330
iPhone Wireless-G Phone for Skype — WIP320

Response as expected has been underwhelming, which is a shame. Rather than focus on the innovation or the practicality of this newly launched product line, the press — and subsequently the masses — will simply focus on what the iPhone isn’t, namely the long-awaited, much ballyhooed marketing blockbuster from Steve Jobs and Co.

And if as the reports are true that Cisco has had this name copyrighted since the late 90’s, why did they not release something with this name sooner? Engadget for one surmises that Cisco may have waited to release products with this name because they were working to sell the name to Apple.

Slashgear reports that Gizmodo (who made the claim last Friday that iPhone would be released Monday — but it wouldn’t be what we all thought…) is receiving a barrage of strongly worded sentiment from sensitive Apple enthusiasts who “don’t take too kindly to having their emotions played with.”

I’m sure this isn’t exactly the kind of response the marketing folks at Cisco/Linksys had in mind, but then again who knows? It’s long been said that there’s no such thing as bad press, and it will take some time for the consumer masses to catch on to what’s happened to their dream of the iPhone. By that time, in their search for any hint of what Apple might be coming out with, they will have clicked on Linksys’ iPhone news a billion times… Maybe they had an inkling after all?

IMS Forum Plugfest Information

December 15, 2006 12:37 PM

The IMS Forum is announcing their IMS Plugfest, a large-scale testing event and series designed to “foster the interoperability of IMS applications and services for wireless, wireline and cable broadband networks.”

The first Plugfest of the proposed series will take place at the IMS Forum InterOperability Lab, a vendor-neutral testing center associated with the University of New Hampshire. For more information on the test facilities please click here.

According to the IMS Forum, “January’s Plugfest is the first in a series of IMS Forum test events scheduled throughout 2007 and 2008. The extended program will bring together dozens of leading service providers and vendors to work with the IMS Forum to develop test plans, a long-term roadmap and industry-recognized IMS applications and services interoperability certification.”

Online registration information is available at the IMS Forum Web site. IMS Forum member companies as well as non-members are invited to register.

January’s IMS Plugfest will center on functionality of the reference IMS test network, starting with the 3GPP R6 IMS specifications. This includes testing services including:

· Presence

· Instant messaging

· Hosted IP PBX

· VoIP supplemental services

· Multimedia and

· Roaming across multiple networks such as Mobile, WiFi, Wireline and Cable.

During 2007 - 2008 the IMS Forum Plugfest will validate interoperability for a number of IMS applications and services including:

· VoIP

· IPTV

· Interactive video

· Multimedia mail

· Fixed-mobile convergence

· Presence

· Business services for vertical markets

· Online gaming, and

· Video and audio download.

If you are interested in learning more, contact Debbie Hetland, IMS Forum Program Manager.

IP Unity, Glenayre to Merge

December 14, 2006 3:47 PM

IP Unity, the provider of carrier-grade media servers, application servers, and real-time multimedia applications, is hooking up with Glenayre Messaging, a division of Glenayre Technologies.

This is how the official language read: “the parties have entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement for the consolidation of the two entities.”

The resulting company, to be called IP Unity Glenayre will be one of the larger independent suppliers of carrier-class, rich media messaging systems and advanced IP multimedia solutions serving both wireline and wireless carriers.

This move looks good for a number of reasons. According to a company statement, the two firms have no common customers and basically play in different geographies and networks. Also, researchers believe that IMS is set to explode.

A recent study from ABI Research predicts that telecom carriers around the world will spend $10.1 billion in IMS infrastructure over the next five years. They also forecast that the same carriers will generate a total of $49.6 billion in revenue from IMS applications over the same period.

In fact, ABI Research analyst, Ian Cox believes, “Rich voice services will represent the lion’s share of IMS ARPU for fixed networks, but mobile operators will deploy a greater diversity of services over the next five years, including push-to-talk, interactive games, Web browsing, rich voice, streaming content and instant multimedia messaging.”

If all goes well, IP Unity Glenayre should be well-positioned to provide the types of services that will be in high demand.

BEA Unveils SIP Server 3.0

December 13, 2006 3:34 PM

BEA Systems, Inc., today released the BEA WebLogic SIP Server 3.0.

According to the company release, new features include on-line and off-line charging support, geographical redundancy, hot application and platform upgrade capability, IPv6 and SCTP support, a plugable Profile API, full Diameter base protocol access and complete Java EE1.4 compliance.

BEA WebLogic SIP Server 3.0 is generally available today. For more information on BEA WebLogic SIP Server, check out BEA’s site.

Hurry Up! ITEXPO Early-Bird Rates Expiring!

December 13, 2006 11:45 AM

Hey folks, just a reminder…

This Friday, December 15 is the deadline for ITEXPO Early-Bird rates. Savings range from $200–$1,000 based on the plan you select, so if you’re planning on attending the conference this January 23–26, now is the time to act!

To register for the event, simply click here.

I look forward to seeing you in Ft. Lauderdale this January!

Who knows, you might also drive away in one of these fancy rigs...

Carriers Are Hot To Adopt Fixed/Mobile Services… Or Are They?

December 12, 2006 5:03 PM

BBDO Consulting just released the results of survey that show that over 65 percent of operators will have implemented Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) services into their product suites over the next three years. Among FMC services, respondents identified most closely with the dual-mode handset.

Recent research from ABI Research posits that by 2011, shipments of dual-mode handsets will be well in excess of 300 million worldwide.

But some sources in the industry believe in a less rosy scenario. Louis E. Frenzel, wireless/communications editor at Wireless System Design, writes the following in a recent editor’s note, “With so many manufacturers making dual-mode cell phones, you would think this was a hot market. It is not. In fact, NO cellular carrier offers these handsets and probably will not, as they compete directly with their own businesses.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

My feeling is that — as usual — the truth lies someplace in between.

The BBDO survey respondents included operators, vendors, analysts, VCs, SI and others.

According to the report, “When asked to define the types of services or benefits they associate with FMC, and being able to mention more than one, 75% of respondents chose a dual-mode handset. Others solutions included:

One phone bill (34%);
A home zone rate plan (27%);
Voice mail convergence (13%);
A Skype-like solution (9%);or
“Other” (11%).

Other findings included the following:

When asked if they were planning to implement FMC into their service

26% of respondents said they have already implemented it,;
11% said they planned on implementing some services by the end of the year
18% said they planned on doing it by next year;
13% said they intended to implement some FMC services within the next 3 years.

13% of respondents did not yet plan to implement FMC into their service, and 19% said it was not relevant.

The survey data is based on online research conducted by BBDO Consulting Israel, during September 2006.

I've Been Tagged!

December 12, 2006 1:23 PM

So I too have been tagged.

If I traced it back correctly, it goes like this: Jeff to Andy to Peter and Ken who both tagged Leanne to Garrett to me. If I had the time, I would find Kevin Bacon’s blog and link us all once and forever within the six degrees.

5 things you don’t know about me?

Let’s see….

1.) I’m a huge fan of the greatest things to ever come from Canada: Beer, Hockey and Mrs. Galitzine; not necessarily in that order.

2.) Stealing an entry from Leanne, I also hate peas.

3.) I’m a tremendous fan of Hemingway, but I have to agree with him that he would be destroyed if he ever stepped in the ring with Tolstoy.

4.) I once worked for the Metropolitan Opera in the carpenter’s shop. Our group built all the sets that you see when you go to the opera.

5.) My first paying job was making pizzas in a joint called Hot & Delicious. Then Dominos moved into the neighborhood.

At the risk of tagging folks multiple times, I tag Marc Robins, Russell Shaw, Tom Evslin, David Sims and Ron Gruia. You're it!

Microsoft Pushes Into VoIP

December 12, 2006 9:29 AM

It’s indeed a big day for Microsoft and VoIP.

The release of Office Communications Server 2007 heralds Microsoft’s latest push into the enterprise communications space. The company has put the new solution into the hands of 2,500 IT managers to beta test the offering.

Microsoft also announced a number of partners including Avaya, Cisco, LG-Nortel, Mitel, NEC Phillips, Nortel Networks, Polycom, and Siemens. Through these partnerships, customers will be able to utilize existing phones, IP PBXs, and enterprise networks which will be ensure interoperability with Office Communications Server 2007.

To accelerate testing and deployment, Microsoft is hosting a Technology Adoption Program (TAP) Summit this week to provide hands-on training and instruction for customers and partners. Over 100 companies are expected to be represented at the summit.

Office Communications Server 2007 is essentially the successor to Microsoft Live Communications Server, and joins Exchange Server 2007 as part of Microsoft’s unified communications portfolio.

Anoop Gupta, Corporate Vice President, of Microsoft’s Unified Communications Group, quoted in a corporate Q&A, described the new offering as such: “It is the hub of all real-time communications, providing VoIP telephony, secure presence and instant messaging, and audio-video-web conferencing that is integrated seamlessly with everyday applications and business processes.”

Sounds like this is a product that enterprises would warm to instantly. Interestingly enough, Microsoft is not getting rave reviews form the outspoken folks who tend to leave comments at the end of news items and blog entries. Overwhelmingly, users are being hard on the move, suggesting the solution is not robust enough and that we’ll have to get used to “rebooting the PBX” on a regular basis. Time will tell.

I for one still refuse to bet against Microsoft. Since they merged their IM and Real-Time Communications groups to form their Unified Communications Group back in January, they’ve done a good job hitting the high notes, partnering with the right companies, and overall executing on their vision.

It’ll be interesting to see the results of this beta, and to hear from the IT folks tasked with integrating this solution into their businesses.

White Papers Galore!

December 11, 2006 5:28 PM

As part of the never-ending quest to bring value to our readers, I thought I would direct you to have a look at our growing White Paper Library.

TMCnet has created this service to help interested parties with the tasks of research and analysis, whether you’re looking to increase your productivity or make a more-informed purchasing decision.

The library offers a simple user interface with which to enter search criteria, putting the most relevant information affecting the IP Communications world at your fingertips.

Currently our White Paper Library features content on a wide variety of subjects including SIP, VoIP, CRM/Call center and a number of other compelling topics.

Two of the whitepapers I’ve recently looked at were on the following subjects:

Building Next Generation Network Services - The Data Management Infrastructure

and

Building Highly Available Application Servers - The Network Infrastructure

I suggest you check it out. If you’re in the process of learning about any of the relevant areas that we feature in our White Paper Library, then this service is perfect for you.

Best part is, it’s FREE.

As always, we at TMCnet believe our goal is to bring you the best Internet experience possible, by providing not only the most content, but the most relevant content.

Excellent VoIP Security Article

December 7, 2006 5:51 PM

Speaking of Ottawa…

Bogdan Materna of VoIPShield Systems has a wonderful article up on our site today on the subject of spam over Internet telephony, or SPIT. Hate the acronym. LOVE the article.

As Materna points out, the threat of SPIT is real:

Spam over Internet Telephony (SPIT) incidents are already being reported in Japan, where the VoIP market is more mature than North America. A major VoIP provider, SoftbankBB, found three incidents of SPIT within its network, which included unsolicited commercial messages for an adult Web site and illegitimate requests for personal information.

As VoIP adoption continues to accelerate and technology is now available to block unwanted e-mails, it is reasonable to expect that SPIT attacks will quickly follow.

Check out the article, and let me know what you think about this issue. Is it real? Is it hype? I’m curious to hear what the marketplace has to say. And when we’re done with SPIT we can move on to other big VoIP security issues like VOMIT.

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December 2006 Archives

Presence... just in time for the holidays

FCC Decision: More Comments

Paul Bowen on Ericsson/Redback

Ericsson, Redback - The Consolidation Continues…

Congratulations to... Me!

iPhone: Linksys VoIP, Not Apple Cell

IMS Forum Plugfest Information

IP Unity, Glenayre to Merge

BEA Unveils SIP Server 3.0

Hurry Up! ITEXPO Early-Bird Rates Expiring!

Carriers Are Hot To Adopt Fixed/Mobile Services… Or Are They?

I've Been Tagged!

Microsoft Pushes Into VoIP

White Papers Galore!

Excellent VoIP Security Article

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