April 2007 Archives

Is Mitel Simply Building a Bigger IPO?

April 27, 2007 4:53 PM

I just got off the phone with our good friend Ron Gruia who called to chat about Mitel acquiring Inter-Tel. (Ron is with analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, and he writes a column for our IMS magazine.)

Essentially Ron is wondering if one of the (as yet) unannounced reasons behind this merge is simply that Mitel wanted to increase the valuation of their company, and secure a bigger piece of the Unified Communications pie before a long-planned IPO takes place.

Adding Inter-Tel into the mix, complete with their robust channel and managed services business as well as the ability to increase their total geographic coverage (while there is some overlap, surprisingly the two companies seem to have a lot of area ‘to themselves’ so to speak) will do more than simply lift the combined revenues to around $800 million. The managed services business adds to the “recurring” side of the ledger and that’s often easier to buy than it is to build.

I for one thought that maybe there were some hidden “issues,” which were leading Mitel to continuously delay their IPO, but I certainly have no real insight into that. Ron told me that Mitel Chairman Terry Matthews told a group of analysts recently, that flat-out, the market was not at its most receptive for an IPO.

If Terry Matthews and his advisors at Merrill Lynch and RBC feel the market was soft, I am in no position to argue with them. Terry is a smart man, and his success in this business is really unequaled. Ron reminded me that if successful, Terry Matthews might just be the first man to take the same company public… two times!

What are your thoughts? Do you think that Mitel is simply gearing up for a mega-IPO somewhere down the line?

Feel free to leave a comment below.

Paul Amery on Skype Extra News

April 27, 2007 4:12 PM

Skype has announced that there have been more than 10 million downloads of Skype Extras since the Extras Manager in Skype™ 3.0 for Windows was launched in late December 2006. Extras are plug-ins written by independent third-party developers that let users expand Skype functionality and enrich their Skype conversations.

I asked Paul Amery, Director of the Skype Developer Program, to expand a bit on the announcement. Paul is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the upcoming Communications Developer conference, at 11am on Wednesday May 16.

The event takes place at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara from May 14–17.

GG: 10 million third-party plug-ins in 4 months… That’s a pretty big number. How does this activity measure up with your earliest expectations for the program?

PA: We are really happy with the numbers. If you compare it with the average number of downloads from the Skype Software Gallery before we added the Extras Manager into Skype, we were seeing something like 25,000 downloads a month. Since mid-December 2006, when we launched the Extras Manager, we’ve seen about 2.5 million downloads a month. The math speaks for itself. Users really like Skype Extras. And we want to share that message with the developer community.

GG: Do you keep track of how many developers are currently creating Skype applications?

PA: There are currently more than 4,000 developers who regularly use the Skype Developer Zone or subscribe to our monthly Skype Developer Program Newsletter. Approximately 40 of these are ‘VIP’ developers and are listed in the Skype Partners Directory.

The breadth of developers who work with Skype is extraordinary. They range from 15-year old techies who are coding in their bedrooms to CEOs with more than 30 years of experience developing software applications. The uniting factor is that they all love Skype, and constantly want us to enhance the platform to help them do more.

I was recently asked to describe the Skype Developer Program (SDP). I like to compare Skype to an amazing mansion, with the Skype Developer Program being the beautiful orchards and gardens around the house. We tend to the trees and plants for Skype so that they flower and bear fruit. Some might refer to this as our ‘ecosystem.’

GG: What are some of the top applications in terms of downloads?

PA: The most popular application overall is CrazyTalk for Skype from Reallusion. This is a piece of software that allows users to use live avatars and emotions while on Skype video calls. Basically, it lip synchs a video avatar to your speech. It’s a lot of fun and has been downloaded more than 4 million times to date.

For professional users, the most popular Skype for Business Extra is the Pamela Call Recorder, which makes it easy to record Skype calls.

GG: Do you have any personal favorites?

PA: I have three young boys, and that’s a bit like asking me which son in my favorite! I like many of the Extras for various reasons. Having said that, I particularly like Extras that make it easier for me keep in touch with my team across Europe. Examples include applications like Convenos Meeting Center and WebDialogs’ Unyte™. Personally, I find that desktop sharing really comes in handy. My eight-year-old son really likes playing Tic-Tac-Toe with me. I really encourage people to try them out and find their own favorites.

GG: You will be speaking at TMC’s Communications Developer conference next month. Any hints as to what topics you might address at the event?

PA: At TMC’s Communications Developer Conference in Santa Clara next month, I will be sharing my view of what makes a successful developer. I also plan to explain how to develop with Skype — from concept to cash. I’ve seen tens of thousands of third-party applications over the past seven years of involvement with various developer programs, but I think there are probably eight key factors to success. I will be sharing these with the attendees.

GG: Do you believe the Skype development community can benefit from attending events such as this?

PA: I do and very much appreciate the opportunity to speak at this very influential event. For those developers who can’t attend your conference, we will also be at the eBay Developers Conference 2007 in Boston from June 11–13. If they visit our home page, they will shortly see a new ‘Meet Us’ link which lists where the Skype Developer Program team will be. On May 10th, my team also plans to host a ‘Meet and Greet’ for beta testers, Skype lovers and developers at our office in London. We plan to conduct this event quarterly.

GG: Have you seen any exciting applications “on the drawing board” that might be available to the community of Skype users any time soon?

PA: During my keynote, I will be discussing some of these exciting new applications and channels.

GG: What are your goals regarding the program as we look ahead to the future?

PA: The Skype Developer Program’s goals are to create a win-win situation for the developers and Skype’s more than 196 million registered users around the world. We want to encourage the development of compelling applications and content for users, which will make users want to communicate and do even more with Skype. We want to create a rapid route to market for third-party applications, so that the developers can generate revenue streams. And we want to support innovation among the developers who are building complementary services that enhance the core Skype software.

I encourage developers and innovators to visit the Skype Developer Zone in order to learn how to take advantage of this global opportunity to distribute their applications.

Octasic's Bourget on Sangoma Deal

April 27, 2007 3:04 PM

Yesterday, Sangoma Technologies and Octasic Semiconductor, Inc. announced a partnership in which Sangoma will bundle a free six-port license for Octasic’s SoftEcho solution with Sangoma’s standard A200 and A400 analog cards.

I had the opportunity to ask Frédéric Bourget, Director of Product Management at Octasic for his thoughts on the subject.

GG: Why did Octasic choose to partner with Sangoma on this deal?

FB: We have worked with Sangoma in the past on a multitude of high-density hardware projects. They are a great company, with good quality products, so our high-quality echo cancellation solution is a nice fit. It has been our pleasure to work with them for as long as we have.

GG: Are there any plans to expand the relationship in the near future to include other solutions?

FB: Currently, all Sangoma cards use Octasic’s echo cancellation software or hardware solutions.

GG: Isn’t it more efficient to provide echo cancellation in hardware than software, and is there a point where developers need to make a choice between hardware and software?

FB: It is more efficient to do so in hardware rather than software; however, with low-density, there is plenty of overhead available on a PC’s CPU… so it makes sense to use that overhead rather than spend money on hardware. That is why we cut to six channels on the Sangoma product.

GG: What are the benefits of a software approach to echo cancellation?

FB: Cost savings is the primary benefit. If it runs on a PC, you’ve already paid for the CPU.

Bourget is scheduled to present a session entitled Achieving Superior VoIP Sound Quality With Software Echo Cancellation at the upcoming Communications Developer Conference.

Bourget’s session will take place on Tuesday May 15, at 2:30pm.

Sangoma’s CEO and Founder David Mandelstam is also speaking at the event.

Mandelstam will present the session entitled Modular Telephony Hardware Design on Thursday May 17, at 8:30am.

Sad News

April 26, 2007 3:46 PM

It has come to my attention that last week, Raghu Sharma, founder and President of Multi-Tech Systems passed away after a protracted illness. Sharma died at his home in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I had the pleasure of working with various members of the MultiTech family over the years.

The MultiTech home page features some very kind words on the passing of their founder and long-time leader.

Raghu had a great love for his family, his many friends, his company and the people who worked with him, people whom he considered to be friends and an extended family.

Dr. Raghu Sharma, a native of New Delhi, India, received a bachelors degree in physics from Delhi University, a bachelors degree and a masters degree in electrical engineering from India Institute of Science in Bangalore and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In 1970 he designed a low cost, efficient acoustic coupler that was the forerunner of Multi-Tech System’s industry leading modem line.

In honor of his memory and ingenuity, the family has established the Raghu Sharma Scholarship Fund, a national award competition to celebrate the brilliance of young minds and offer the possible development of their ideas and inventions.

Donations can be made to the

Raghu Sharma Scholarship Fund

855 Village Center Drive

Box #384

North Oaks, MN 55127

The thoughts and condolences of the entire TMC family go out to Sharma’s family and friends and indeed to all our friends at MultiTech.

More Bee Trouble

April 26, 2007 2:58 PM

Earlier this week, Rich blogged about Colony Collapse Disorder, or “disappearing bee syndrome.” In his story, Rich referred to a NY Times story covering the issue and how it has affected beekeepers and farmers in the US and Europe.

Well it looks like Asia is not immune from this strange but potentially costly affliction. Reuters is reporting that Taiwan’s farmers are feeling the sting as well.

Could it be the increasing use of cell phones?

Could it be the WiFi?

This is definitely something worth keeping an eye on.

Atlanta Asterisk User Group

April 26, 2007 1:01 PM

I received this ‘heads-up’ from a friend at Sangoma.

If you're in the Atlanta area this coming Saturday, be sure to check out the Atlanta Asterisk User Group's Install Fest. This is a free, casual, open and friendly opportunity for Asterisk VoIP beginners and veterans to meet and share their goals, knowledge, and skills. Attendees can bring a computer and volunteers will install and configure a working Asterisk system on it.

Sangoma has provided door prizes and attendees will receive a coupon code that will allow them to receive 30% off their first order of Sangoma hardware through VoIP Supply. Terms and conditions apply. For more information about the Install Fest and to RSVP, visit the ATLUG Blog.

Also, don’t forget to visit the Open Source PBX Community on TMCnet.

Date:

Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:00AM to 2:00PM

Location:

Georgia Tech Klaus Advanced Computing Building,266 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, Georgia

VoIP se Developpe en France

April 26, 2007 12:23 PM

Andy has posted the latest numbers relating to France Telecom’s VoIP growth and the news is indeed “bon.” It appears that France Telecom has surpassed 2.5 million VoIP users and is setting its sights on 3 million.

Vive le VoIP!

Cincom on Virtual Contact Centers

April 26, 2007 12:03 PM

TMCnet’s Stefania Viscusi recently spoke with Randy Saunders, Marketing Director, Cincom Systems Customer Experience Management products. The two of them discussed the growth of hosted and on-demand capabilities and how it's made the virtual contact center a beneficial choice for contact centers of any size.

I urge you to check out the interview here.

What's Next on the Endagered Species List?

April 25, 2007 3:43 PM

This morning as I was making my way into the office, I was listening to Mike and Mike in the morning, as they discussed technologies that would soon become extinct.

The conversation was sparked by Greenie asking Golic what — after the record player, the 8-track, and the cassette — would be the next technology to go the way of the dodo.

Several callers to the show responded with a number of creative thoughts as to what they thought would be next to become extinct, namely home phones and my personal favorite suggestion: keys.

We’re already living in a world where biometrics such as retina scans, and fingerprint readers are replacing keys for entry to homes, cars, and offices, so I thought that was a great call.

It got me to thinking what’s next on the endangered species in our own IP Communications industry?

Fax boards?

CDs/DVDs?

Session border controllers?

Vonage?

I’d love to hear what you have to say on this subject. Submit your comments below. Let’s see if we as a group can’t predict:

What’s the next technology to become extinct?

RIM Files Unified Communications Patent

April 11, 2007 10:35 PM

It’s pretty neat what you can find on TMCnet. I had a European patent application forwarded to me this evening, which I found interesting on a number of levels. For starters we have recently seen the importance of patents (Vonage) as well as witnessed the secretive filing for patents overseas under the names of ‘subsidiaries’ (see: Apple’s iPhone), etc… I also have been very much involved with the subject of Unified Communications lately as TMC has announced the launch of a new publication titled, surprise surprise… Unified Communications magazine.

Apparently Research in Motion has filed for a patent titled: USER INTERFACE AND METHOD OF VIEWING UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS EVENTS ON A MOBILE DEVICE (Appl. Data EP02787317 20021223).

Here is the abstract as it appeared on TMCnet this evening:

A method for viewing communications events on a mobile device which includes a user interface, a communications event handler, and a communications event database is disclosed herein.The communications event handler interfaces with the database and the user interface to provide a user of the mobile device with a communications event history associated with the correspondent of an incoming communications event. Additionally the communications event handler interfaces with the database and the user interface to provide a user of the mobile device with a communications event history for a specified correspondent. When a communication event is received, the communication events history associated with the correspondent is presented on the user interface. This gives the advantage that the user of the mobile device is able to determine the context of the communicaion event.

Cablecos Set Sights on SMBs

April 4, 2007 10:44 AM

Boonton, NJ-based Insight Research Corp has just released a new market analysis report titled: Cable Telephony: The Threat to Small Enterprise ILEC Markets 2007-2012.

The gist of the report, according to Insight, is that, “…fierce competition — long a hallmark of MSOs and phone companies that provide residential telephone and broadband data services — is now spilling over in the small business market.”

The fact is service providers can generate a 300–400% increase in revenue from a small business as compared to a residential customer.

As a result of cable companies turning their focus on SMBs, Insight believes the big losers are likely to be the phone companies.

“Recent announcements by Comcast and Time Warner Cable make it plain that the small enterprise is the next battleground in the cable versus phone company fight,” says Robert Rosenberg, President of Insight. “MSOs such as Comcast, Cox, and CableVision have the offers and the reach, and they are going to have a definitive impact on phone companies’ bottom line over the next few years,” Rosenberg concludes.

According to the report, the top 20 cable operators are setting their sights on the SMB market, and that could negatively impact incumbent phone companies to the tune of more than four billion dollars over the next five years.

For more information, Insight is offering a free report excerpt.

FCC: No Cell Phones In Flight

April 4, 2007 10:29 AM

THANK YOU!

The FCC yesterday said it will not change the current rules requiring that cell phones remain OFF during airline flights.

(cue APPLAUSE)

Officially, the FCC tells us that the decision is rooted in technology, as they are unable to determine if the wireless signals from cell phones in use on planes would interfere with the control and command of an airplane.

My feeling is that even if the technology comes to pass whereby it is safe to make calls from planes, the concept should be grounded now, before it gets a chance to take off.

The thought of sitting next to someone who has nothing to do but talk for 2 or 3 hours or — heaven forbid — a 5–6 hour coast to coast jaunt is enough to make me bring a parachute with me as a carry-on.

Imagine sitting next to a harried businessman for several hours of:

“Dammit Smith! I needed the numbers on the Acme account yesterday! You’re all incompetent…! Stewardess! Where’s my drink! Smith, I said NOW!!!!”

Stuck next to a teenager?

“Ohmigod! Did you hear about Becky and Bobby? Well Britney and Billy were all, you know, and Bentley and Barney were like, uh-huh... and.. what? Who? That’s soooooo Fetch!”

And of course there’s the inevitable:

“Guess where I’m calling you from?”

“Wow! We Just flew over Macho Grande!” and

“I miss you honey-bunny…”

Reminds me of that series of scenes in Airplane! (the movie) where everyone who Ted Striker ends up sitting with ends up offing themselves (noose, gun, sword, pouring gas on themselves…)

I hope that they never allow cell phones to be used when the plane is in flight. That encroachment into my already crowded personal space would be too much to bear.

Over Macho Grande?

I don’t think I’ll ever get over Macho Grande…

Packet8 Redesigns Web Site

April 3, 2007 5:09 PM

If you get a chance, you should check out Packet8’s newly redesigned Web site. I definitely think it has more of a clean look, and I believe it conveys more of a solid, professional feel.

The site also features a promotion of the company’s latest offering, the Packet8 Tango video phone, which began shipping last month. I’m hoping to do a review of the product sometime soon and post it to Packet8’s VoIP Services community on TMCnet.

SunRocket Surpasses 200K Subscribers

April 2, 2007 10:45 AM

Here’s a bit of good news for residential VoIP:

SunRocket announced it has passed the 200,000 residential subscribers milestone. The company also launched or expanded service in several key markets over the past few weeks.

Check out their Web site for more.

« March 2007 | Main Index | Archives | May 2007 »

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April 2007 Archives

Is Mitel Simply Building a Bigger IPO?

Paul Amery on Skype Extra News

Octasic's Bourget on Sangoma Deal

Sad News

More Bee Trouble

Atlanta Asterisk User Group

VoIP se Developpe en France

Cincom on Virtual Contact Centers

What's Next on the Endagered Species List?

RIM Files Unified Communications Patent

Cablecos Set Sights on SMBs

FCC: No Cell Phones In Flight

Packet8 Redesigns Web Site

SunRocket Surpasses 200K Subscribers

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