« April 13, 2006 | Main | April 15, 2006 »
Vodafone Could Buy Vonage
April 14, 2006
Recent reports point to the fact that Vodafone may be targeting fixed line telephony as a way to allow it to offer bundled services. The wireless leader is a global powerhouse and needs to find a way to compete with other companies that are increasingly using bundling to attract and keep customers.
The natural expansion play for the company is to purchase cable companies in the US or to focus on WiMAX. Another option is to pick up Vonage or Packet8 so that it can become an overnight VoIP (and thus a fixed line phone) company.
Such a large company can do many things to increase its offerings enabling it to one day have a triple-play and eventually a quadruple-play service offering.
Link this |
Email this |
Leave comment
Trackback URL: Vodafone Could Buy Vonage
Technorati
Del.icio.us
BoingBoing
Slashdot
Digg
Spurl
Furl
GlobalComm Vs. TelecomNext
April 14, 2006
There have been more complaints about the TelecomNext show than any event in telecom for 5 years. The conferences apparently are first-rate but there seems to be very low exhibit hall traffic. I did not attend TelecomNext by the way.
In a blog entry last year I pretty much outlined this show was doomed when I published similar comments from Calysto Communications about earlier USTA events.
So I wasn’t surprised to hear about a survey from Light Reading indicating that people chose GlobalComm over TelecomNext.
But wait:
- CMP has partnered with the TIA the association behind GlobalComm and the two organizations have recently been acting like one.
- Light reading is owned by CMP.
- Light Reading performed a survey showing that its readers favor GlobalComm.
You know what, although these results could be 100% accurate it seems questionable to have Light Reading putting out something like this as most don’t see the connection between Light Reading and GlobalComm.
Some disclosure points:
- TMC and Light Reading are both working with NetCentrex to sponsor a Triple Play Symposium
- I have respect for the Light Reading team – The goal here is not to knock them
- There are much worse problems on the Internet when it comes to communications shows. Some event producers have bought off “independent” bloggers (through special favors, financial incentives, ownership in companies, etc). This is a much worse problem than what I outlined above.
Link this |
Email this |
Leave comment
Trackback URL: GlobalComm Vs. TelecomNext
Technorati
Del.icio.us
BoingBoing
Slashdot
Digg
Spurl
Furl
Scary Movie 4
April 14, 2006
You may be able to tell this from my writing but I am a HUGE Scary Movie fan and have seen the movies dozens of times. It is actually pretty scary how much time I have spent laughing at these movies which I am sure many think are childish but hey – I think movies should be entertaining and I obviously don’t need prodigious quantities of plot in my entertainment to be happy.My favorite scenes in the movies are “What’s Up,” where the killer calls Shorty, when the camera assistant steps on Gail’s shoes, and the scene where the white rapper gets thrown out of the rap club after he puts up his hood and it looks like he is from the KKK.
George Carlin’s “Linda” is a bit creepy but still funny.
The movies are able to entertain and be on the edge of what is socially acceptable. They may step over occasionally but hey taking risks is what movie-making is all about.
So now Scary Movie 4 is out and I am dying to see it. Since I’ve had kids I have only seen one or two movies in a theatre. I now see movies when they come to cable. Perhaps this time I will make an exception.
Here is a review of the movie. I haven't read it - I only skimmed. Why did I skim it instead of reading? I hate to know too much about a movie before I see it. Enjoy and let me know if you liked the movie but please don’t tell me anything that happens. You wouldn’t want to ruin the plot for me. ;-)
Link this |
Email this |
Leave comment
Trackback URL: Scary Movie 4
Technorati
Del.icio.us
BoingBoing
Slashdot
Digg
Spurl
Furl
High level marketing in Dallas
April 14, 2006
I know of a high-level marketing person in Dallas who has years of experience in communications for a very large company. This person is looking for a new opportunity. Let me know if you are interested in connecting with this person.
Link this |
Email this |
Leave comment
Trackback URL: High level marketing in Dallas
Technorati
Del.icio.us
BoingBoing
Slashdot
Digg
Spurl
Furl
Of Apple, Apple and VoIP
April 14, 2006
The Apple Vs. Apple trademark case is intriguing to me even though it was settled 15 years ago. As you can imagine part of the problem in this case is the name of Apple Computer which as you may have noticed is a bit similar to Apple Corps LTD the record label of the Fab 4.One of the terms of settlement in 1991 was that Apple the computer company would not use its logo to promote music. Now, Apple, the Beatles' label is suing the computer company because it is using the Apple logo to promote music downloading.
Apple Computer says it is promoting its software, not the music.
So what do I find so interesting here? The fact that when Apple Computer decided to settle by agreeing not to promote music I am sure they never ever thought this would be a problem. Who would have imagined Apple Computer in the position they are now in? They are the online music leader with everyone else a distant second.
It just shows you how difficult it is to predict how technology will morph and who tomorrow’s leaders will be. Perhaps the same is true in VoIP. Maybe a small upstart today or a company we never thought to be in VoIP will be the IP Communications leader of tomorrow.
It could be someone totally unexpected. How about Bose who could deliver a killer noise-canceling VoIP phone. Or how about Sony – they could VoIP enable all their products instantly allowing us to communicate via a camera, TV, whatever.
It could even be a retailer. What if Wal-Mart was to give free VoIP phones out for any purchase over $100 in their store and provide the service themselves. They could partner with AccessLine for example to provide the service.
Perhaps what makes technology so amazing to me is that it is virtually impossible to predict who will lead tomorrow. There is a disruptiveness to our industry that lets the underdog win and keeps the incumbents on their toes.
Technology it seems has reshaped just about every other industry around it making it too more competitive. For example online auction sites even allow people to bid on such things as cars, antiques and fruit.
Speaking of fruit, I am sure Apple Computer wished there was an effective way to use technology to simply delete the Apple Vs. Apple lawsuit.
Link this |
Email this |
Leave comment
Trackback URL: Of Apple, Apple and VoIP
Technorati
Del.icio.us
BoingBoing
Slashdot
Digg
Spurl
Furl