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JetBlue WiFi
December 6, 2007
Although I am disappointed by JetBlue’s decision to allow e-mail access only via a Yahoo! account and a Blackberry device (update: the service will also work with laptops) I am extremely happy to hear that at least e-mail will now be available while in-flight. And best of all, this service will be free!Many executives have told me they don’t want e-mail access on United States flights because the plane is the last place where you can officially be offline and no one will fault you for it.
I always took the opposite side of this argument.
I must admit however that the airplane is where I write many of my articles and blogs. It looks like I will have to find a new quiet place in which to concentrate on writing.
Then again, unless the Blackberry 9000 is as good as I hope I may not be switching to a RIM device anyway… So I don’t need to worry about any of this. Oh, and did I mention I rarely fly JetBlue anyway?
So for me this presents an interesting dilemma… Do I switch devices so I can communicate while flying? I must admit the prospect is tempting. More to come on this as my subconscious evaluates. Would you switch?
See Also:
Tom Keating: JetBlue offering free WiFi in the Sky
MSNBC: In-flight Wi-Fi — for free
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Mediaware Communications: the new Blue Silicon
December 6, 2007
In 2000 my team at TMC received a call from a new company named Blue Silicon that received around 70+ million dollars to form a company that would integrate voicemail across disparate systems. The company launched at Internet Telephony Conference & Expo and in a keynote session the response from the audience was very very encouraging.
It seems the problem the company was solving intersected with a corporate need.
Shortly thereafter, the telecom bubble burst and funding for many new companies in telecom and datacom was ceased. Blue Silicon closed was forced to cease operations.
I couldn’t help but think of Blue Silicon when I read this Wall Street Journal story about Mediaware Communications, a new company allowing a user to have a web browser interface to a variety of telecommunications services from disparate providers.
In the article there is a comparison of this solution to the way Slingbox works – in both cases you are able to remotely access a service. But in the case of Mediaware, you are able to access your voicemail via a web browser and in so doing you are able to dramatically improve it.
I tried to access the company’s service but could not find them on the Internet. I spent a few minutes Googling and then gave up. I tried a Yahoo! Search – something I haven’t done in years and the first response was a web page from Mediaware founder Frank Huguenard which seems to have been written before he had funding.
This web page gives some idea of what the service could be like but it is unclear how many items on the wish list are actually in the product. Still, I am impressed with some of the ideas here and there is room to integrate a web browser with disparate telephone services and voicemail systems.
The only question I have is where on earth is the website? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a service that let us accurately find the websites we are looking for? ;)
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FCC Upholds Metro Competition
December 6, 2007
At yesterday’s VPF meeting a number of people had trouble believing that Verizon opening its network is an authentic move to help consumers. This is partly because the company while on the one hand was opening was on the other, petitioning the FCC to decrease deregulation -- meaning they would be able to effectively block competition in major metropolitan areas.
If accepted, the petition would have subjected 34 million Americans in broad areas surrounding Boston, Providence, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Virginia Beach to fewer choices and higher prices for telecommunications services, according to COMPTEL (News - Alert) CEO Jerry James.
But then again, the two news items are not really related. Although there is a lack of details regarding what Verizon means when it says it is opening its network, the move is for the company’s own benefit. In the end, companies do what is best for their own interests and subsequently we need to applaud Chairman Martin and the FCC for upholding the best interests of consumers and businesses by ensuring adequate competition.
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