January 2008 Archives

So far in the 700 MHz auction there have been bids totaling more that 2.4 billion and in about a month we should know who won. There were just under two thousand bids for this precious spectrum which could become a viable competitor to DSL and cable.

Five spectrum “blocks” are on the table: A (698-704 MHz and 728-234 MHz), B (704-710 MHz and 734-740 MHz), E (722-728 MHz), C (746-757 MHz and 776-787 MHz), and D (758-763 MHz and 788-793 MHz). Collectively, the entire 700 MHz spectrum covers the analog TV channel range 52-69.

It seems to me that Google absolutely needs to ensure some of this spectrum falls into friendly hands -- even if it has to purchase frequencies and lease them out to other companies.

Of course it isn't just Google who is in this position... Microsoft, Yahoo!, Amazon and others are similarly challenged.

Google's need to acquire some of this spectrum is in exact contrast to the incumbent providers who have to do their best to ensure the spectrum does not fall into the hands of companies which would reduce their negotiating power in generating more revenue from their existing broadband connections.

We should know who the winners and losers are in about a month and this TMCnet article has more on the topic.

This man just won the Mustang Convertible here at ITEXPO in Miami... Thanks everyone for making this show so successful. The winner's name is Luis Navia, President of Ofinet a local systems integrator.

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Florida-based Invisosoft launched a great suite of products at ITEXPO East 2008 here in Miami.

Think of the company's products as WebEx on IP steroids.

The ASP.NET-based IP communications system allows you to do desktop sharing, remote access and conferencing with 16 video participants and 30 audio.

There is complete document integration, annotation and secure communications between subgroups on a conference. There are alerts, presence and lots more.

You can purchase a P2P retail, hosted and enterprise versions of this software as well as a classroom package.

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The SIP Forum is having a smash up and overflowing session here at ITEXPO East 2008 this Friday morning in Miami.

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Here some shots of the Friday morning FMC ITEXPO session where panelists discussed enterprise phone choices such as Microsoft Windows Mobile and other topics.

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Many in the IP communications industry blame Vonage for going public, knowing full well that the way they run their business, they can never be profitable. They basically spent a fortune on customer acquisition and not enough time finding ways to generate enough revenue to be a healthy company.

Now, some in the IP communications industry blame the New Jersey-based VoIP provider for not effectively fighting the various patent suits it was involved in.

Many of the patents the telcos used against the company were based on technologies that existed before the patents were filed for according to many in the industry.

Now, the next chapter in this book unfolds as the telcos seem to be coming after others after winning their patent suits against Vonage.

The first telco to do so is Sprint, who now chasing Nuvox Communications, BroadVOX Holdings, Big River Telephone and Paetec Communications.

According to Sprint, the company has invested a great deal in its VoIP products and it cannot stand by while others take advantage of their innovations.

Of course this is all BS as hundreds of companies were years ahead of Sprint in rolling out VoIP.

It just so happens that many of these small but innovative companies didn't make it through the bubble bursting and aren't around to help Vonage win these suits. And it seems Vonage wasn't able to find any past employees of these companies to help their case.

Although I am not an attorney, it seems like it is time for the industry as a whole to come together and take on telcos who somehow believe they invented VoIP and a host of related technologies.

Anyone ever heard of VocalTec?

In a torrent of irony, these telcos are the same companies who tried to destroy VoIP for years before they started embracing it. What is the innovation -- bashing it until you start using it?

Here are details on the lawsuits.

Russell Shaw has some analysis of the new Dell Fonality VoIP Phone System launched at ITEXPO this week and talks a bit more about the product and how it compares with the competition. Best of all, he has some screen shots of the GUI for your perusal.

The Sun Sentinel had a great article on Internet Telephony Conference & Expo today and their spin was local. They mentioned companies in the Florida area who participate in the show.

The article was written by Arlene Satchell and she did a wonderful job with it. Here is an excerpt:

South Florida businesses are tapping into the technology that allows people to make phone calls using high-speed Internet instead of regular phone lines.

Known as voice-over-Internet protocol, or VoIP, the technology is seen by some businesses as a cost-saving measure and a way to offer employees telecommuting flexibility.

Thirteen South Florida companies debuted their latest products and innovations this week at the Internet Telephony East Conference and Expo at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which is expected to attract 7,000 participants and ends today.

Bono, Michael Dell and Bill Gates were interviewed by CNBC regarding the Red Campaign explaining that when you buy particular computers -- your products weill be responsible for contributions of $50-$80 to their cause which equates to about 6 months of retroviral drug treatments for an AIDs sufferers in Africa.

The foundation has generated about $60 million dollars in about eighteen months of existence.

As Bono says, when you buy these machines you are really connected... Connected to someone whose life you save.

Best of all, according to Bono, you are putting your hands in the manufacturer's pockets -- referring to Microsoft and Dell, not your own -- to help others.

Gates explained that innovation is our friend and that if we can get companies to apply themselves to helping the underprivileged, there are tremendous possibilities.

Thanks to Suzanne Bowen from DIDX for this killer bowling party after the show Thursday.

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And the winner is Reynold Guerrier who traveled to Miami from Haiti and provides VoIP solutions for service providers.

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There quite a lot of activity at the giveaway which consisted of an iPod Touch and Bose SoundDock.
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We interrupt this IP communications conference with breaking news from the Wall Street Journal which tells us that US citizens will soon be receiving tax breaks in a major way.

Specifically:

Congressional aides said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner reached an "agreement in principle" in meetings last night on a bill to provide roughly $100 billion in tax rebates to a broad group of workers and about $40 billion in tax breaks for business. The details still were being vetted with lawmakers, and Democrats and their allies already were raising concerns that the agreement does not include added spending on unemployment benefits or food stamps.

The rebates would be at least $300 for anyone who earned at least $3,000 in 2007, with $300 bonuses for children. People who owe income taxes would receive gradually more, up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. The rebates would be available to those below a certain income cap, likely $75,000 adjusted gross income for individuals and $150,000 for families.

Mitel's Simon Gwatkin spoke about the definition on unified communications and discussed his past ITEXPO presentations and how the market has evolved over the years.

Topics which were discussed include SOA, stove pipe elimination, how companies should look at business process improvement and UC integration.

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