Communications and Technology Blog - Tehrani.com - Conferencing Archives

IPgallery Helps Carriers Become Social Hub and More

2013-03-01T19:57:11Z

Communications service providers once the center of the customer's world have awoken to the new reality - social and apps are the new hub. In fact, Facebook, Twitter and a wave of other social networks have fully overtaken the telephone number as the primary method of communicating among many - especially younger users. Then there are the the OTT VoIP and video vendors such as Skype. The telephone number has gone from being a protected client relationship to an afterthought. Even the bright spot related to phone numbers - massive texting revenue has recently been eroded by OTT apps like WhatsApp and even iOS messaging which seamlessly takes text messages off the operator network.

Enter IPgallery, a company playing in the IP communications carrier space for over a decade who wants to help service providers become the focal point of this brave new world of social and apps. Their suggestion is to provide customers with a social communications and hosted-PBX solution which integrates so seamlessly with popular web-based servies that users will rarely need to leave the comfort of the environment. An HTML5 interface allows a cloud-based service to tap into APIs of a slew of other companies to provide social, mapping and just about anything else a user can think of.

Just like a person might use HootSuite as a central hub to interface with numerous social networks, IPgallery helps carriers provide customized user interfaces which they believe are captivating enough to keep consumers living inside them.

Consumers for their part have shown a willingness to spend huge amounts off time interfacing with specific services such as Facebook. In fact, companies are tripping over themselves to have users interact with them on the world's most-popular social network. Carriers have a shot to get control back by providing customers with a user interface worth "living in."

In addition, they can add services such as shopping and entertainment and even combine location information to provide compelling applications which rival those of the OTT world. As carrier information is even richer than what is available to typical smart phone applications, they can actually provide better services than consumers can get elsewhere.

At Mobile World Congress in 2013 the Israeli company showed me an app they wrote which accesses Facebook and Maps and provides the photos of friends on their actual locations on a map. A user can select one or more friends and start a group communication, complete with file sharing and collaboration.

There is a great deal more - such as integrated e-learning, a hosted PBX with separate skins and functionality broken out by department such as accounting or sales. Finally, operators can add functionality by providing cloud-storage which could be used to hold content which is shared between users on the system.

IPgallery functions as part software/integration vendor and part systems-integrator, working with carriers the world-over to develop solutions which they need in their particular markets. This allows carriers to focus on their core competency while taking advantage of best-practices being developed by other service providers.

We often hear of discussion revolving around whether carriers are ok just being "dumb pipe" providers and regardless of the answer, there is definite value in owning the home page of the customer's world. Amazon has used this prime real estate to successfully push Kindle devices and Google uses it to push its Chrome OS, tablets and other devices.

Perhaps the better question is - what are the benefits from being the gateway to your customer's online activities including social, commerce and shopping? The answer of course is increased revenue and flexibility. And as service providers grapple with stagnant to lower ARPU and increasing network costs as they upgrade to 4G and beyond, exploring new revenue opportunities which could also reduce churn seems to make a lot of sense.

Voxeet Shows the Future of Conferencing - Stereo and 3-D

2012-12-12T17:26:14Z

About eight years ago I held up DiamondWare as a shining example of what communications should be – HD, stereo and 3-D. Nortel later purchased DiamondWare and integrated it into its Project Chainsaw initiative which allowed avatar-based communications. Then these assets were sold to Avaya as part of the Nortel bankruptcy. I am fairly disappointed that this technology never went mainstream. People it seems aren’t yet ready for avatar-based communications or stereo conferencing for that matter.

So you can’t blame Avaya for not pushing this technology more forcefully as the market didn’t seem to bite.

Now there is an app which works on Android and iOS which enables much of what DiamondWare did and it’s called Voxeet. I tested it earlier and Tom Keating reviewed the service as a result. In-short, it is rough around the edges but allows stereo, 3-D conference calling with crystal-clear quality. And it’s free. What’s not to love?

Sure, they need to work out the kinks but to me this is how communications is meant to be – the way we naturally hear it, with both our ears and the ability to clearly discern where voices are coming. On a busy conference call, the capability to drag participants to the left or right and front and rear could make the difference between understanding what is said and getting confused.

For casual conversations this may not be a big deal but if you are having an M&A call, it helps to know whether the lawyer speaking is on your side or not.

Beyond Amazon Price Match - What Best Buy Must Do

2012-07-24T22:09:35Z

Recently I was in a Best Buy store while traveling because I needed three items which retailed each for $99. I needed one right away but the other two could have waited. So while in the store I decided to do something novel. I picked up all three items and went to an employee in the store and explained I would rather buy all three of these items right now but I can’t see paying retail when Amazon sells this product for $73 each.

Sure I can afford the extra money but there was the principal of paying retail when you really didn’t need to.

I was referred to the assistant manager who informed me the store now has a price match with Amazon and other stores. But I felt guilty – I know Best Buy is having challenges because an increasing number of customers are showrooming or touching and feeling the item in a physical location and then buying the item online.

So I told the gentleman that I understand he has air conditioning and retail rent to pay for and I don’t think matching Amazon’s price is fair. After all the temperature was 105 in the shade just outside the store – I can’t imagine what the store’s electricity bill must be like each month.

He didn’t skip a beat and said how about $90 apiece. “Sold!” I said feeling a bit awkward because I just turned a retail experience in a major publicly traded company into a transaction you might expect to see in a Middle Eastern bazaar.

And this got me thinking – shouldn’t there be some guilt associated with getting an instant gratification purchase and paying less than market rates?

Shouldn’t there be a way to politely nudge consumers to offer a bit more. Because as you can imagine, Best Buy can’t exist on Amazon’s margins – so the more successful they become at selling price-matched items, the less profit they make. In fact, they may lose money on many if not all of these items.

So I propose a sign like this at checkout:

We proudly match any online competitor’s prices. However, if you believe the convenience and courtesy of same day service is worth a bit more, why not consider adding 10% to contribute to keeping your local retail store here for you?

I realize this is a tough sell – consumers like bargains. It also shows weakness – you are inferring the store will go bankrupt after all. But unless consumers start to understand that they are indeed responsible for their local communities losing their retail choices, they won’t ever change their behavior.

Need a New Car? Win a Mustang at ITEXPO in Miami Next Week

2012-01-27T15:48:11Z

I think I may have one of the best jobs in the world. I admit it is a bit ADHD-inducing as I get involved in lots of areas from new media to the latest technologies in the market as I run this major media company which is TMC. Not only do I get help influence tens of millions of people online I also get to host live events where I meet many of the readers who frequent my blog and TMCnet - the main web portal of TMC where I am CEO.

But the most exciting part of my job comes twice a year when I give away a car to an unsuspecting attendee at ITEXPO. Next week - Friday Feb 3rd at 1:45 pm at the Miami Beach Convention Center, I get to give the next car away and it will be a Ford Mustang. In order to be eligible to win you need to pick up a card at registration and get it stamped by all the sponsors of the car giveaway.

Thank you sponsors for making these giveaways possible. If I were an attendee at a show I would want a mix of solid education, a chance to network with peers, see the leading exhibitors in the space but also to have some fun and that is what events like our various receptions and giveaways are supposed to provide.

The TMC team and I look forward to hosting you next week. Thank you all in advance for coming to our event and hats off to the TMC team who is managing not only ITEXPO but a host of collocated and unparallelled events such as Super WiFi Summit, MSP World, our SUITS technology patents event, M2M Evolution, Mobile LATAM, HTML5 Summit, Cloud Communications Expo, The Channel Vision Expo (CVx), Business Video, Asterisk 123, 4GWE, StartupCamp5, Avaya Tech on Tap, the Blackberry Hackathon, SIP trunking workshop, business development workshop, telecom reseller week, to name a few.

http://itexpo.tmcnet.com/sip-trunking-workshop/miami/

Benbria Evolves into Social CRM

2011-09-22T20:30:14Z

Marketing has never been so complicated and social media has only taken something which was difficult and added levels of complexity. Recently at ITEXPO in Austin, Texas, TMC hosted its first CMO Summit and the consensus at the event was that complexity is out of control. How do I deal with the physical and virtual world while adequately communicating with customers the way they want to be contacted was a common theme.

At the expo I met with Andrea Baptiste President and CEO of Benbria, a company which got its start in the outbound notification space. She followed up the discussion with a visit to TMC headquarters yesterday where her team and I had a chance to get a sneak peek into the future of her company.

They are transitioning from an outbound notification company to one which is blending in social CRM as it looks to help companies listen to social media and respond to it effectively. The company has built a social media engine whose purpose is to help companies amplify positive comments and rapidly respond to negative ones.

Andrea Baptiste President and CEO of Benbria discusses her company's activities in the first quarter of 2010

They tell me this multimodal platform will help companies more effectively communicate with customers while effectively closing the loop on problem situations.

The closed loop aspect is intriguing because as we know it is one thing to listen, another to acknowledge and something even more complex to ensure you have solved a problem to the satisfaction of the customer – or at least done your best.

Moreover, they are extending their outbound notification system originally targeted emergency notification in the education market to allow companies to more effectively communicate with customers regarding the status of activities like truck rolls. One of the most hated parts of dealing with providers of broadband, telecom and TV services is the dreaded four-hour window in which you are captive in your home. By integrating Benbria technology, companies are able to communicate with customers in a manner which gives them more control. Or at least they get the feeling of control as they get more exact information regarding order status, etc.

One other discussion point was how the company’s technology can be used to proactively notify customers of trouble. For example receiving a text message that the company is aware of a broadband outage followed by regular updates and an ETA of when the situation will be resolved.

There are a few other drivers for Benbria’s business such as business continuity which has become a bigger factor for organizations after the recent slew of power outages and hurricanes in the US. Moreover, in general, there is a heightened sense of immediacy among the world’s customers, including their desire for increased transparency. Finally, customers are adamant that they control the communications medium whether it is SMS, phone, Twitter, Facebook or whatever else they feel they want to use.

In short, there is a customer revolution taking place and companies need to be ready for it. This rang especially true when one of the participants in the meeting, Bob Young, an advisor to the company said, “Social media empowers customers to have an exponential voice that can be dangerous to business – more than ever before.” He is right and how companies deal with social and the evolving needs of customers for the rest of this decade will likely determine their competitive standing. At last count there are around 200 social media monitoring tools you can use but as you may have surmised, Benbria would like to be the company which helps your company manage this process effectively.

They will be out with a more formal announcement soon and they tell me some very large retailers have been impressed with what they have seen so far. When I hear more, I’ll be sure to share. Be sure to set your social listening tools for my future thoughts.

Quad: The Death of E-mail and Cisco's Social Enterprise Ambitions

2011-06-20T21:42:20Z

Quad moves to the cloud, has native Cius tablet support and offers better interoperability

Last week I took a train into the city from TMC’s Connecticut HQ to spend time with the Cisco Quad collaboration team – using Cisco telepresence technology and it was a fascinating look into the company’s foray into a post-email, collaborative enterprise world. First things first, I wrote about Quad and spoke with Murali Sitaram VP/GM of Cisco's Enterprise Platforms unit last September and since then Quad has not been talked about much in the media and has limited buzz in the market. Moreover, Cisco is repositioning itself – lightening up on consumer products meaning much of the company’s messaging has been in other areas of the market including launching consumer telepresence product UMI – something which should never should have gotten the green light.

So I was skeptical at this point and went into the meeting trying to figure out if Quad has a future. Bottom line is Quad is enterprise Facebook with real-time collaboration built in and the idea is it allows easy searching of repositories of information – meaning the knowledge a corporation gains transcends the brains of the few people involved in information creation and it can be intelligently woven into training programs or called upon to more easily answer questions at a later date.

Imagine you are an auto manufacturer working on a green car initiative which flops. A few years later, a new manager reintroduces the idea – you can now go back and analyze the WebEx conference calls, telepresence and other video, presentations and knowledge bases associated with building a green car the first time around. You should be able to learn from your mistakes more easily because there is a record of what went wrong.

More importantly, if we live in a world where Congressmen are comfortable enough sharing photos of their private parts on Twitter, certainly it is time for the typical enterprise worker to start utilizing enterprise social networks as well to become more productive. Although one would hope the worker will deploy a bit more discretion before hitting send.

Quad goes cloudborne and targets smaller enterprises

The meeting didn’t blow me away but it is definitely worth sharing what I learned as Quad could become very important if e-mail does become less utilized and social networking does become the defacto standard for communications within organizations.

Probably the biggest news is Quad now will support enterprises as small as 1,000 users (down from 3,500) and be supported by cloud-based vendors allowing an organization to use Quad in a SaaS configuration. Moreover, the new 2.5 release will allow integration of activity streams and watch list functionality to enable users to better define and filter the content they consume.

Quad: See us on the Cius

I have yet to test the Cisco Cius tablet (ironically Cisco just invited me to a Cius event next week as I write this) but Quad will work on it natively which could make people who buy these tablets happier that they integrate natively with Cisco collaboration tools. Then again, Quad will work on a variety of mobile devices including iOS so this may not be such an important point. We will have to wait and see how it works.

Extending the Quad across campuses

Cisco has extended interoperability within Quad allowing it to work with enterprise IM clients Microsoft OCS 2007, IBM Sametime, and Cisco Jabber. This means a Quad user will be able to initiate and conduct an IM conversation with users of these other collaboration systems. It’s worth pointing out Quad also works with EMC Documentum and Microsoft SharePoint 2007.

Microblogging and template support

There is now support for hashtags, multimedia and other file attachments and of course messages beyond 140 characters. There is also template support allowing an admin to assign them to a community or a team.

Who are the hosting partners?

Depending on your geographic area, you can work with Capgemini, ACS a Xerox company or Infosys.

Suggestions and recommendations – enables semantic components to shine

One area of interest to me is the suggestion and recommendation functionality which comes in handy when using consumer social networks and even LinkedIn. Cisco’s solution works in a similar fashion by doing things like suggesting connections of other people within your company who have similar expertise. This could come in handy not only in a company like Google where people spend so much time working on secondary projects but since suppliers and partners could be on Quad together. It allows you to gain better visibility into your counterpart(s) with your partner or customer company.

Quad to become more visible

I asked Murali about why Quad hasn’t been visible with regards to marketing and PR and he told me it will be more visible going forward as it knits all the Cisco products and services together. I got to thinking though – this was also the case a year ago yet I’ve spent months looking at millions of dollars worth of TV ads for enterprise and consumer telepresence – much of it turned out to be wasted. And I am left still wondering – if Quad is as good as Cisco says it is then why aren’t we seeing it more? Generally when a disconnect like this exists between a vendor’s actions and words, we learn later of an underlying conflict. Perhaps I am wrong but I remain skeptically optimistic we will see Cisco start to promote Quad and more importantly we will start to see my fellow journalists start to write more enthusiastic pieces regarding its growth and future potential.

Quad SMB & Fremium?

I also asked about whether Quad needs to go SMB and have a free model to get smaller companies excited and hooked. Sitaram mentioned he didn’t think this made sense at the moment and utilized Yammer as an example of a company who does this but isn’t very financially successful as a result. I was thinking more Salesforce.com Chatter but I didn’t get a chance to ask about it.

Final thoughts

I am an advocate of using technology to boost productivity and make companies more productive and the research tells us the future will be one where email is less important and enterprise social is more important. And for Cisco the move from hardware to software makes sense as it is potentially more profitable (unless you’re Apple) and if you own the social collaboration platform you have a greater chance of selling the components which work with it. Routers, IP telephony systems, telepresence, videoconferencing are just a few of these and going forward, Cisco will be able to offer more software solutions which will have higher adoption rates because they work seamlessly with their collaboration solutions. IF this strategy is successful, over time, Cisco will become a threat to Microsoft and potentially Google, Oracle, SAP and others.

But of course this is the best-case scenario – Cisco isn’t batting that well lately and there are challenges the company faces as it decides which businesses to keep and which ones to get rid of. Moreover, Cisco is not known as a software company and quite frankly, Chatter is a lot easier to start using and deploying as it is in the cloud and free. Sure it doesn’t have the built-in IP communications and video bells and whistles but a Salesforce.com partnership with Polycom or Avaya could easily rectify this situation.

Another challenge Quad faces is Facebook or LinkedIn deciding they want to own enterprise collaboration and rolling out a product which competes head-on. Then there is Skype. Now that Microsoft owns them and the Internet telephony software is integrating more closely with Facebook, perhaps the stage is being set for a SharePoint/Lync/Facebook/Skype combo which will one-up solutions like Quad, Chatter, Twitter and others.

It is worth mentioning another challenge with enterprise social solutions in general. With infinite repositories of corporate intelligence you face potential legal issues where discovery could create volumes of information which could be used against you.

The one constant is change – and I am reminded by Warren Buffet’s famous statement which I am paraphrasing – where he said he doesn’t understand technology. What he meant is he could look at a market leader like Coke and know 20 years from now they will still be the market leader. In tech, he said, this is much tougher to do. And boy is he right. The analysts tell us the next generation of worker will demand social tools and in order to attract the best talent you will have to have a social enterprise. The question is how does the enterprise make a social enterprise decision today which will be the right one in the long run? For Cisco’s part, they are saying the right things – but for my readers, I would wait to see Quad become a more common story and gain more momentum before plunging in with both feet.

Avaya SMB Event Features Cake Boss

2011-05-17T13:40:54Z

Avaya Press and Analyst SMB Live Blog.

At an Avaya Event here in New York City, the company is set to detail its plans to migrate Nortel users to Avaya's IP Office 7.0. According to Isabelle Guis (pictured) General Manager of of the SME Communications Business Unit, the company now has 30 million users - 14M of those came from Nortel and there are 7 million total IP Office users - with 200k systems being sold last quarter.

Here are some shots of the event so far.

10:00 am EST Kick Off

Announcer addresses audience from TV via video Small business make is vital to Avaya.

Dr. Alan Baratz takes the stage. He transitions to a video of happy customers "Thinking Big."

IP Office was designed for small to medium businesses and can scale to 1,000 users. 60% YoY growth - almost 150% QoQ growth in sub-20 end of market. Over 30M users. Vast majority are legacy - BCM and Norstar from Nortel and 15M on a combo of Avaya products including IP Office.

Can now unplug Nortel handsets and plug them into Avaya IP Office system and can auto-migrate your data - phone configuration, user personalization and voicemails. It takes 10 minutes to an hour and about 15 minutes on average to go from Legacy Nortel to Avaya.

This means no new cost to upgrade phone system.

All carriers which sold Nortel systems will also now sell IP Office systems - 0% attrition.

Live demo of a phone being unplugged from Nortel system to an IP Office system - now testing all the features and functions such as message waiting lamp.

New capabilities. Can use softphone now - demo shown on a Mac laptop.

Konftel demo of their speakerphones which are now interoperable with Avaya.

iPad demo - basically a mobile client.

10:30 am EST

Howie Gold, IT Director of The Agency Group joins the stage to tell us about how his company got started in booking bands worldwide - from Pink Floyd to Led Zeppelin. They have 130 employees who are extremely mobile and it is a 24x7 business. Mobile twinning is a great feature he said as it is useful no matter where he is. Voicemail to email is another technology which is useful - in a loud club for example.

The softphone is the best feature as you can make calls from anywhere. The company president will not travel without his softphone in place. This solution has changed his behavior as he used to make one call and round-robin to all employees to speak with them all. He now calls whenever he needs someone and does it an extension at a time.

Coprocessor coming in fall so you don't need a new application server - it will be a feature card. Also web based management and hybrid-CPE/cloud and one-X mobile client coming soon allowing you to interrupt and listen to voicemail live.

The cloud-based solution will allow companies to pay as they go - not purchase but instead lease software. Since they have the #1 CPE position in SME they can help their customers utilize new apps without the need to purchase products and services. You can for example buy IVR time if you are a florist needing more capacity around holidays.

Flare experience on IP Office coming - will be more focused on external communications for SMEs as in the enterprise more of the calls are person to person - internal.

10:50 AM EST

Tom Mitchell Senior Vice President and President, Avaya Go to Market takes stage.

"We are 100% partner driven."

Gives example of how a doctor is using IP Office to make frequent calls reminding elderly patients to take the appropriate amount of medicine at the right times. "Alan (Baratz) has laid out a very feature rich road map and partners are key to this. We have 9,000 partners worldwide."

Carrier and other partners take the stage for panel discussion.

Avaya has fully engaged SME market. Strong interaction between Avaya and partners. Perfect time for IP Office to be in place. "Great time to be an SME business partner."

SME business doing well but enterprise is slow. Companies are looking for productivity and cost savings.

11:15 AM EST

Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro takes stage and discusses how technology has helped the company evolve from a mom and pop to where it is today. he has been working at the bakery since he was 11. At age 17 his father passed away and he dropped out of high school to manage 30 employees and fill big shoes.

He saw the future - making cakes that were different - cakes which were tough to make but ones which supermarkets weren't able to make. From there it was bridal magazines to Food Network Challenge to TV news shoes and more.

He now has three TV shows.

He gets 1-1.5 million hits per month on his website but doesn't sell online - he needs good partners to help him grow. From there he transitioned to Avaya relationship. He detailed how he has 150 employees and can soon have 500 or more - they have a new building as well.

He made the audience laugh when he detailed how GPS allows him to track drivers who could be taking a break at any time.

He concluded explaining how he is not a technology expert but he uses it to help him do his job better.

Now the cool part begins - we are going to be on an episode of the Cake Boss.

12:00 PM EST

Check out this working video conferencing and IP phone cake made out of yes, almost 100% cake and Avaya technology. Even the table is made of cake! We are about to eat some now.

Sorry readers - Avaya and the Cake Boss producers have requested we keep this photo secret until it airs in June/July. It has been deleted for now.

7/26/2011: Embargo has been lifted - here are some great shots of the cake and apparently I will be on TLC tonight at 7:30 pm with video of me eating lots of cake.

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One last point - thanks to my eagle-eyed readers who pointed out that the Konftel acquisition - the second largest maker of conference phones has resulted in devices which are rebranded and are interoperable with Avaya's communications systems. The speakerphone above in the middle, rendered in cake is what one of these devices looks like - only not as delicious. ;)

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Here are a few more photos of the Cake Boss to make up for the fact I had to remove the shot of the actual cake - which is quite amazing - to see and eat.

Why PAETEC Acquired XETA Technologies

2011-02-09T14:59:43Z

Updated at 6:15 pm EST 2/9/11 with comments from Arunas Chesonis chairman and CEO of PAETEC at bottom

Last week at ITEXPO the rumor on the street was PAETEC may be doing a deal in India soon since Chairman and CEO Arunas Chesonis was in the country. Well it seems if this is the case it comes on the heels of another purchase - XETA technologies was just picked up by the company today.

I know what you're thinking - the company is on a mission to roll-up all other companies who use all caps in their names. Of course you are only partially right as PAETEC sees strong synergy here as XETA is a large reseller of Avaya, HP, Juniper, LifeSize and Mitel gear with a strong focus on the healthcare, financial and retail markets.

For Xeta, the move makes sense as its long-term chart looks like the Manhattan skyline just after the Empire State Building was built - basically a massive valuation around the Y2K/dotcom time frame when most companies were installing new gear. Other than that it has been mostly in the $2-$3 range for the last five years or so. As of this writing the stock is up $1.58 or 41% to $5.42.

Long-term stock performance of XETA technologies

So for XETA an exit makes good sense and for PAETEC, they get a chance to add to their cloud services as XETA offers managed solutions in security, training, telephony management, end-user support and more.

Still at a P/E of 41, the valuation of a company making most of its living rolling trucks seems high. But then again a pure-play cloud company like Salesforce.com trades at a sky-high 244 times.

For PAETEC this purchase is about expanding its reach and relationships as well as the managed services aspects of the deal. Moreover, the company has a large new channel which will carry the Allworx product line. Chesonis says in a press release that this move is partially motivated by th vertical markets XETA focuses on - hospitality, education, healthcare and government - but this is enough verticals to make the company a horizontal reseller - sure manufacturing is left out but what sane businessperson is focusing here if they don't have to?

This move is smart for both companies and so far PAETEC's stock is up 3 cents to $4.15 which means the street probably likes the news or they don't think it is big enough to make a big difference.

PAETEC did not immediately respond to emails on any acquisition or other plans in India.

Updated as referenced above:

According to Chesonis, another reason for the purchase was they could bring the company's Quagga business - an acquisition on June 8, 2010 and make it national overnight. Moreover, the fact that Xeta is located in Tulsa where the company has one of its large data centers was a factor in making this deal more attractive.

The head of PAETEC called me from Las Vegas where the Quagga user conference is taking place and he says the timing of this deal was great as the audience was buzzing. Moreover he says some Quagga founders came from XETA and both businesses share common business process principles and are growing in double-digits.

Moreover, both have been on the Avaya advisory council. Chesonis believes the enterprise value of $65M is fair for XETA and the close should take place in April or May of this year.

He further sees integration of managed services and cloud where the former is more telecom oriented and the latter is more of an IT function. He also beleives the larger channel - with more feet on the street means the thousand partners the company has amassed as interconnects and VARs will likely start to consider giving more of their network business to PAETEC instead of other carriers.

Chesonis confirmed the rumor I heard at ITEXPO about a potential India deal. He explained how he went to Mumbai recently with some board members to potentially do a deal which he said could be in Canada, the UK and/or India. The goal being to support current customers in the US. As he explained, he couldn't tell me if anything is imminent but he did say this was his first trip to India and the best part was the food.

ITEXPO East 2011 Tues, Feb 1, SIP Trunking, Cloud Computing & More

2011-01-30T21:35:44Z

Be sure to get to ITEXPO on Tuesday, February 1^st to take advantage of what has shaped up to be a great pre-conference day of networking and learning about communications and technology.

First up us Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop at 1:00pm. Here is the schedule for the day:

1:00pm – The Case for SIP Trunking
1:30pm – Delivering SIP to the Enterprise
2:30pm – The Value of a Service Provider Demarcation Point
3:30pm – Ensuring Interoperability: The Key to Service Revenue Growth
4:30pm – Addressing Security Issues
5:30pm – Generating Revenue from HD Video
6:30pm – Wine Reception

Then at 2:00pm is Telecom One-on-One, a JS&A Power Networking Event. Bring lots of business cards and the sooner you start planning, the more meetings you can schedule and the more networking you can do. I attended the last one in NYC is was quite impressed with all the quality meetings I witnessed.

Finally at 4:45pm - Interactive Intelligence presents Cloud-Based Communications, an interactive event for Fortune-class organizations at the Gansevoort Hotel. This panel and reception is promised to be full of relevant discussion about the cloud and the benefits afforded to companies migrating their applications out of their own data centers.

Here is the list of panelists you can see – I am on it and can’t wait for it to start:

Tim Passios, Interactive Intelligence – Moderator
Jon Arnold: Independent analyst – communications and smart grid expert
Rich Tehrani: Yours truly
Gary Kim. Respected writer and media figure
David Yedwab: Independent analyst
Alan Percy: Often the face of AudioCodes
Thomas Howe: voice mashup and cloud communications guru

See you in two days.

ITEXPO East 2011 Schedule

2011-01-28T02:04:24Z

Dear ITEXPO attendees - thanks again for registering and we look forward to hosting you next week. My team just sent out this email of schedules and happenings from the show and it is so detailed and explains so much that I decided to pass it along. I hope you find it worthy of keeping on hand at the event.

ITEXPO

February 2-4, 2011

Miami Beach Convention Center

As you know, ITEXPO is next week at the Miami Beach Convention Center, February 2-4. Save time and money by sourcing products and services from hundreds of companies and gain industry knowledge through the conference program in one convenient location.

Below are some details and information that make your experience at ITEXPO great. As always, if you have any questions, please check the event site or contact Frank Coppola or 203.852.6800 x131 to register.

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REGISTRATION INFO

When you arrive at the Miami Beach Convention Center, please go to the Hall B Lobby and proceed to the registration counter to register and/or receive your badge. (You will need a photo ID.) Stop by the registration counter to pick up a badge and your conference bag, and you're ready to go.

REGISTRATION / KEYNOTES / EXHIBIT HALL HOURS

Wednesday, February 2

Registration: 7:00 - 5:00pm
Conference: 9:00 - 5:30pm
Keynotes: 3:30 - 5:30pm

**Kevin Martin (Former Chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Board of Directors, AirWalk Communications) Keynote Added at 5:00pm! Don't Miss It!

Keynote Giveaways: 5:30pm

**Exhibit Hall Grand Opening: 5:30-7:30pm (**NEW TIME) **Welcome Networking Reception: 5:30pm, Sponsored by Aculab (**NEW TIME)

Thursday, February 3

Registration: 7:00 - 4:00pm
Conference: 9:00 - 5:00pm
Keynotes: 10:00 - 11:00am
Keynote Giveaways: 11:00am
Exhibits Open: 11:00 - 4:00pm

International Networking Reception: 4:00pm, Sponsored by Rackspace Hosting ITEXPO Conference Party on South Beach at Mango's Tropical Café: 9:00pm (Visit Website for complete details) Sponsored by AudioCodes, DIDx, Eaton, Lockheed Martin

Friday, Friday 4

Registration: 7:30 - 3:00pm
Conference: 9:00 - 12:45pm
Exhibits Open: 11:00 - 3:00pm

WIN A JEEP! Jeep Giveaway at 2:45pm - Must Be Present to Win

See below for a complete, updated schedule or visit www.itexpo.com

Keynote Schedule: (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)

Wednesday, February 2

3:30pm: Danny Windham, CEO, Digium
4:00pm: Charles D. Vogt, President & CEO, GENBAND
4:30pm: Pritham Shetty, VP of Product Management and Engineering for Rich Media Solutions, Adobe Systems, Inc.
5:00pm: Kevin Martin, Former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Board of Directors, AirWalk Communications

5:30pm: Keynote Giveaways

(1) 32GB iPad with 3G
(1) Sony Dash

Thursday, February 3:

10:00am: Alan Pound, Managing Director, Aculab
10:30am: Aaron McCormack, CEO, BT Technologies

11:00am: Keynote Giveaways

(1) 32GB iPad with 3G
(1) Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device

WORKSHOPS at ITEXPO - Open to All Attendees

Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop-Begins One Day Prior to ITEXPO-Free Workshop Tuesday, February 1 - Friday, February 4

Learn how SIP trunking can expand your marketshare at the free pre-conference workshop, "The Case for SIP Trunking," a half-day seminar series at ITEXPO tailored specifically to service providers - focusing on the issues you need to address now.

Presented by Ingate Systems and their partners, this workshop will be held on February 1, 2011 - one day before the ITEXPO opens - to give you in-depth information and one-on-one access to the experts.

Reseller Week-Free Workshop

Wednesday, February 2 - Thursday, February 3 - 2-day Workshop open to all Resellers and Agents

This two-day seminar teaches attendees how to effectively sell IP Communications equipment & services, with proven tips and best practices for addressing the challenges resellers face in today's economy.

Reseller Week provides you with a forum for you to learn about cutting edge new solutions you can represent, to meet with many new potential partners, and to study proven sales techniques to help improve your team's performance.

StartupCamp 3: Comms Edition-Free Reception and Networking Event Thursday, February 3

StartupCamp 3: Comms Edition spotlights early-stage entrepreneurs and innovators in communication technology. Industry leaders, investors, developers and media to network and validate entrepreneur pitches in this energetic, unique setting.

MPLS University Session-Free Workshop

Thursday, February 3

Sessions at MPLS University are targeted to IT and business professionals to learn more about secure networking including connectivity and managed security options, regulatory requirements, and security standards.

Join us for two FREE training sessions--Learn how to improve the utilization and security of your network.

IMPORTANT LINKS

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OFFICIAL SHOW HOTEL - The Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel has been added, with a special rate for ITEXPO attendees until the room block is filled

SHOW LOCATION

Miami Beach Convention Center

1901 Convention Center Drive

Miami Beach, FL 33139

305.673.7311

QUESTIONS?

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I look forward to seeing you in Miami at ITEXPO and know you will have a great experience. Thanks!

Rich Tehrani

Conference Chairman

ITEXPO

ITEXPO EVENT AGENDA-PRINT THIS OUT AND BRING WITH YOU!

Tuesday, February 1

1:00pm - Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop
2:00pm - Telecom One-on-One, a JS&A Power Networking Event
4:45pm - Interactive Intelligence presents Cloud-Based Communications, an interactive event at the Gansevoort Hotel (registration)

Wednesday, February 2

7:00am - Registration Opens
8:00am - Conference Breakfast (Paid Attendees - Room B214/215)
9:00am - Enterprise
9:00am - The Mobile Workforce
9:00am - Digium|Asterisk World
9:00am - 4G Wireless Evolution Conference
9:00am - Smart Grid Summit
9:00am - Business Video Expo
9:00am - M2M Evolution Conference
9:00am - VIPeering Conference
9:00am - Super WiFi Summit
9:00am - Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop
12:00pm - Conference Luncheon (Paid Attendees - Pickup Ticket at ITEXPO Business Office in Exhibit)
3:30pm - KEYNOTE: Danny Windham, CEO, Digium (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
4:00pm - KEYNOTE: Charles D. Vogt, President & CEO, GENBAND (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
4:30pm - KEYNOTE: Pritham Shetty, VP of Product Management and Engineering for Rich Media Solutions, Adobe Systems, Inc. (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
5:00pm - KEYNOTE: Kevin Martin, Former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Board of Directors, AirWalk Communications (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
5:30pm - Keynote Giveaways: (1) 32GB iPad with 3G & (1) Sony Dash
5:30pm - Exhibit Hall Grand Opening
5:30pm - Welcome Networking Reception, Sponsored by Aculab
5:45pm - Reseller Week: Part 1: Reseller Sales Sessions

Thursday, February 3:

7:00am - Registration Opens
8:00am - Continental Breakfast Served (Paid Attendees - Room B214/215)
9:00am - Unified Communications
9:00am - Conferencing / Collaboration
9:00am - Service Provider
9:00am - Digium|Asterisk World
9:00am - 4G Wireless Evolution Conference
9:00am - Smart Grid Summit
9:00am - Cloud Communications Summit
9:00am - Business Video Expo
9:00am - M2M Evolution Conference
9:00am - Super WiFi Summit
9:00am - Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop
10:00am - KEYNOTE: Alan Pound, Managing Director, Aculab (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
10:30am - KEYNOTE: Aaron McCormack, CEO, BT Technologies (Open to all attendees - Room B217/218)
11:00am - Keynote Giveaways: (1) 32GB iPad with 3G / (1) Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device
11:00am - Exhibit Hall Opens
11:00am - Reseller Week: Part 2: Reseller Focused Presentations
11:15am - ChannelVision Expo (CVx)
12:45pm - Conference Luncheon (Paid Attendees - Room B214/215)
2:00pm - MPLS University Workshop
4:00pm - International Networking Reception, Sponsored by Rackspace Hosting
4:00pm - EEVA Awards Reception
4:45pm - StartupCamp 3: Comms Edition Reception & Networking Event
9:00pm - ITEXPO Conference Party on South Beach at Mango's Tropical Cafe (Visit Website for complete details) Sponsored by AudioCodes, DIDx, Eaton, Lockheed Martin

Friday, February 4:

7:30am - Registration Opens
8:00am - Conference Breakfast (Paid Attendees - Room B214/215)
9:00am - VoIP Essentials
9:00am - Call Center
9:00am - Service Provider
9:00am - Digium|Asterisk World
9:00am - 4G Wireless Evolution Conference
9:00am - Smart Grid Summit
9:00am - Cloud Communications Summit
9:00am - Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop
9:00am - Regulatory 2.0 Workshop
9:00am - SIP Tutorial 2.0: Bringing SIP to the Web
9:00am - Aculab to host AMS Server 'test drive' for application developers (registration)
11:00am - Exhibit Hall Opens (Hall closes at 3:00 pm)
11:15am - ChannelVision Expo (CVx)
1:30pm - How To Sellecom Hosted PBX session?
2:45pm - WIN A JEEP! Jeep Giveaway-Must Be Present to Win

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Visit ITEXPO Sponsors in the Exhibit Hall!

Diamond Sponsors

Aculab: Booth 617
Digium The Asterisk Company: Booth 901

Platinum Sponsors

Interactive Intelligence: Booth 607
AudioCodes: Booth 507
Ditech Networks: Booth 501
Sansay: Booth 516
BridgeWave Communications: Booth 211
Commilogik: Booth 801
Dialogic: Booth 806
Sonus Networks: Booth 634
NEXTUSA: Booth 534
Applianx by Aculab: Booth 617

Gold Sponsors

MegaPath: Booth 706
888VOIP STORE: Booth 701
Speedflow: Booth 422
ADTRAN: Booth 300
ABP Tech: Booth 322
Sangoma: Booth 401
tw telecom: Booth 328
Kutenda: Booth 716

Complete Sponsor Listing

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Austin, Texas Selected For ITEXPO West 2011

2011-01-27T23:13:32Z

I have some very exciting news to share regarding ITEXPO. I alluded to it a few weeks back and now it’s here. ITEXPO West 2011 will be moving to the Austin Convention Center in Austin Texas, on September 13-15, 2011. ITEXPO was launched in San Diego, CA at the Hotel Del Coronado and moved to Long Beach and eventually Los Angeles. This move reflects the requests of many exhibitors and attendees.

One exciting benefit of the move for the communications and technology community is free WiFi in the convention center. The convention center is also located 15 minutes from the airport and is within walking distance of 6,000 downtown hotel rooms. Moreover, many refer to the city as the live music capital of the world.

It should come as no surprise that with less regulation, fees and taxes, the business-friendly Lone Star State is doing far better than California in terms of business growth and unemployment rates and although I look forward to bringing more events to California in the future, it is worth noting that show organizers want to host conferences in cities and states where the politicians create the most favorable business climate.

Moreover, Austin is surrounded by technology companies and the communications corridor of Dallas/Richardson is within driving distance. The response so far from those in the know has been very positive and we look forward to seeing you there and discussing the move further next week, Feb 2-4, 2011 in Miami at ITEXPO East 2011 and as soon as the show is over, expect the ITEXPO site referring to Austin to be up and running.

Getting to Know ITEXPO Participants

2011-01-25T01:33:48Z

AT TMC, we painstakingly attempt to ensure you know as much about the participating companies at our events as possible before the conference so you can get a sense of who is there, where there expertise lies and if they may have something of value to offer you as you look to make purchasing decisions in the world of technology and communications. As a result we survey ITEXPO speakers and exhibitors before the event and ask questions which can help you connect with thought leaders you believe might be of assistance at the event.

Not everyone answers but we do send the questions to hundreds of companies and they seem to trickle in each day. Here is the list of people and companies who responded to my questions and links to their answers. I truly hope you find it useful.

Oh and one note you should know... Many of these interviews are with speakers and/or exhibitors from the 13 collated events with ITEXPO such as Smart Grid Summit, Etc.

NAME	COMPANY
Mike Ross	4PSA
SANDRA XIMENA DIAZ HOYOS	SMART NETWORK SOLUTIONS
Mark Armentrout	Texas Institute
Alon Cohen	Phone.com
Jim Machi	Dialogic
Nathan McNeill	Bomgar
Mike Coffee	Commetrex
Jonathan Fuld	SIP Print
Alex Ferdman	Telinta
Ian Colville	Aculab
Christine Holley	ININ
Dina Vance	Ulysses
Matt Larsen	WISPA
Shawn Tsetsilas	Cellular Specialties
Ryan Lynn	Qwest Communications
Carl KS Teo	Ecocarrier Inc.
Bill Prout	Astaro
Tim Titus	PathSolutions
Aidan Connolly	Idiro
Andy Huckridge	VSS Monitoring, Inc.
Mark Ricca	IntelliCom Analytics
Michael Oeth	Junction Networks, Inc.
Michael Wheeler	NTT America
Tim Whittington	Aastra USA
Toby Holmes	WORKTANK
Doug Mohney	HD Voice News
Greg Maudsley	Juniper Networks
Steve Johnson	Ingate

-50F With Wind Chill. Escape to ITEXPO in Miami

2011-01-24T20:01:54Z

You know I would never stoop to reminding you about the weather to persuade you to attend what I believe to the be the best tech and telecom conference in the world - OK, maybe I would.

So I was driving along this morning on the way to work and noticed I couldn't feel any of my fingers. I decided to check to make sure I was wearing gloves. I was. Then I realized I couldn't feel any of my toes and yes I had shoes on.

I then looked at the temperature reading and it said one degree. I decided to risk my life to take the picture above while driving - I could have pulled over but hey, I was late for my first meeting and I would do just about anything for you, my faithful reader. Attention law enforcement professionals - some elements of this blog post may have been overly sensationalized in order to provide dramatic effect.

But getting back to Connecticut where TMC is based - one coworker who lives in Danbury, CT said it was -11 degrees when she left her house this morning. And that's nothing. If you can believe it... CBS News reports temperatures with wind chill hit as cold as -50 degrees F!

BTW, in AP biology back in high school we learned that -40F is the same temperature as -40C - this little bit of trivia courtesy of Mrs. Beers my 11th grade teacher. Hope I spelled her name right.

Oh, but back to the point of this meandering post... It is freezing out. There is one show in Miami next week where you can go to network with those who matter in the world of tech and telecom. Almost forgot to mention it is called ITEXPO East 2011. Every important topic is to be discussed from super WiFi to SIP to open source to virtualization and cloud computing. It is all there - in Miami under a single roof where you will also get to hear keynotes from former FCC Chairman Kevin Martin as well as executives from BT, Adobe, Aculab, GENBAND and Digium - the creators of Asterisk. Its the only industry event with a networking party at Mangos, one of the hottest spots on South Beach. Yes, there are other places to network as well.

So I hope to see you there and I look forward to greeting you in person.

Here is the ITEXPO show site, collocated events, free workshops, exhibitor list and giveaways you can win such as a new Jeep.

Adtran, IBM, Apple Blow Out Earnings

2011-01-19T13:53:29Z

ITEXPO gold sponsor and TMC Global Online Community customer Adtran just announced blowout earnings – fourth quarter profit doubled and sales grew 33%. Net income was $35.96 million or $0.56 per share. Broadband growth was 75% over the previous year led by sales of the Total Access 5000 platform while internetworking grew 37% and optical grew 24%.

Some of this growth was likely due to the Government’s Broadband Stimulus rollout but the declaration of a 9 cent per share dividend shows there is strong confidence that the company sees a bright future even as the program has ended.

Moreover, this news comes on the heels of blowout earnings from both Apple and IBM and this tells us that tech continues to be a very bright beacon of light for the global economy. As always, I look forward to watching the tremendous opportunities in tech and telecom translate into large amounts of real business getting done at ITEXPO, Feb 2-4 in Miami, FL.

Communications Expert Ricca Discusses the Future & ITEXPO Appearance

2011-01-18T15:11:51Z

One of the great advantages of attending a live conference is the ability to network with some of the brightest minds in the industry such as analysts and other industry thought leaders who help give us a sense of where markets are heading. The tech space is not slowing down from an innovation perspective – and it certainly isn’t going to see less product introductions in the future. How do you determine how the latest products and solutions can help your business? Is the cloud right for you or is an on-premise system a smarter move based on your security and compliance needs? These are just some of the questions you can get answered at ITEXPO and 14 related events such as 4G Wireless Evolution (4GWE), Smart Grid Summit, Social CRM Expo, Super WiFi Summit, and M2M Evolution.

One analyst who will be at the show is Mark Ricca, Partner & Sr. Analyst at IntelliCom Analytics. He is a major expert in the telecom space and worth listening to. I recently sent some interview questions to Mark and here are his answers. Interviews such as these are intended as an “appetizer” helping you get familiar with various speakers and exhibitor before you come to the “main course” of education and networking only a live event can provide.

Rich’s Dashboard Temperature reading - the top orange reading

If that isn’t enough to bring you to Miami in February, did I mention the cold spell much of the country is experiencing? How about the single-digit temps on my way to work last week? Check out this reading of 8 degrees. If that doesn’t convince you – what about really low airfares to Florida? I know, I know – where do I sign? Glad you asked – right here.

Here is the interview:

1. What was the most significant technology trend in 2010 and what impact will it have in 2011?

Answer: There were 5 major technology trends in 2010 that will continue through 2011 and well beyond. They are: 1) Mobility, with particular emphasis on the significant improvement in Smart Phone capabilities, usage and benefits; 2) Social Networking focusing on business use and marketing benefits; 3) Video Offers in all forms and flavors; 4) Virtualization ranging from Data Center-to-Desktop, and 5) Cloud Computing.

2. What impact will the continued growth of cloud computing have on the communications industry in 2011?

Answer: Cloud Computing is one of those technologies that you can ask 5 people to describe…and receive 7 different definitions. The potential benefits of Cloud Computing play well in this current economic environment where businesses need to do more with less, and Operating Expenses are generally preferred over Capital Expenses. The good news is that Cloud Computing will continue to be hot in 2011, and a lot of the current hype and misunderstanding will give-way to clear-thinking and reality.

3. Who will be the mobile winners in 2011 out of Google Android, Apple, Microsoft, Nokia and RIM?

Answer: In my opinion, all of them, but in varying degrees. In fact the real winners are the users that are afforded a wide-range of choices in terms of features, form-factors and price points.

4. What impact will mobile technology have on the tech space in 2011?

Answer: As previously mentioned Mobility will continue to be one of the 5 Major technology trends impacting the Business and Consumer segments for many years. The underlying drivers are: 1) The growing need for users to communicate and access information from anywhere, at anytime, in any form, and 2) The continuing stream of beneficial applications that are available on Smart Phones.

5. Where are the best opportunities in the tech space this year?

Answer: As previously mentioned, Cloud Computing, Mobility, Social Networking, Video and Virtualization. These powerful technologies, properly applied…can deliver meaningful and measurable benefits to end users.

6. How can technology change the world for the better?

Answer: In my opinion technology has been improving conditions in most parts of the world for many years and will continue to do so. When I came into this industry (many years ago), the basic challenges to business were: time, distance, cost, productivity and competition. All of these business barriers continue to be favorably and measurably impacted by the well planned application of information technology.

7. What impact has social media had on how you interact with your customers? How do you measure its effectiveness?

Answer: A growing number of businesses are employing and trialing Social Media. Some are doing it very well, and others are not. In the vast majority of cases, the desired results are: 1) Improve the perceptions of the business, and 2) Increased sales. Similar to advertising, the number of variables involved makes the direct measurement of effectiveness difficult…but not impossible.

8. How have you leveraged social networking as an internal collaboration tool?

Answer: At IntelliCom Analytics we’re working on this, and making good progress. So stay tuned.

9. The FCC has recently voted to support net neutrality. Is net neutrality necessary, or will it present more challenges than it will solve?

Answer: On important issues the U.S. government tends to do two things extremely well. 1) Absolutely nothing, and 2) Overreact. I believe that some FCC guidelines are necessary in this area. The challenge will be for them to not overreact and complicate the situation.

10. What will be the greatest technological development in 2011? Why?

Answer: I believe there will be two “great” areas of continued technological development in 2011. 1) Further advancements in the capabilities of Smart Phones, and their application programs, and 2) Advancements in the capabilities of Video offers, particularly in the areas of interoperability, reliability and cost-effectiveness.

11. Why is your session a must-attend at ITEXPO?

Answer: IntelliCom Analytics has developed a “track” of 5 complementary sessions starting at 9am and concluding at 3:15pm on Wednesday February 2^nd. My colleague Frank Stinson and I will be presenting and moderating the sessions.

The session titles are:

Overview of the Rapidly Transforming Enterprise Communications Environment.
Developing an Effective RFP for the New Environment.
A vendor Panel: Responding to the Evolving Enterprise Communications Requirements.
End User Panel: Solution Selection and Deployment Tips and Techniques.
Summary and Key Take-Away Points.

Attendees will receive “field-based” observations, tips and techniques on a range of timely and relevant subjects. The information and insights will be beneficial to end users, providers, developers and channel partners.

12. What other topics should be at the top of attendees’ lists?

Answer: The ITEXPO Keynotes are always a “Must.” The speakers always provide interesting and useful information and insights.

13. What new and exciting products/solutions can we expect to see from your company in 2011?

Answer: In addition to our traditional range of IntelliCom Analytics Professional Services and Market Research Programs, we’ve developed some assessment “tools.” These tools are designed to assist end users in conducting side-by-side comparisons of communication system licensing and endpoint devices. The tools will assist end users in navigating through the complexities to understand the differences in licensing rules, costs and end-point feature / functionality.

14. Please make one surprising prediction for 2011.

Answer: I don’t know that this can be considered “surprising,” but mergers and acquisitions will accelerate in 2011. The pace of change and escalating cost of R&D requires “deep-pockets” that many smaller players can’t support. Mergers and acquisitions are one way to deal with this requirement.