Convergence Corner http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ en-us Copyright 2009 2009-07-15T23:40:46-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 VoIP Testing is Needed, Test Automation is Needed More http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/07/voip-testing-is-needed-test-automation-is-needed-more.html 41353@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ If you read "Zippy" Grigonis' article on VoIP testing in the June issue of INTERNET TELEPHONY, you're keenly aware that there are a number of test solution vendors out there. In fact, products from many of them can be found in test labs across the world running side by side.
 
You might find an Empirix Hammer running beside products from Touchstone, NetHawk, Tektronix, Ixia, or others. The fact is that they each have their strengths - but what they don't do well is run collaboratively. And, running repeated tests on all of them is a cumbersome task, but one that has to be done in order to ensure product reliability.
 
This gets into an area that has come into the spotlight in the communications space -- automation. Many companies have developed workflow automation solutions already, and Interactive Intelligence recently announced its IPA (Interaction Process Automation) solution to automate workflows using a unified communications solution.
 
As for the telecom testing space, I spoke recently with Terry Caterisano, who founded a company with the idea that many of these test procedures could -- and should -- be automated. More importantly, he believed the capabilities of products from different vendors could be automated on a single solution.
 
"Occasionally, we've taken a little time to write a script or a program that would automate certain pieces of the test process, but there was never a comprehensive test automation framework that was generic enough to cover all the different test cases," he said.
 
Well, that's what CallMation has introduced with its WerkMATE test automation framework.
 
Basically, WerkMATE is a vendor and device agnostic framework that allows automation of testing processes via a Web GUI, allowing users to cut manual testing time by as much as 80% according to research -- though Caterisano says, in his experience, that figure is closer to 50%.
 
That said, it's safe to say any service provider or equipment manufacturer would be overjoyed to eliminate half of the manual labor that goes into their routine testing.
 
According to Caterisano, WerkMATE will work with any test solution that allows users to enter commands to run test scenarios -- that amounts to basically any test solution out there.
 
The company's expertise is in the telecom space -- which is why its original focus was on those solutions. But, he explained that the framework is actually easily adapted to many other industries, like IT, defense, aerospace, and others, because it was developed as truly agnostic to the applications and products under test -- it allows the testing products to run the tests for which they were developed, acting as a manager and data collection facility.
 
One customer in the medical records management space found a need for a framework that would be able to schedule tasks to automatically check the status of interfaces in the medical field. These weren't interfaces Caterisano and his team were familiar with.
 
"What we found was that they aren't much different from telecom interfaces," he said. "They are just standardized medical interfaces for medical imaging devices and various other devices in the medical arena."
 
"So, it's not unique to telecom, though that's our area of expertise," he added. "We developed the product to really be agnostic, and not specific to telecom."
 
Read my article about WerkMATE in the telecom testing space here.
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]]> CallMation Empirix Interactive Intelligence Ixia NetHawk telecom testing Terry Caterisano Touchstone Technologies VoIP VoIP testing WerkMATE VoIP telecom testing VoIP testing CallMation WerkMATE Terry Caterisano Empirix Touchstone Technologies Ixia NetHawk Interactive Intelligence telecom testing testing space automation framework interfaces medical automation testing Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:40:46 -0500 2009-07-15T23:40:46-05:00 CDW Snags Awards for Converged IT Solutions Expertise http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/06/cdw-snags-awards-for-converged-it-solutions-expertise.html 41139@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ Convergence is a term that, in the communications space, was used to describe the layering of voice traffic onto data networks. But what it has really come to mean is the confluence of networking and communications infrastructures, products, services, and management on single platforms.
 

Indeed, networking and communications are the core of any business, and with the growth of IP Communications, can no longer be separated. As such, it's also important to understand that resellers and partners that have positioned themselves as complete solution providers, like CDW.

 

For its efforts in delivering complete cost effective, efficiency enhancing converged solutions to its customers, CDW was named a winner of five separate awards at Cisco's annual channel partner conference in Boston earlier this month. The awards include:

 

·         Global Small Business Partner of the Year;

·         U.S. and Canada National Small Business Partner of the Year;

·         U.S. and Canada Theater Small Business Partner of the Year;

·         Public Sector Mobility Partner of the Year; and

·         Central Region Enterprise Partner of the Year.

 

As evidenced by the scope of the awards, CDW's expertise extends from small businesses to large enterprises, and includes mobility solutions as well -- clearly showing its breadth of capabilities as a reseller of not only Cisco solutions, but a host of other high quality networking, computing, and communications solutions for any business of any size.

 

CDW's vice president of product and partner management Matt Troka noted that CDW prides itself on its "dedication to supporting customers and their technology needs across all market segments -- public and private, large and small."

Part of becoming a valued partner to both vendors and customers is the ability to leverage quality products to lower capital and operational costs, which is among the key areas of focus for CDW today, as it looks to solve networking and communications challenges for its budget conscious customers, with access to certified IT experts who are ready to help understand and address current and future business networking needs.

 

For more on CDW's approach to delivering enhanced value to small, mid-sized, and large businesses, check out the IT Cost Reduction community on TMCnet.

 
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]]> CDW Cisco convergence IT unified communications VoIP CDW Cisco convergence IT unified communications VoIP business partner networking communications converged solutions partner business communications Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:18:55 -0500 2009-06-23T23:18:55-05:00 Communications and Automation, a Match Made in Indianapolis http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/06/communications-and-automation-a-match-made-in-indianapolis.html 41105@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/  

There's a very high probability that the delay is a result of poor workflow management. More specifically, there is more than likely a high degree of manual processing involved, where much of it could be automated. In fact, many customer facing processes could be -- and should be -- automated from their outset, regardless of how contact is initiated.

 

For instance, if a customer is filing an insurance claim, they might call their agent to start the process, or they might email the provider's claim desk, or they might even fax in their claim if they have had to the foresight to download the form from their Web site. Instead of relying on a manual end-to-end process that relies on the agent delivering a file to the appropriate office, where it gets processed (hopefully correctly), then passed on down the line, with several stops left before a check actually makes it into the outbound mail.

 

Yes, that may be oversimplifying the process, at least in some cases. But a standard process, or deviations from it, can largely be made exponentially more efficient through automation. In fact, it's safe to say that any multi-step, people-centric process can be made more efficient be leveraging communications systems to create automated processes.

 

That's what Indianapolis, Indiana-based Interactive Intelligence figures to deliver with its new IPA (Interaction Process Automation), the latest add-on to its popular unified communications solution, Customer Interaction Center.

 

You've all heard the term CEBP -- Communications Enabled Business Process --which injects multi-channel communications into the business process. IPA is the next step, CBPA (Communications Based Process Automation), which takes the same unified communications features and functions, and adapts them into business workflows.

 

For instance, going back to the insurance carrier, if a new policy request comes in from Arizona, the software seeks out the most appropriate agent to handle an Arizona policy. If that person is out, it knows to route the request to the next most appropriate agent. Or, if the task sits idle for more than a predetermined period, it does the same. In other words, IPA uses the same routing technology used for inbound calls for non-voice-based communications and tasks.

 

In other words, it places business processes onto the IP Communications system, not only creating a more efficient business, but also increasing the value of the communications solution.

 

Does it make sense? According to 87 percent of executives questioned, there is a relationship between communications and automation that can be exploited to create an operationally more efficient business, allowing companies to much more with their existing resources.

 

The next obvious step, since many of these processes that are being automated still rely on paper documents, is to integrate an electronic document management system into IPA. In fact, that is likely to happen within the next year, according to Interactive Intelligence's SVP of Worldwide Marketing --a reasonable expectation after the company acquired a 15-year-old document and content management business recently.

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]]> business automation call center call routing CBPA CEBP Interactive Intelligence IP Communications IPA Interactive Intelligence IPA CEBP CBPA business automation IP Communications call routing call center business process appropriate agent communications automation efficient business process automation communications Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:51:47 -0500 2009-06-22T18:51:47-05:00 Nokia Siemens Networks' Chief Welcomes Nortel Employees http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/06/nokia-siemens-networks-chief-welcomes-nortel-employees.html 41090@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ Since January, the Nortel bankruptcy details emerged, the question has been not so much what will happen with Nortel, but who will buy its valuable businesses and when. It was a foregone conclusion that its key assets would find new owners, which would shake up the communications landscape.
 
Rich Tehrani noted back in April that a slew of competitors in both the carrier and enterprise markets could be -- even should be -- looking to profit from the struggles of what was once the largest telecom equipment manufacturer in North America, and Canada's largest company in terms of stock value.
 
Rich predicted at the end of April the Nortel might soon be gone a standalone business.
 
"The news is sad but true. It looks like Avaya or Siemens could pick up the enterprise pieces. The optical division could go to Fujitsu, Huawei, Alcatel-Lucent or potentially a private equity firm. The wireless unit could go to NSN," he wrote.
 
That's just what we may now be seeing, as NSN and Nortel have agreed to a $650 million deal for Nortel's CDMA business, along with a research group focused on LTE. 
 
It's common knowledge that Nokia Siemens Networks has been looking for a way into the North American market -- this is its move to make that happen.
 
"It is no secret that Nokia Siemens Networks has a lower market share in North America than we do in other parts of the world -- and adding all of you from the CDMA team would help us gain scale in the region," wrote NSN's CEO Simon Beresford-Wylie in a letter addressed to the Nortel employees that will be impacted by the acquisition. "Critically, it would also help us build stronger, deeper relationships with key customers."
 
In addition to providing access to a tremendous CDMA user base, the move strategically positions NSN in the growing LTE market, which could potentially include being added as a third infrastructure vendor for Verizon Wireless' LTE development. It's believed that the wireless carrier is open to adding a third partner, with the caveat that that third vendor must first take over Nortel's CDMA business. Enter Nokia Siemens Networks, which already has an LTE presence in Europe.
 
"We'd like to have Ottawa become a long-term wireless center of excellence within Nokia Siemens Networks, complementing our other global sites," said Beresford-Wylie.  "We have made an offer for the LTE assets not because we want to restructure the team - we did it because we want your skills and expertise as part of Nokia Siemens Networks."
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]]> CDMA LTE Nokia Siemens Networks Nortel Rich Tehrani Nokia Siemens Neworks Nortel CDMA LTE wireless carrier network nokia siemens siemens networks north america beresford wylie nortel employees nortel Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:54:46 -0500 2009-06-19T22:54:46-05:00 Avaya and IBM, A Formidable UC and Security Alliance http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/06/avaya-and-ibm-a-formidable-uc-and-security-alliance.html 41016@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/  

Research tends to be somewhat cloudy, with most IT personnel and C-level executives claiming to understand they need to make security a top priority, yet additional reports suggest few have actually followed through on this.

 

Adding to the challenge is the fact that most users have extremely limited knowledge of network and device security, assuming that their network is protected at the core, and that what they do on their edge devices presents little risk.  If the IT department is vigilant in securing the network, that is true.  However, knowing that many IT administrators simply don't know enough about current threats, or don't have the time to deal with protecting against them, it's a safe (pardon the pun) assumption that there are many networks with unrealized security flaws.

 

Certainly, there are a number of companies in the communications space touting the need for increased security measures, especially as more and more businesses are adopting VoIP and Unified Communications systems.  But, the message seems to come across louder and clearer when two industry giants come together to drive the message home.

 

That's exactly what Avaya and IBM have done now.  As TMCnet's Amy Tierney reported today, the two companies have not only extended their relationship to further the growth of Unified Communications, but have included integrated security into their combined solution.

 

Specifically, Avaya Aura, the company's new UC architecture, has been integrated into IBM's converged communications offerings.  In addition -- and this is where the security element comes into play -- Avaya has certified IBM Security Systems' Proventia GX 5208 and Proventia Management SiteProtector SP1001 for interoperability with Avaya Aura.

 

"As more and more companies move toward unified communications, it's important that they take a holistic approach to security that encompasses multi-vendor applications in mobile and virtual environments," said Dan Powers, vice president of brand, strategy, marketing and business development at IBM ISS.

 

In a multi-vendor communications environment, which is becoming the norm these days, the availability of a certified security solution becomes critical, not only to protect critical business data, but also to ease implementation and management of the entire communications network.  The use of open standards only gets you half way there, but even standards-based systems have proprietary elements, so proven interoperability and certified integration is a must, with IT managers strapped for time as it is.

 
This strategy stands to further Avaya's -- and, consequently IBM's -- position among UC market leaders.  Synergy CEO Jeremy Duke noted that Avaya, among others, is well placed to "weather the present business environment and provide a strong UC migration story."]]> Tags: , , , , , ,
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]]> Avaya IBM integration network security security Unified Communications VoIP Avaya IBM Unified Communications network security VoIP security integration unified communications multi vendor security avaya communications network Thu, 11 Jun 2009 22:14:53 -0500 2009-06-11T22:14:53-05:00 Telx Opens Clifton Facility http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/04/telx-opens-clifton-facility.html 40639@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/  

When Telx CEO Eric Shepcaro kicked off the event, the main hall, and the overflow room next door were both filled with attendees.  (Luckily, I found a place to sit and take some notes.)

 Telx Grand Opening 1_c.JPG

Shepcaro began by answering the question as to why Clifton, especially when Telx already has two sites in the Manhattan and another in Weehawken, New Jersey.  He did suggest a visit to Rutt's Hut for fried hot dogs, and successful hockey and football programs (the Clifton facility is only a few miles from the Meadowlands Sports Complex) -- though that certainly wasn't an incentive for Shepcaro, himself a Rangers' fan.

 

But all joking aside, what it really came down to was the ability to provide its customers a central location for colocation, backup and recovery, and interconnection services in a network rich location within proximity to a variety of industries.  New Jersey also is among the leaders in broadband penetration (some studies put it at the top of the list of U.S. markets in that regard).

 

So really, it's about extending the capabilities already offered in Telx' other facilities to a larger set of customers, while enhancing its ability to service its existing customers in the region.  That's what Shepcaro and the rest of today's speakers are here to talk about -- the growth of the data center space and the challenges that face providers like Telx.

 
Stay tuned for more from Clifton.
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]]> clifton new jersey colocation data center eric shepcaro Telx Telx colocation collocations interconnect ip communications service provider peering data center clifton facility clifton shepcaro facility customers jersey Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:58:18 -0500 2009-04-23T13:58:18-05:00 WiFi Service Delivers Live Game Feeds to Fans at Penguins NHL Games http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/03/wifi-service-delivers-live-game-feeds-to-fans-at-penguins-nhl-games.html 40018@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ If you're a sports nut, you enjoy multiple angle replays of various plays when watching your favorite team play. But what about those fans sitting in the arena or stadium who can't buy a replay on the giant screens that otherwise aren't good for much?
 
Well, two Carnegie Mellon University engineering faculty -- Priya Narasimhan and Rajeev Gandhi -- and their students have taken the first steps to resolving that issue. No, they haven't added instant replay to stadium video displays. Instead, they have taken an easier, and more effective path, leveraging the growth of wireless communications to create a wireless video service that delivers multiple camera feeds to WiFi-enabled mobile devices.
 
YinzCam-dual-cams.jpg
 
The service, called YinzCam, gives fans at games the ability to view real-time replays, game stats, and player information on their WiFi-enabled handsets, including the iPod Touch.
 
The service was also developed with the ability to support push and pull video to users -- presumably to eventually allow users to create their own instant replays. (Maybe even highlights from out-of-town games so Greg Galitzine can keep tabs on the goals his team, which leads TMC's fantasy hockey league.)
 
Not surprisingly, the Carnegie Mellon group was able to get a test drive of their service with the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. A pilot of the service has been launched there, allowing fans to use their handsets to try out YinzCam's features.
 
While the YinzCam service is only in its pilot phase in Pittsburgh, the potential for widespread use is limited only by the number of arenas and stadiums in the country -- or even the world. Not only are dual mode devices (not to mention the iPod Touch) being adopted at a remarkable rate, increasing the potential user base for the service -- which is currently being offered cost-free at Mellon Arena -- but opening up the service to the mobile operators exponentially increases its potential. It also creates a consistent revenue stream -- sports fans a fanatical about their favorites and are willing to pay to enhance their experience.
 
Furthermore, when you talk about extending to the cellular world, the service is automatically extended to fans worldwide who cannot be in attendance at games. Displaced fans are even more likely to pay for the ability to see live feeds of their teams.
 
With the momentum mobile video has achieved -- despite my early doubts, which I have since retracted ­-- combined with the fanaticism of sports fans, YinzCam has the real scoring potential, especially when you consider all the other applications consumers are willing to pay for.  I'd certainly consider it for the opportunity at NY Giants games.
 
For the time being though, Penguins' fans can relish the opportunity to use technology to enhance their in-arena experience, as they enjoy two of the NHL's youngest and most prolific stars -- Evgeni Malkin and Sydney Crosby -- battle for the scoring title.
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]]> Carnegie Mellon dual mode Evgeni Malkin Greg Galitzine iPhone Mellon Arena NHL Pittsburgh Penguins Sydney Crosby WiFi YinzCam carnegie mellon service delivers mellon arena service games arena Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:09:20 -0500 2009-03-05T00:09:20-05:00 Mobile Broadband Primed for Major Growth http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/mobile-broadband-primed-for-major-growth.html 39850@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ I wrote yesterday about the promise in the newly announced partnership between Opera and Yahoo!, where the latest Opera Mini mobile browser will be bundled with the new Yahoo! Mobile application for smartphones. 
 
A new study by The Nielsen Company, commissioned by Tellabs, suggests the timing of the alliance couldn't be better, as more than seven out of ten of American's surveyed say they expect to make daily use of mobile Internet and other similar services. 
 
This revelation comes amid a major economic slump, where businesses are laying off thousands and spending is down as a whole. But, as has been suggested by many, the telecom sector, while not immune, may be better off than other industries. In fact, despite the economy, and despite their concerns about the cost, speed, and quality of service, a strong majority of respondents suggest a major increase in mobile data usage over the next year.
 
The survey, conducted in the U.S., and five Western European countries, included more than 50,000 consumers, suggests that, in these six markets, providers can expect mobile data services to be adopted by more than a quarter of current non-users. It also indicates an overall increase in usage -- including current users and non-users -- by more than 100 million subscribers. For comparison, that's about 40% more total subscribers than Verizon Wireless reports.
 
The results of the survey, announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, come at a time when there is significant debate as to the viability of and need for mobile infrastructure and its support, along with government support of such projects.
 
Not surprisingly, the consensus at the GSMA Leadership Summit was that government support is a necessity, and that the build-out of mobile broadband networks is vital to economic recovery. It will also help alleviate the concerns over the quality of mobile services among survey respondents.
 
Speaking to the need for providers to build out their networks and service offerings, Pat Dolan, vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Tellabs, said, "By planning urgent and strategic network upgrades, operators can quickly and cost-efficiently address users' issues and meet increasing demands on networks."
 
As for the services most likely to be adopted by current non-users, Tellabs breaks it down:
 
                                    U.S.         Europe
Mobile Internet                         49%            34%
MMS                                        38%            39%
Uploading photos                      34%            27%
Software/app download            30%            30%
Email                                       28%            32%
 
Clearly, as the scope of news from the wireless community shows, mobile communications -- and mobile data services, in particular -- are in for a significant boost. It's now up to the service providers to ensure their networks are capable of handling the growth.
 
I suspect, given the projected growth of the mobile market, alliances like that between Opera and Yahoo! are only the beginning. And, as service providers continue to seek new ways of differentiating their services, they will also look to secure a series of new relationships that will enable them to deliver greater choice to their subscribers, as opposed to the one killer app that has for some time been the Holy Grail.
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]]> economic stimulus internet mobile broadband mobile web Mobile World Congress neilsen tellabs mobile web internet Mobile World Congress mobile broadband economic stimulus tellabs neilsen current users mobile broadband opera yahoo service providers between opera mobile Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:07:04 -0500 2009-02-19T23:07:04-05:00 Yahoo! Partnership with Opera Sounds Good http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/yahoo-partnership-with-opera-sounds-good.html 39823@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ As I wrote last month, Opera Software has a mobile browser, Opera Mini, which is well worth a try, especially when compared to many of the browsers that come standard on smartphones. I also said it should leverage the strength of its mobile application rather than trying to overtake Microsoft in the desktop browser market.
 
And I'm sure most of you are well aware that Yahoo! Plays second fiddle to Google in the desktop search engine space, by a long stretch.
 
But, the two have now combined their expertise to bring what should be an even better mobile Web experience to users. There's nothing wrong with the Yahoo! engine, and Yahoo! offers a variety of services and applications that quite good - it just isn't Google, but the company is clearly making an effort to compete in the mobile space, which isn't a bad move at all. We all know how the mobile market is evolving (which is precisely why that should be Opera's focus).
 
I've registered for the Beta of Yahoo! Mobile, but am told it could take a few days, or longer, for that to happen due to its popularity. As soon as I've been able to check it out, I'll report on the experience.
 yahoo-mobile-app-1.jpg
That said, from the announcement Yahoo! made yesterday in Barcelona at Mobile World Congress, it seems it has developed an application that will enable not only search tools, but also access to email accounts, social networking, and favorite news feeds and other personalized information -- just like a desktop application.
 
Scott Ellison, VP Mobile and Wireless, IDC, had this to say: "Yahoo! Mobile represents significant and continued innovation by Yahoo! around creating a compelling and engaging user experience with mobile data services, and especially the mobile Internet. Rich and well-integrated offerings like Yahoo! Mobile, offered across a broad range of devices, will play central roles in the rapidly evolving mobile Internet space.
 
In addition to the features above, the smartphone version of Yahoo! Mobile will include voice-based searching, improved map tools, customizable widgets, and the Opera Mini version 4.2, which will be integrated into the Yahoo! Mobile app to launch when Web site access is required.
 
There's no question Opera offers an excellent mobile browsing experience and, if Yahoo! Mobile delivers as promised, this partnership could prove a huge win for both. On one hand, of course, search engines and related applications will still be measured against Google, and Web browsers against IE, but the mobile space is developing so rapidly, not only is there room for growth, but the opportunity for Opera and Yahoo! to capture significant market share seems real, especially if, as Jon von Tetzchner, Opera's CEO, claims, "Together, Yahoo! and Opera will bring the full Web experience to your phone, similar to how you know it from your desktop computer."

Conversation-Landscape.jpg
Public release of Yahoo! Mobile for mobile Web-capable devices is due in late March, for devices running WebKit-based browsers like the iPhone and iPod Touch, many Nokia Series 60 and Android devices, as well as Opera Mini 4.x and Windows Mobile devices with IE Mobile, and the BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Storm browsers (according to Yahoo!). An iPhone-specific version is also set for late March, with additional smartphone versions scheduled for late May.
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]]> Android blackberry browser Google IE iphone Microsoft mobile web Opera smartphone Yahoo Opera Yahoo Google mobile web iphone smartphone blackberry Android IE Microsoft browser yahoo mobile mobile internet mobile space mobile yahoo opera Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:14:28 -0500 2009-02-18T22:14:28-05:00 Nortel Launches CaaS Solution to VoIP-enable Web Services http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/nortel-launches-caas-solution-to-voip-enable-web-services.html 39748@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ It was a mere month ago that the communications community was wondering about the future of the telecom equipment giant Nortel, though the company was quick to highlight the potential in the communications market going forward and its continuing role as a market leader.  Now, though some questions remain unanswered, the company is making a move to solidify its position again, leveraging not only its position in the carrier VoIP space, but also the growing trend towards software-based communications, launching its Communications as a Service (CaaS) Solution.
 
The idea behind CaaS is to enable the integration of communications capabilities into network-based services and applications. It originated from service like "click to call" or "click for assistance," which have become commonplace on static Web pages. CaaS takes this a step further, delivering communications capabilities from directly within internal or public services to create an increasingly effective and inherently more effective communications and collaboration environment.
 
Communications capabilities have become increasingly more widespread with the move towards mobility and the proliferation of mobile networks, services, and devices. But, as Rob Scheible, senior marketing manager, Carrier IP Voice and Multimedia Networks at Nortel points out, they invariably go through a deskphone, mobile phone, or some other multimedia interface that requires a communications session to be initiated through that separate medium. The idea behind CaaS is to eliminate that extra step and integrate the communications process directly into whatever applications or services people use in their daily activities.
 
"Today, the communication business is no longer about selling a phone line to a home or business," said Samih Elhage, president, Carrier VoIP and Application Solutions, Nortel. "It's about being able to easily add communication services, like conferencing, IM and video, into any online network service."
 
Through its CaaS Transaction Broker, Nortel will enable any number of communications services -- including conferencing, click-to-call, IM, video, and other media services -- to be easily integrated into popular Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings. According to Scheible, this includes social networking sites, online gaming, IPTV, CRM and HR applications, medical recordkeeping systems, job sites, and any other network-based service in which a user might suddenly need to communicate directly with a colleague, client, or potential customer.
 
Importantly, unlike its click-to-call predecessors, which often rely on best-effort VoIP, Scheible says that, with Nortel's solution, carriers are able to provide carrier-grade communications across their private networks, including any of the back-end operations they may choose to apply, like ACD to ensure call routing to a bank of operators.
 
He notes that a key element to the Transaction Broker is its ability to also perform accounting functions -- user verification and authentication, checking account credit, usage calculations, and any other means of tracking transactions service providers might use. This allows service providers to deliver this new wave of communications services and manage their accounting and billing aspects through a single solution.
 
The CaaS Transaction Broker leverages industry standard APIs, allowing for rapid deployment, even in today's multivendor networks, whether wireline, wireless, cable, or VoIP.
 
In rolling out its CaaS solution, Nortel also delivers a working model of the CaaS solution, having worked closely with IBM to integrate the capability into LotusLive, IBM's suite of online collaboration, conferencing, and email services. This is the first example of how the Nortel CaaS solution allows carriers to effectively create subscribers out of any individual or business in the world. 
 
In addition to seeing an opportunity to leverage the continued growth of the SaaS industry, Nortel, after launching its Unified Communications solution with IBM last year, "Started to see how much value there was for the user in an integrated communications environment," according to Scheible. "As IBM was moving to this online, network-based environment with LotusLive, we realized there was an opportunity to create the same kind of advantage."
 
From the carrier perspective, he also notes that being able to deliver voice and other communications capabilities from within their existing Web applications and services offers a new recurring revenue stream --as much as an additional $10-20 per user for the addition of these voice services. In this environment, in particular, that potential is likely to create rapid demand for the solution.
 
But, the fact is that the combination of online services and mobility have been enabling innovative communications capabilities for many years, because of their ability to facilitate collaboration, file and document sharing, and simply access to resources and information. With Gartner estimating the CaaS opportunity to double over the next five years, this is a logical step, especially since many of these online interactions and transactions create an immediate need for further interpersonal communication, and since Nortel already has relationships with many of the worlds leading carriers, having shipped more than 100 million carrier IP ports worldwide.
 
"That's what it's all about," says Scheible. "It saves users from having to leave their communications environments to go to a separate device, and it doesn't involve contact look-ups or a multi-step process to initiate contact. It's generally a single click and communications starts."
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]]> CaaS IP Telephony Mobile World Congress Nortel Unified Communications VoIP communications capabilities network based transaction broker applications services communications services communications Mon, 16 Feb 2009 06:00:01 -0500 2009-02-16T06:00:01-05:00 Southwest to Test In-flight WiFi http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/southwest-to-test-in-flight-wifi.html 39710@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ The growing trend in communications, as we all know, whether personal or business, is toward mobility. Mobile handsets (including those with WiFi connectivity options) are being introduced regularly that challenge the limits of carrier networks with applications and features, laptop sales outnumber desktop PCs, and the mobile broadband market it thriving. And of course there's the iPod Touch, which offers purely WiFi connectivity. What it all means is that users are expecting to be able to connect to network services anywhere, at any time, on any device -- there's the old catchphrase that was used to promote UC from the very beginning.
 
Those connectivity options now include in-flight WiFi, which has already been introduced on many flights by American Airlines and Delta, and United Airlines is also reportedly readying to introduce the service.
 
Now, Southwest Airlines is preparing to join that group, as it test its new aircraft-to-satellite technology on one plane, with three additional planes on track to be outfitted next month. According to the airline, travelers will be able to use the service at no cost using their choice of WiFi-enabled devices during the test period.
 
 SW-airlines-wifi-equipped-plane.jpg

Southwest is a low-cost airline, so the question now is whether they will charge for the service once it receives FCC approval -- and if so, how much. Currently, it boasts the mantra that, "At Southwest Airlines, fees don't fly," and they don't charge for the first two checked bags (within size and weight limits) or ticket changes. It will be interesting to see if that holds true with the WiFi service.
 
Still, what the new service means is that travelers will be able to stay in contact and continue to work on flights. Obviously, the transmission rates won't match what we're used to at home or in the office, but, at least on American, Greg Galitzine tells me the speed is surprisingly good. Of course, that may be a result of AA charging for its service, which likely dissuades at least some potential users from connecting.
 
The question is, is there really a demand for in-flight WiFi? Well, if you rely on email as your primary means of communication in a busy work environment, it is without a benefit to be able to stay on top of those emails while in transit. I'm not sure of the viability of more bandwidth-intensive applications, but those, too, will be usable as the technology evolves. If nothing else, Southwest is making its case to travelers who might otherwise pay a higher fare on other airlines without WiFi once it rolls out the service on a wider scale.
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(last minute flights on Oct 30, 2009 1:40 AM) Ah! This is really touching, would like to read more stuff like this.

]]> Greg Galitzine mobility Southwest Unified Communications WiFi Southwest Airlines WiFi in-flight WiFi unified communications email mobility connectivity options southwest airlines service airlines southwest those Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:24:06 -0500 2009-02-11T23:24:06-05:00 Daytona 500 - MWR Boasts New Satellite Communications for NASCAR Opener http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/daytona-500---mwr-boasts-new-satellite-communications-for-nascar-opene.html 39679@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ When 43 drivers line up for the official start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season at Saturday's 51st Daytona 500, the Michael Waltrip Racing team will be using a new satellite communications system from Spacenet. 
 
 daytona-international-speedway.jpg

Most of the communications systems -- whether wireline or some form of wireless -- I write about focus on the more traditional enterprise and SMB environment, but there is a whole market for the mobile communications space, for which satellite-based solutions are ideal.
 
Of course, for any business, its communications system is the heart of its operation, and nowhere is this more true than during the several hours between the white and checkered flags. Michael Waltrip Racing has deployed Spacenet's Connexstar Performance series, a portable satellite solution, to support its communications needs, which extends from the track to its engineering teams in Charlotte, North Carolina. The system was designed by Orbital Enterprises, an expert in both fixed and mobile satellite communications.
 
Read more on the MWR's Spacenet deployment here.
 
"In the NASCAR world, speed and performance is everything," said Michael Waltrip Racing Director of Information Technologies Patrick Hughes.  "Shaving seconds off the clock can make the difference between winning and losing,"
 
Hughes said the team explored several options, but settled on Spacenet because of its service guarantees, which exceeded those of any competitor. MWR hopes that its new communications network will allow it to react more quickly, resulting, in a fast start to a long race season.
 
If you don't think a split second can make a difference, think again. Just ask Kurt Busch (.002 seconds behind Ricky Craven in 2003), Kyle Busch (.005 behind Jamie McMurray in Daytona in 2007), or Jeff Gordon (.006 behind Kevin Harvick in Atlanta in 2001). In fact, four of the 14 closest finishes in NASCAR history have come in races run in Daytona.
 
MWR's David Reutimann, driving the #00 Aaron's Toyota, starts 18th Sunday, and teammate Michael Waltrip (co-owner and MWR Chairman), in his #55 NAPA Toyota, starts 34th. 
 
Still, even with the new Spacenet communications solution, the pair faces a daunting challenge, as they look to overtake pole sitter Martin Truex Jr., as well as the Hendrick Motorsports team, which starts all four of its drivers among the top 12 spots: Hendrick newcomer Mark Martin (2), three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson (6), Jeff Gordon (9), and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (12).

 
 Hendrick-Motorsports-Team-2009.jpg
 
All eyes will be on the Hendrick drivers and other favorites, and I'm not sure even the best communications system can make up for pure driver talent ahead of MWR in the starting grid. But, Waltrip does have three checkered flags at the Daytona International Speedway to his credit, including two Daytona 500 wins, in 2001 and 2003. Regardless, I can't wait for what are known as, "The most famous words in motorsports" to be called out Saturday: "Gentlemen, start your engines!"

 
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]]> converged communications dale earnhardt daytona 500 jeff gordon jimmie johnson michael waltrip nascar satellite sprint cup michael waltrip waltrip racing communications system satellite communications toyota starts communications Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:20:29 -0500 2009-02-10T23:20:29-05:00 Laptops for Teachers in Estonia http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/laptops-for-teachers-in-estonia.html 39660@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ The economic crisis facing the U.S. today is by no means a localized phenomenon -- it is a turbulence felt across the globe. However, the trend towards mobility, which is also evident in North America, also extends to the corners of the globe. How are they related?
 
Well, as many here in the U.S. have already experienced, teachers in Estonia are now facing a salary freeze. In fact, according to Tõnis Lukas, the Minister of Education and Research of Estonia, the Ministry is facing a 7% budget cut this year. Despite that, a proposal is on the table that would offer some level of compensation by providing laptops for the educators, according to a report in the Baltic Business News.
 
Some, like Hille Eek, Director of the Viimsi school, argue that laptops are a luxury, and that, at least among Viimsi teachers, each has a PC at home and access to one on school premises. 
 
However, if you consider the added convenience and mobility laptops provide, along with ever-lower price tags -- it's no coincidence that laptop sales outnumber desktops today -- the argument can easily be made that they offer significant improvements in productivity. 
 
According to Andres Ammas, director of Haapsalu Gümnaasium, "Nowadays a laptop is like blackboard and chalk used to be."
 
It's an interesting proposition. Without question, teachers' ability to work without being tied to a desk or having to constantly transfer files between PCs would be significantly enhanced. On the other hand, despite the low cost of laptops today, the proposition would, nevertheless, present a budgetary dilemma. But the potential productivity gains have to be weighed against the cost. 
 
My take: the benefits outweigh the financial burden, both for the educators and the students. I can't imagine working without a laptop these days, and though it may be an extreme case, my mother, who teaches in Estonia, is able to connect to her school's network from Connecticut when visiting, able to develop lesson plans and communicate with students and colleagues.
 
For a small nation, but one that has been in the immersed in the communications space for several years now, it is the obvious choice in a world that is becoming more mobile by the day.  
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]]> estonia laptops mobility teachers teachers estonia laptops estonia teachers laptop today Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:25:47 -0500 2009-02-09T23:25:47-05:00 Can Google Translate? http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/can-google-translate.html 39488@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ If you're multilingual, you can easily translate between the languages in which you're fluent but, as a writer, I often find it useful to have a resource for translation, for effect, or simply for clarification. Sometimes, it's a case of translating a single word, which is pretty easy using any one of the language-to-language dictionaries available.
 
But, what about phrases, entire sentences, or even paragraphs? I've actually received a number of foreign language press releases, in fact, which I would like to be able to translate.
 
Well, it's hardly surprising that Google has built out its own Web-based service, Google Translate (currently in its Beta phase), which now supports 41 languages. Google has developed its own "statistical translation system" between any two pairs of supported languages.
 
The statistical machine translation system, according to Google, is different from the typical rules-based translation systems that require significant definition of vocabularies and grammar rules. According to Google, its software is fed "billions of words of text, both monolingual text in the target language, and aligned text consisting of examples of human translations between the languages, and then apply statistical learning techniques to build a translation model."
 
Google says it has achieved "very good results" using this model.
 
I'm not so sure a translation model that doesn't incorporate complex rules can produce consistent results.
 
Google has recently added Estonian to its list of supported languages, so I decided to have a look with some simple sentences.
 
Estonian: Sinine on sinu taevas, kallis Eesti kodumaa.
My translation: Blue is your sky, my dear Estonian homeland.
Google: The blue sky is yours, for my own baby.
 
Estonian: Ma tahaksin kodus olla, kus õunapuud õitsevad.
My translation: I would like to be home, where the apple trees blossom.
Google: I would like to be at home, where the trees are blossoming.
 
Estonian: Musta lehma saba on kirju lehma taga.
My translation: The black cow's tail is behind the (multi)colored cow's tail.
Google: Black tail of a cow is a cow behind letters.
 
Estonian: Mu arvuti on parandusel.
My translation: My computer is being repaired.
Google: My computer is a correction.
 
Estonian: Mu arvuti on katki.
My translation: My computer is broken.
Google: My computer is broken.
 
Estonian: Mis kell me läheme?
My translation:  What time are we leaving?
Google: What time are we going?
 
There are only a few examples, but this small sample seems to show that the simplest of sentences should be handled quite well by the software, but more complex structures and homonyms (let alone idiomatic words and expressions) present a challenge.
 
That's to be expected, I think, but it speaks to a need to grammar and usage rules and dictionaries. Every language has its idiosyncrasies, and without the proper "knowledge base," it seems nearly impossible to provide accurate translations of anything but the most basic sentences, which isn't particularly useful.
 
That said, Google is aware of the challenge: "Automatic translation is very difficult, as the meaning of words depends on the context in which they're used.  While we are working on the problem, it may be some time before anyone can offer human quality translations.  In the interim, we hope you find the service we provide useful for most purposes."
 
Google also provides the opportunity to provide feedback on specific translations as well as sending bilingual text for enhancing its algorithms.
 
So is this service useful? It can be, in a somewhat limited capacity for now. But spoken language is more complex than any programming language. We'll see what happens, but Google certainly has its work cut out if it wants to make this a truly useful resource. That said, if anyone can accomplish it, while providing an easy to use Web application, Google is probably the one.
 
By the way, going from English to Estonian seems better:
 
English: ITEXPO in Miami was a very successful event.
Estonian:  ITEXPO Miami oli väga edukas sündmus.
 
English: I'm looking for a VoIP service provider.
Estonian: Otsin VoIP teenusepakkuja.
 
I'd be interested to hear what others have found translating other languages.
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]]> estonian google translate google translate languages google found translating computer broken translation system google Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:55:03 -0500 2009-02-06T21:55:03-05:00 ITEXPO East 2009, What a Week for the VoIP Industry http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/2009/02/itexpo-east-2009-what-a-week-for-the-voip-industry.html 39447@http://blog.tmcnet.com/convergence-corner/ What a week it's been! I just got home from ITEXPO, and had some time to reflect on the show during my trip home. 
 
After filming close to 50 videos during the past three days, the overwhelming impression I was left with as I left the Miami Beach Convention Center was that, having come to Miami with some level of uncertainty about what was to come, nearly all of the exhibitors and sponsors at the show left with a sense of overwhelming success. Take a look a images from the show to see what I mean.
 
In particular, the CALA region was well represented - a comment made to me more than once. Of course, knowing the growing interest in VoIP in the region, that comes as no surprise. But, more importantly, the success of the show -- underscored by a group of attendees still in a session at Ingate's SIP Trunking Workshop as I left (see picture below) -- serves as notice to the entire communications industry that the struggling economy is not something to fear, but to leverage. 

sip-trunking-late-session-itexpo-east-2009.jpg
 
Attendance at the show was great but, more importantly, the quality of the attendees was what stood out for the exhibitors I spoke with. As Allworx' Chris Talbot told me, the tire kickers stayed home, leaving a show filled with people truly interested in finding solutions that will help them grow their businesses in a cost-effective, practical way. For Allworx, he also said it was a fantastic event that brought significant business opportunities -- more than they could have expected.
 
I also had a chance to chat with SIP Print's Don Palmer and Jon Fuld back at the hotel after the show. They, too, were overwhelmed with the amount of real business they conducted at the show. In fact, in addition to signing up for the next ITEXPO, SIP Print is also going to sponsor a Call Recording community on TMCnet. 
 
SIP Print, by they way, won a Best of Show award for Most Innovative Product, for its SIP call recording appliance. In addition to offering an SMB solution, it has now built out that offering in an enterprise-class version, and is working on a service provider version for the near future.
 
Allworx won an award for Best SMB Solution. For the complete list of winners, check out Greg Galitzine's blog entry.
 
And of course, to cap the show off, we gave away a new Jeep as the end of the show. Rich Tehrani was quick to post a picture of the winner, Frank Schirrmeister the director of product marketing at Synopsys. Here are a few more.

 rich-drawing-jeep-winner-itexpo-east-2009.jpg
rich-jeep-winner-itexpo-east-2009.jpg

winner-in-jeep-itexpo-east-2009.jpg

I've got a lot more to talk about from the show tomorrow, but for now, thanks to everyone that attended ITEXPO this week and helped make the show a resounding success. As Greg wrote, "See you in Los Angeles!"

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]]> Allworx Greg Galitzine IP Communications ITEXPO Jeep Rich Tehrani SIP Print VoIP itexpo print allworx success Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:58:46 -0500 2009-02-05T01:58:46-05:00