Over on Voyces Larry Lisser blogs about 4 communications startups that received funding in 4Q2010.  (Pertinent because Communications Startup Camp is in less than a month on Feb. 3 at ITEXPO!) What made the story stand out for me is that all the innovation in communications is coming from Net-Heads not Bell-Heads. Software developers are shipping great Art.

Verizon coming up with another stupid slogan or the ability for a largely technophobic consumer to watch the same movie on 3 devices is not a great advance.  I'll give them some credit for the social networks widgets, but again not easy for the general public to pull off.

Meanwhile Net-heads are making mashups; designing friendly UI; and allowing the small business to take full advantage of the web/apps/cloud.

For example, Tampa local's Charles Armstrong launched the iPhone app Tour Wrist in 2010 at TEDX Tampa Bay. User Generated Content (UGC and Web 2.0) mixed with feedback that is actually listened to and incorporated into upgrades and revisions. How is that app communications? You can send video postcards!

Another is SUTUS whose Business Central 200 allows small businesses to take full advantage of the cloud. This original box serves up to 25 users; the 4 new ones will be serving up to 40, as a single appliance to act as firewall, router with VPN, Wi-Fi access point, email server, file server and web server.

There are of course many others.

It will be the Net-Heads to bring Cloud Comm to the mainstream. Then the Duopoly will follow with me-too services.

Hear me talk more about Net-Heads at CVX Expo in Miami on Feb. 3rd at 3:15 on the show floor at the Channel Vision booth. Also, moderating the panel: VoIP/Telco 2.0 - The Emergence of Cloud Telephony on Feb 2nd at 11 AM.