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| Peter Radizeski of RAD-INFO, Inc. talking telecom, Cloud, VoIP, CLEC, and The Channel.

September 2013

You are browsing the archive for September 2013.

Senate Working on New Shield Law

September 26, 2013

Since journalism, newspapers and media companies have morphed in the last 5 years, it might be time to write another shield law. I mean, it isn't like that First Amendment to the US Constitution would cover that. (If we haven't destroyed the Bill of Rights beyond recognition already.)

"On Sept. 12, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved just such a bill by a 13 to 5 vote. The Free Flow of Information Act would shield anyone associated or once associated with a news-gathering operation -- including freelancers, student reporters and bloggers -- who is working with the intent to convey information on important matters to the public." [Benton]

"The shield bill, which is called the "Free Flow of Information Act," would create a new federal privilege for reporters to protect confidential sources," according to Benton.

Comcast and Synnex Equals Added Value

September 26, 2013

I hear all the time how Agents don't "Add Value". Curiously, they never explain what that "added value" is supposed to be. Agents get paid to sell your stuff, isn't that value enough?

Even more curious, carriers think VARs will add value - again without expressing what that value will be.

The FCC is Busy (Part 2)

September 25, 2013

Top stories at the FCC, where there seems to be a lot of activity lately.

The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau clarified the rules for data collection for Special Access circuits. WC Docket No. 05-25 Report and Order is out.

Susan Crawford writes, "The giant companies that sell access to the Internet are working on multiple fronts to ensure that no regulator has any real authority over them." She is talking about the last 2 RBOCs - AT&T and Verizon, although VZ is the one making the most noise with its lawsuit against the FCC.

"The Obama administration has filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission asking that all wireless carriers be required to unlock all mobile devices," reports many sources.

The Strain on Linear TV

September 23, 2013

Earlier this year TWC and CBS were in battle over content carriage contracts. It caused blackouts of CBS channels for a while. In 2012, there were 91 blackouts in the US. Congress isn't too happy that the masses are missing prime time because then they just complain about Congress.

Do They Even Know Their Business?

September 20, 2013

Rich Tehrani and I were having an online discussion about JCP shutting down free wi-fi in their stores to save $7M per year. Who says free wi-fi is free?

I commented that maybe JCP customers don't use it. The key to any business is to know as much as you can about your customers.

The Cloud Service Brokerage Platform Business

September 18, 2013

At ITEXPO, I interviewed with Verio about their cloud services brokerage platform. At first, Verio teamed with Parallels; now, they have their own platform similar to Parallels - and the former VP at Paralllels to help them get their own platform going.

Parallels, shown here at the Hostway booth at Cloud Partners Expo, is a software architecture that was originally a control panel for webhosting companies. It was made more robust and became the control panel for hundreds of SAAS apps.

It Had to Happen

September 18, 2013

Nirvanix has supposedly told its enterprise customers that in two weeks it will be closing down its cloud storage service. This had to happen. it probably happens more often than we notice.

There are at least a thousand hosted VoIP providers in the US.

Broadvox Sells Cloud Business to Fusion

September 16, 2013

According to a Broadvox press release, Fusion Telecom (OTC:FSNN) signed an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire the "Broadvox retail business services' assets and operations. Under the terms of this Agreement, Fusion will be integrating key staff, platforms and network employed in the current delivery of the Broadvox retail services into its NBS cloud communications division."

This transaction comes at a funny time, because at the show I was told that Broadvox's SIP trunking business was up for sale. Either Broadvox is selling itself off in pieces after churning through two sets of management (including Speakeasy) or the SIP business is staying and the retail stuff is going.

4 Tips for Trade Show Booths

September 16, 2013

It costs big dollars to attend a trade show. The booth, banner, collateral, power, furniture and Internet are big ticket items. Add the cost of travel, food and lodging for the employees to attend and you are talking about a serious investment.

In some cases, just being there is enough.

AT&T's New Partner Program

September 12, 2013

Note that this is information I have heard from three different agents about AT&T's new partner program. One even attributed it to ACC Business. I have not confirmed it - nor have I seen the agreement.

There are many different types of distribution channels for AT&T - CLEC, wholesale, resale, rebill, agents, retail, brick-and-mortar and online.

2 Week 19 Thoughts

September 12, 2013

As I head home (thanks Gogo Internet) from week 19 of travel this year, I was reviewing one of my moleskin notebooks because I scribble a lot of notes (and then forget to write them up - or just don't have time.)

"Access to broadband Internet is systematically necessary for the foundation of economics."

I think that was a TEDx Manchester Village quote, although it sounds like something Seth Godin would say also. The US Government hasn't come to grips with the fact that the new economy revolves around and on the Internet.

The Two Colors of Telecom

September 12, 2013

Low Price Alone is Not Disruptive

September 12, 2013

CPZ: Cloud Analogy

September 12, 2013

At the Cloud Partners show, there is a talk show component called CPZ. I have been a guest a couple of times. In this picture you see VP of Indirect Channel Sales at Comcast Business, Craig Schlagbaum, and Jeff Ponts, President of TCA and master agent at DataTel. They were just 2 of the guests.

Schlagbaum made a good point about how IBM and other IT vendors embrace the channel to handle all the businesses outside the Fortune 500 (which they handle directly).

I Wonder Sometimes

September 11, 2013

Maybe my head is in the clouds here at Cloud Partner Conference, but I have been scratching my head about a few things this morning.

I wonder why AT&T Wholesale has a meeting room at an Agent show. I understand that ACC Business, an AT&T division, is moving to a buy rate model. I have heard something similar will be coming from TWC in Texas.

Moving Away from the PSTN

September 9, 2013

AT&T's spokesman, the Internet Innovation Alliance co-chair, Jamal Simmons, has an op-ed piece about moving away from the old telephone network to bring about awesomeness.

He describes trials that AT&T would like to do about the transition from the PSTN to the all-IP network and compares it to the DTV trials in Wilmington NC. He makes a good case.

Except the Internet Innovation Alliance is an astroturf group for AT&T.

Verizon Fights FCC for Editorial Control of Internet

September 9, 2013

Thanks to recent revelations, we know that Verizon, AT&T and others are feeding the NSA with all our emails, call records, Internet search history, etc. In the wake of this privacy nightmare, Verizon is in court fighting the FCC over more than just Net Neutrality.

Does the FCC have authority to enforce Net Neutrality rules? A court already ruled yes.

Malls Are Dying

September 4, 2013

In a FastCompany article about Amazon, there is a tidbit about the fact that malls are dying in America. In Tampa, this article says that a dying mall is poised - but for what?

Brick-and-mortar stores have the same problem as malls. How do you comepte with Amazon?

4 New Items

September 3, 2013

Just back from ITEXPO in Vegas. Here are 4 news items worth noting.

1

Fast Company has an article about Amazon and its distribution system:

"Those 10 million Prime members (up from 5 million two years ago, according to Morningstar) are practically addicted to using Amazon.

Is It Really Cloud or Bust?

September 3, 2013

In an email about a show, it states you can change or die. Then GCN had this cartoon on its Facebook page today:

There are so many business options. VAR, VAD, Master Agents, Telecom Agents, manufacturers, carriers, service providers, even B&N are in the midst of a fast changing industry. The sands are shifting fast.

A Laborious Weekend for Bankers

September 3, 2013

A weekend of labor by bankers and telecom execs resulted in two purchases. Verizon finally was able to rest full control of VZW out of Vodafone. However, it cost VZ $130 Billion to do that. Vodafone's 45% ownership of VZW was purchased "for $58.9 billion cash, $60.2 billion stock and $10 billion in other consideration," according to WSJ.

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