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What Do You Need to Know?

February 16, 2010

On a discussion today about certification training for agents under the TCA umbrella, we talked about what kind of training will it be.

Years ago, there was a CSP certification for agents that was created by Virgo (Phone+), Dale Stein of TAG, and Scott Levy. It didn't get much traction. Some think because of the money, but I think it's because agents don't want training.

How many agents think about the Industry, the Indirect Channel?

Posted in Internet, TCA, agents, channel, fiber, sales and selling, unified communications

Which Docket, Dave?

February 4, 2010

Dave Rusin is the CEO of American Fiber Systems. He is a self-proclaimed fiber bigot. He has a two part blog post about the Special Access fight at the FCC.

Dave may have his dockets confused. He calls it the Special Access docket at the FCC, but he is really ranting about the UNE docket. What's the difference?

The Special Access docket was started by Sprint and T-Mobile.

Posted in CLEC, FCC, Internet, broadband, fiber, telco, wireline

Stalled Stimulus of Broadband

January 8, 2010

It was July of 2009 when the applications for BTOP and BIB awards were due. It's January 2010 and shovel ready awards have been granted mainly for middle mile projects. Where are the rest of the awards?

We can look at the failure of Muni Wi-Fi (last mentioned when EarthLink's wi-fi network in Phillie was acquired by the city for $2M).

Posted in broadband, cableco, economy, fiber, politics, telco

Fostering Broadband Competition

December 29, 2009

One of the Broadband Stimulus grants (at $33M) went to North Georgia Network Cooperative. ComputerWorld is all atwitter because this grant means that NGNC will compete with Windstream, which already offers 10Mb to 100MB Internet Access in that region. And "Windstream covers about 70 percent of the area that North Georgia Network Cooperative proposes to cover using government money".

The irony is that pundits are criticizing the FCC's new National Broadband Policy precisely because it does NOT include any measures to increase competition for broadband. Now one of the few grants approved actually will increase broadband competition in Dawsonville and the surrounding area and one media outlet is upset.

Posted in FCC, broadband, cableco, duopoly, fiber, politics, telco, wireline

Ma Bell Versus Google

September 28, 2009

It's funny to watch Ma Bell fight Google, because Bell isn't used to fighting another company that also has billions of dollars - and millions of users. No CLEC was ever this big - nor cable company. And Google is kind of both -- or at least that is what Ma Bell is crying to the FCC about.

Google has more video on YouTube than any DVR or cable company can match currently. Google Voice is the online VoIP service many people wish that an innovative telecommunications services company would have delivered years ago. But Ma Bell isn't innovative.

Posted in FCC, Internet, cellular, fiber, voip

Pouring Billions

September 21, 2009

The WSJ has an article titled, "AT&T, Verizon Still Pouring Billions Into Mobile Networks". It notes that cellcos have already spent billions upgrading their networks to 2.5G and 3G -- and now will spend billions more on 4G.

In addition, both companies are also dumping billions into International routes, domestic broadband networks, and their respective triple play networks, U-Verse and FiOS.

On top of that, both companies have been acquiring companies, like Alltel and Centennial. Ummm, how are they not toppled over in debt?

These companies have felt intense pricing pressure from cable companies as well as T-Mobile and Sprint. Customer Acquisition and Retention costs have to be high, even as ARPU remains about the same.

Posted in broadband, cableco, cellular, economy, fiber, telco

Hulu Killed the TV

September 16, 2009

As stated previously, as telcos spend billions to deliver TelcoTV to the masses, the masses decided they don't want it.

The cellular companies want to deliver some kind of TV content exclusively to their uses. This makes no sense because these guys bitch a storm when you actually use your EVDO/High speed Internet card, but streaming video to my handset is fine? Schizophrenic much?

Also, these same companies - ATT and VZW - are building out telco TV networks and 4G networks. Can you say redundant billions?

Why they didn't just stick with the satellite TV partnership instead of their current play is beyond me.

Posted in fiber, telco, telecommunications, video

But It's In the Tariff!

September 16, 2009

I've been trying to order Dry Fiber out of the AT&T Southeast FCC Tariff # 1 for over a month.

The Service Inquiry used to be manual paper - now it is a system called NSS. No idea how to access that system.

I tried to order it through the Channel. It is not on the commission schedule so my Channel Manager wrote me, "We need to concentrate on products we get paid for, dry fiber is not one of those products." So nevermind helping the customer. Or sell product and bring in some revenue. Or that the customer has a huge spend with AT&T already. (Or that I just need an SI done - nothing more).

Product Management indicated that AT&T is no longer offering the Dry Fiber product.

Posted in CLEC, FCC, bellsouth agent, channel, fiber, telco

Verizon Profits Down

July 27, 2009

After dumping New England on Fairpoint and cashing in on that garage sale, Verizon bought Alltel. Now it is dumping more rural lines on Frontier. All of this is just Verizon's way of shoring up its stock report. Without the kickers from the Fairpoint transaction and the spurt from Alltel, my bet is that the company would be showing a loss.

Posted in Marketing, cellular, economy, fiber, wireless, wireline

Wouldn't Eminent Domain Work?

June 19, 2009

BellSouth and Cox fought Lafayette (LA) over the municipal fiber project (LUS) to the tune of $500,000 in legal fees. Who do you think paid those fees? Taxpayers and consumers.

Then there's the Embarq, TimeWarner Cable fight over the Wilson (NC) municipal fiber project called Greenlight. It was a $28M project.

Posted in Internet, broadband, fiber, politics

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