"From what we've seen, we think AT&T has a solid broadcast mobile TV offering that can compete and perhaps outpace the reach of Verizon Wireless' Vcast Mobile TV. With the concerts channel and (hopefully) more services like datacasting on the way from MediaFLO, mobile TV just might strike the chord it's failed to strum thus far."An early look at AT&T Mobility’s MediaFLO mobile TV service - RCR Wireless News
OK, I really couldn't go to Tennessee without sampling some barbeque, now could I? I hope I don't insult too many of my Tennessee readers (OK, no real possibility of that since so few read this post) when I say I was truely disapointed in the quality of "Q".
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Bell companies (mainly Verizon Communications) account for 2,079,000 FTTH subscribers (or 72% of the total), while a mix of 593 other providers collectively claim the other 833,500, RVA said. Non-Bell incumbents own 14% of all FTTH customers. CLECs own nearly 5%, municipalities own 4%, developers and integrators own less than 4% and cable companies own nearly 1%.
Here's an interesting tidbit from the Tonight Show: Jay Leno pitted a Morse coder against a "texter" and had them send the same message to someone at the receiving end, like John Henry vs. the steam engine. Who won? You'll just have to view the video to find out.
Here's the photo I took this afternoon while passing through Rural Alabama. Note the sign: "FORT PAINE - Official Sock Capital of the World" I have no reason to doubt this, although I wonder whom the official authority on socks was that had the ability to make this "official". 
There has been a lot of discussion about convergence lately. Based on some recent interest in this information, here is part IV of a primer on this trend and what it means to all of us; not just in telecommunications, but in all facets of the business world.
Prior installments have discussed the reasons behind converging networks. Just as it makes sense in the world of terrestrial networks, it makes equal sense in other facets of telecommunications.
If we think of convergence as the merging of two or more technologies as a seamless form of communications, we can go farther:
In addition to home networks, office telephone systems are becoming IP based as well. These phone systems (PBXs) need to be connected as well as electricity and Internet. A Wi-Fi enabled PBX might be able to use VoIP and work seamlessly with the company’s intranet, and require fewer network connections for huge cost savings. Bringing Power over Ethernet (PoE) reduces this further, and the ability to hand off calls to existing wireless networks makes this extremely efficient. There are many systems available today that will allow calls to be made and received from alternate locations (such as a worker’s home or wireless phone) that will appear to come from the office. Home workers may also access phone records and other data just as if they were sitting in their cubicle. Systems like this know where you are, how to route your calls and allow sharing of voice mail.
For the home user, services such as T-Mobile’s HotSpot@Home and Sprint’s Airave show promise if they are accepted by consumers.
One thing is certain: as long as consumer’s demand more services for less money, convergence will be the most likely solution for providers.
I took this picture on my way out of Dulles Airport in suburban Washington DC. Here we can clearly see the popularity Clinton and Obama pins over their Republican rivals, at least by shoppers at this store. Does this mean the Dems are the choice of Wahington area passangers? It certainly looks that way unless the Republican pins (appropriately enough, on the right) were recently refilled.
"Ironically, for a company that’s getting such a huge amount of money as a loan, there is little or no information. Open Range’s web site is a placeholder with a link to an email address for its PR person. Given that it secured hundreds of millions of dollars from a government department, one should expect more transparency. Even the details on how the network and service will be rolled out remain sketchy. Open Range will use a combination of technologies, including WiMAX, to bring broadband to these communities."
