Tales from The Telco Edge

Deere looks for Directions

2011-07-25T09:51:00.004-04:00

Here's an interesting story from USA Today - Virginia based Lightsquared is proposing to build out 40,000 new cell towers in rural areas. On the face of it, a really good thing. But it turns out, this may be a hindrance to GPS signals which farmers rely on to guide their tractors, among other things. So a fight is on, championed by none other than John Deere who makes many of those tractors.

Where the locals eat - Las Vegas edition

2011-07-24T10:57:00.003-04:00

I'm always looking for places where the locals eat - chain restaurants are the same everywhere (which I suppose is their appeal). Nowhere is this more true than Las Vegas. Everywhere a traveler goes is greeted by chains, cheap "bargain" places that scare me, or fancy culinary experiences that may be great, but not necessarily affordable by a family of four. That's why it's worth finding what

Vacation (finally)!

2011-07-24T10:52:00.002-04:00

For the next two weeks, I'm on vacation with the fam. We're starting in Vegas, traveling to the Grand Canyon, seeing lots of National Parks in Arizona and Utah, and finishing up in Denver where we'll fly back to Virginia. Here's the kicker - we're camping all the way (...shudder...). Looking forward to an interesting and fun experience with lots of family time and road food. More later...

Texas Hill Country Meets DC

2011-06-22T22:51:00.006-04:00

As promised, I have now been to DC's newest barbeque stop, Hill Country in Penn Quarter. As mentioned earlier, I was anxious to compare it to it's neighbor, Capitol Q in Chinatown. Both offers Texas style BBQ which usually means beef. Fans of pork ribs (like me) or puled pork should seek these delicacies elsewhere.The central tenant of Texas BBQ is brisket. prepared correctly, it is sublime.

BBQ in the Nation's Capitol

2011-04-29T13:32:00.002-04:00

I've been stationed in Downtown DC for awhile now, so I felt it was about time to try some of the local Barbecue places I pass regularly. I think of BBQ more as a rural thing, but I had a hankerin'. There are two within a short distance (3 blocks) of each other: Capitol Q on H street between 7th & 8th (Chinatown), and Hill Country on 7th between D & E (Penn Quarter). Both are Texas style,

RIM was "Blindsided" by Apple I-Phone

2011-03-23T11:09:00.004-04:00

I know I've had a LOT of posts about wireless lately but to be fair, there has been a great deal of news. That brings me to this interesting story from V2M(vision2mobile). They site a report from Thompson Routers that says "Research In Motion was “blindsided" by the launch of the original iPhone, possibly the beginning of a downward spiral that completely eroded its huge market share advantage

Verizon Says it doesn't want Sprint

2011-03-22T11:17:00.004-04:00

The ink is barely dry on the AT&T/T-Mobile acquisition, and people are already abuzz about a possible purchase of Sprint by Verizon Wireless. But don't go purchasing Sprint stock just yet; Reuters is reporting that VZ's CEO, Daniel Mead, says he has "no interest" in a deal with Sprint. "The CEO said the company did not want to be distracted from its goal of being the most profitable U.S.

AT&T to Cap Data for Customers

2011-03-15T13:09:00.003-04:00

AT&T (NYSE:T) has announced it will cap data usage for its U-verse customers to 250 Gbs per month, starting in May. That may seem like a lot (it is), but it is a cap. Even though fewer than 2% will be affected (according to the carrier), customers still won't like it. Some possible issues:1) Slippery slope - 250 Gbs today, may be 200 tomorrow, and 150 the next.2) Precedent - as AT&T goes, so

RUMOR MILL: T-Mobile & Sprint in Merger Talks

2011-03-08T15:53:00.003-05:00

So here's the latest: According to Bloomberg, there is a rumor that Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) and Deutsche Telekom have been in talks to merge T-Mobile USA with Sprint. The deal would give T-Mobile parent Deutsche Telekom a major stake in the new company.This is not a new rumor, but it leaves lots of questions/reasons that make me doubt it:1) Sprint has been rumored to be sold, or merged, for YEARS

Best Pizza in the World!

2010-12-28T22:22:00.003-05:00

I know I'll get a lot of argument on this point but here goes...Growing up in the Northeast Tri-state area, I had the opportunity to try some really awesome pizza (frequently known in Connecticut as apizza, pronounced, "Ah-beets") These pies are baked in wood fired, brick ovens that make the food taste better the older and better used they get. The best of these restaurants are typically in the

The Big Easy Awaits

2010-12-12T17:03:00.003-05:00

Given the recent cold snap in the North East, New Orleans has never looked better. I will be training VoIP users during the day, and hopefully getting some good meals in the evenings. I also have the challenge of finding a sports bar that will show the "other" Monday Night game.

Training vs.being trained

2010-11-10T12:52:00.003-05:00

This week I'm attending a training class. Nothing unusual about this, but as a trainer myself, it got me thinking about the difference the two roles experience. Looking at the students from the front of the room, I can see the expressions on their faces and try to derive clues from this. Are they bored? Do they find the curriculum interesting, funny, annoying, etc.? It's important for me to

Vegas, Baby!

2010-11-07T21:37:00.003-05:00

Well, it had to happen sometime...someone needs training in Las Vegas. I know what you're thinking: "He's not teaching anyone anything, except possibly how to shoot craps." That's only partially true!Seriously, I will be teaching a government entity how to use their new VoIP phone system. Not the sexiest thing, I'll admit, but very important. The switch to VoIP will save taxpayers large sums of

Resume Advice?

2010-10-21T17:03:00.005-04:00

I realize this is a bit off-topic but in these poor economic times, any useful job hunting advice is relevant, no?Recently, a young man and a member of my national fraternity emailed me, looking for some assistance. He was now graduating and like everyone else, was finding it difficult to get a new gig. He sent me his resume and to put it mildly, needed work. The following are exerpts from the

Why E-readers Suck

2010-10-14T15:15:00.004-04:00

First, full disclosure: I bought a Kindle - for my wife's birthday. She is a member of a book club where half the members use some form of e-reader; mostly Kindles, but there is an Ipad or two. She asked me for one, and this got me thinking..."I'm a gadget lover, why don't I wan't one of these things?"Anyway, I bought here the new gen Kindle, and she dropped it. Now I know why I don't like them,

Tacos in Tucson (dogs too)

2010-08-18T21:57:00.002-04:00

So I'm in Tucson Arizona on business, and we're all hungry for dinner. The hotel we were camped out in recommended a nearby "low-key" but authentic Mexican "restaurant". The first time I tried to get there, I passed it by. After circling with GPS in hand, we found what was essentially a taco cart; hot dog stand; and between both, a window to order. We almost left but some unknown force drew us

Carolina Q in Northern VA

2010-05-21T14:34:00.002-04:00

OK...You know when you pass someplace so often that you don't really notice it's there? This happens to me more often then I'd like, particularly when it's someplace with decent BBQ.I frequently ride my bike along the W&OD trail in Northern VA. This is an old railroad right of way turned into a park for walkers, cyclists, and any non-motorized vehicles. Along the way are a number of places to

Sprint's New Guarantee

2010-03-31T16:34:00.003-04:00

In a recent article from RCR Wireless, Sprint/Nextel has unveiled a 30-day money-back guarantee for new wireless subscribers. It's a pretty bold move, and quite possibly a tactical one if: A) first quarter results will be less than Wall Street expected or B) Sprint/Nextel believes it is in fairly dire straights or C) Both. It will be interesting to see how customers, investors, and competition

Win for AT&T - Time Warner to change it's Ad claims

2010-03-05T13:30:00.003-05:00

Time Warner had been saying some pretty nasty stuff about AT&T's IPTV product, U-Verse. This, according to the Council of Better Business Bureaus. AT&T took TW to task after they claimed their HD service was "free" and AT&T was charging. In fact, AT&T does charge $10 per month for HD service, but as it turns out, TW does as well. This was hammered home on many Time Warner TV ads. Another ad

Google shelling out big bucks for community Internet

2010-03-02T11:15:00.005-05:00

Moments after I posted about new methods of financing for FTTH deployments, comes this: Google, who had announced they were looking for community gigabit (yes, gigabit) deployments, appears to be extremely serious. They have now announced that the amount of money will be in the range of "hundreds of millions of dollars", so there is now an unofficial scramble between communities. To wit, this

Should users finance Fiber to the home?

2010-03-02T10:41:00.003-05:00

A recent article in Connected Planet askes, "If we’re paying for broadband deployment with federal taxes anyway, should we be able to buy our own fiber connections?". Ed Gubbins explains a new experimental model being deployed in Brigham City, Utah.: connectedplanetonline.com

10 Very Useful Google Services You Should Know

2010-02-20T12:16:00.004-05:00

From Lost in Technology: In only a few years Google has become the king of the Web. It went from a college research project to the most popular search engine that rakes in billions of dollars every year. They’ve expanded to mobile, OSs and, in the past few days, promising the fastest broadband Internet to thousands of homes in the States...

Moto splits in two

2010-02-16T16:53:00.002-05:00

From Fierce IPTV: Motorola's announcement this week that it would split two firms--one a mobile devices and home solutions group, the other an enterprise mobility venture--seemed to catch the telecom industry by surprise. That's a nifty trick, considering the announcement had been rumored and expected since last fall. But, the overall reaction, mostly a mix of approval and confusion, with just a

What is 4G, anyway?

2010-02-10T11:30:00.004-05:00

This is one of the best explanations of the new wireless technologoes I've seen. It explains in laymen's tems LTE, WiMAX, HSPA+ etc. and why you want it.Gizmodo - Giz Explains: Why WiMax and LTE Wireless 4G Data Will Blow Your Mind

Reports of the death of the PSTN greatly exaggerated

2010-02-10T10:42:00.003-05:00

Richard Martin, the Editor of VON whom I've quoted before in this blog, discusses the death of the PSTN as we all move to VoIP based solution. He mentions the AT&T's 2009 filing of a 'comment' to the FCC suggesting a timeline to sunset to the PSTN. Martin argues that this is not only premature, but wrong-headed. VON - Yes, The PSTN is Still the Core

Enjoy my new video

2010-02-06T01:25:00.003-05:00

I made a new video! I'm always trying to explain what I do in an interesting way. Although this doesn't come close, it's a fun attempt. It's short and fun: Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Clearwire In No Rush To Test "WiMax 2"

2010-02-03T12:10:00.004-05:00

From Broadbandreports.com: According to sources at the IEEE, the 802.16m Mobile WiMax standard should be finalized sometime in the middle of this year. According to the WiMax forum, the technology can deliver 120 Mbps downstream and 60 Mbps upstream by using a 4X2 MIMO antenna configuration with a single 20 MHz TDD channel -- with even faster speeds possible using more sophisticated antenna

Power meters and WiMAX

2010-01-20T10:28:00.004-05:00

I don't usually veer from my usual topics but this falls right in line with the forward thinking, hard-hitting psudo-journalism this blog is known for! I'm speaking of course, of smart meters.If you read this blog, I assume you've heard about smart meters from several other sources. For those who haven't, A SmartMeter is an innovative and advanced utility meter that records a business or

Cox's 1st IPTV deployment

2010-01-19T14:13:00.004-05:00

Remember that new Citycenter that was in the news? This was a huge gamble (no pun intended) by Las Vegas to build a massive new complex in spite of the current recession. Not it appears that this is the site if Cox's first IPTV deployment.IPTVis already provided by another player (again sorry for the pun) in Las Vegas - CenturyLink, (formally Embarq). I wonder how that deal went

The end of TV (as we know it)

2010-01-13T10:21:00.003-05:00

Microsoft unveiled it's new Mediaroom 2.0 at CES. This isn't the first time we've seen a "TV everywhere" type application, but because it's coming from MS, there is (I assume) lots of muscle behind it.Meadiaroom makes use of the cloud to deliver content to multiple devices including PCs, TVs, XBox 360s and mobile phones. Microsoft will make it available to operators. For example, AT&T will be

Nexus One gets FCC Approval

2009-12-16T10:05:00.003-05:00

By now you have likely heard all about the new rumored Google smartphone, code named "Nexus One". Even though it is still officially in the "rumor" phase of development, the FCC has nonetheless approved it. The phone that could possibly change the entire wireless telephone sales model will likely be available in the 1st quarter of 2010.Wireless Week Nexus One gets FCC OK on GSM bands

More travel

2009-10-28T14:48:00.002-04:00

I'm headed to Santa Rosa, CA during the 1st week in November to train installers on Satellite Internet systems. Any restaurant suggestions are most welcome.

Delay in stimulus bad for Rural WiMAX

2009-10-28T14:40:00.003-04:00

Wireless Week reports that the decision by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to delay the payout of the first broadband stimulus grants until December came is bad news for rural WiMAX providers. Since many rural providers were counting on the funds, some planned projects could be jeopardized.According to the article,"Some of the companies applying for the

NYT reports: Verizon happy to ditch landlines

2009-09-29T12:29:00.003-04:00

I suppose it was inevitable. Losing all that landline business can't leave you feeling good; what's a CEO to do? Ditch it, apparently. Ivan Seidenberg, the chief executive of Verizon Communications declared during a Goldman Sacks call that Verizon was simply no longer concerned with telephones that are connected with wires.Also an interest from a rural perspective: Seidenberg announced that

Great BBQ. IN CONNECTICUT!?!

2009-09-07T13:21:00.004-04:00

It's possible. In fact, not surprising when you consider what barbecue really is. Many New Englanders and New Yorkers (myself included, before being duly initiated) will say "barbecue" when they really mean grilling hamburgers and dogs. It's not their fault really, they just don't know the nomenclature. New Englanders barbecue all the time, they just have other names for it. For example, a "

Sprint needs a hero

2009-09-03T13:36:00.004-04:00

Sprint will be offering it's first Android device, the HTC Hero, on October 11. This should come as no surprise, as rumors of this phone have been circulating for, what seems like, months. Nevertheless, it's nice to see another carrier besides T-Mobile offer a phone on the Android platform.According to Google, there will be no fewer than 28 Android devices that will drop in 2009 in the US. This

The Barbequer

2009-08-15T16:31:00.003-04:00

I've just discovered a new, interesting website about BBQ: http://www.thebarbequer.com/ appears to cover a lot of ground, from new products, to forums and recipes. If you love BBQ, it's worth a look.

Illinois, here I come!

2009-08-14T10:44:00.004-04:00

Back on the road. This time, rural Fairview Illinois. On this excursion, I will be training folks to install satellites to receive Internet service. I also hope to visit nearby Peoria, where I attended Bradley University many eons ago. GO BRAVES! While readers of this blog know of my penchant for BBQ, I may make an exception and search for stuffed pizza, a known delicacy in this part of the

I'm baaaak...

2009-08-14T10:31:00.002-04:00

Back from a long hiatus - a family vacation! Now it's time to put my nose to the proverbial grindstone and keep my reader (s?) abreast of the happenings I encounter regarding rural telecommunication and technology (and of course, barbecue). UPDATE: This photo was taken in Athens with an extended version of my family.

Sprint outsources management of it's networks

2009-07-09T13:46:00.005-04:00

Sprint Nextel and Ericsson have announced a seven-year outsourcing deal. Under the agreement, Ericsson assumes responsibility for Sprint's three networks; CDMA, iDEN and wireline networks. In exchange, Sprint will pay Ericsson about $5B. Oh that, and lay off 8,000 employees. Steve Elfman, president of network operations and wholesale commented, "No other U.S.-based carrier has followed

Network based DVR closer to reality

2009-06-30T13:28:00.003-04:00

Today's non-ruling by the US Supreme Court clears the way for Cablevision to offer its Systems' Remote Storage-DVR service, or Network-based Personal Video Recorder (nPVR). By denying the request by several content companies to review the long-contested case challenging the service's use storage of copyrighted content, the U.S. Supreme Court in effect allwed Cablevision to go forward with it's

Verizon will pay State of Florida $1.5M

2009-06-25T13:42:00.003-04:00

Following a settlement with the Attorney General of the State of Florida, Verizon Wireless will pay $1.5 million for third-party charges that appeared on consumers' bills. The customers were charged for ringtones, wallpapers and other mobile content that they were told would be free.Rather than "free" as their marketing suggested, the content wound up costing customers up to $19.99 per month.

Q in Northern Virginia

2009-06-17T14:24:00.007-04:00

Northern VA is not know for it's barbecue. Some people don't even think of this area as "The South" though they would be wrong. While many Northerners have infiltrated this place (myself included), they don't realize that Northern VA was a hotbed of civil war activity. When Grant fought Lee, he was fighting the Army of Northern Virginia, but I digress.While there is some decent BBQ, much of it

DTV transition: The final days

2009-06-09T13:25:00.003-04:00

Well, here we are, finally approaching June 12. What will be the outcome? Pandemonium? Mass protests? More likely, huge sales for cable and satellite companies. According to Multichannel News, Leichtman Research Group said that pay TV providers collectively may pick up as many as 200,000 to 400,000 net subscribers during the second quarter in buying actions related to the transition.

Software Essentials for the Modern Educator

2009-06-05T11:11:00.003-04:00

As a trainer, I am always on the hunt for tools that will improve my output, make me more efficient, etc. To that end, I was recently sent the following list of "Software Essentials for the Modern Educator", a fairly comprehensive list of shareware and freeware that looks useful. Sadly, I do not know it's author or I would gladly site that person. And because I do not know the source, please

Network based DVR may be a GO

2009-06-02T14:12:00.009-04:00

It's no longer breaking news, but the Solicitor General has recommended that the Supreme Court not review Cablevision's case for Network based DVR service. Many believe this is a major victory for Cablevision and clears the way to begin offering the service toward the end of 2009.Let's review - Network based DVR would place the customer's recording capability somewhere in "the cloud" (probably

(Long overdue) blog updates

2009-06-01T15:45:00.005-04:00

Well, I finally took the plunge and updated this blog in a big way. You may ask, "I don't think I see anything different here, what's changed?" I'm very pleased to announce that Tales from the Telco Edge has a brand, spankin' new URL! That's right, rather than remembering the blogspot (my kind hosts) address, you now simply need to type www.telcoedge.com. If that's too much, just drop the www

US overrun by Android before 2010?

2009-05-28T13:28:00.004-04:00

According to a blog post in the New York Times by Matt Richtel, Google has disclosed that there will be at least 18, and possibly 20 new Android handsets on the US market by the close of 2009. Android is the Google operating system currently available on only one smartphone, the T-Mobile G1.According to Richtel, "Andy Rubin, senior director for Mobile Platforms for Google and the spearhead of the

U-Verse getting Ruckus

2009-05-15T15:14:00.003-04:00

AT&T has announced it will begin trials of it's IPTV product, U-Verse, using Ruckus wireless connections. Ruckus Wireless Inc. manufactures a system to attach TV set-top boxes to the distribution node while avoiding poor or non-existent home wiring. It does this by using standard wifi efficiently and can deliver multiple SD or HD streams. In the past, providers had avoided such systems due to a

Installers could be the best salespeople

2009-05-12T09:19:00.006-04:00

This is something I've been saying to my students for years. Now Carol Wilson @ Telephony has writen an editorial: IPTV Installers Also the Best Sales People. She's right; sometimes the best customer contact is the person who goes to the customer's home - he (or she) interacts with the customer, demonstrates the level of professionalism, demonstrates the use of the equipment, etc. This can go

Verizon swaps assets with AT&T

2009-05-11T14:57:00.003-04:00

To no one's surprise, AT&T and Verizon Wireless have exchanged assets. This follows Verizon's purchase of Alltel and AT&T's purchase of Centennial. According to Wireless Week, "Verizon was required to divest 2.1 million wireless subscribers in 22 states as well as spectrum and business management assets as a result of regulatory approvals related to its $28.1 billion purchase of Alltel earlier

Who is Dan Gallant?

2009-04-29T23:04:00.002-04:00

OK. I finally got creative and made a self-promotional video. For all of the work it took to create it, I can hardly believe it is a mere one minute and 40 seconds long! Outside of blogging about it, I need to think of something else to do with it. Please watch and share with your friends! Here's the YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd8x4VFcuTs

Who is Dan?

2009-04-29T23:01:00.001-04:00

More good news for IPTV

2009-04-28T15:27:00.004-04:00

Two of the biggest operators of IPTV in the US: AT&T & Verizon, both reported significant subscriber growth in Q1, according to separate articles in Fierce IPTV (two articles are really not enough, so they dedicated an editorial to this as well).According to editor Dan O'Shea, "Telco TV subscriber figures are not the only indicator of how TV service providers are making their way through a harsh

Avail and Cisco team up on IPTV

2009-04-22T10:07:00.004-04:00

Cisco Systems and Avail Media have recently announced their partnership to provide wholesale IPTV outsourcing and content aggregation. The agreement integrates Avail's satellite distribution of MPEG-4 video content with Cisco's IP NGN architecture capabilities, including, "IPTV encoding, encapsulation, middleware and digital rights management, scrambling and descrambling, satellite receivers,

Customers bury their own

2009-04-21T14:36:00.003-04:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later. There is always some consumer unhappy with a cable or fiber optic roll-out schedule, that they just go ahead and trench it themselves. This however, was somewhat unexpected. Telephony Online reports about a Norweigen Triple-play provider that is encoraging their customers to trench fiber. They install the fiber right to the edge of the customer's lawn, then

What's wrong with LinkedIn?

2009-04-13T11:13:00.004-04:00

This may seem a bit off-topic for this blog, but LinkedIn is a tool many of us know and love; it is a means to meet and associate with folks that want to help each other professionally. Yet, it doesn't do all of the things it aught. According to Steve Perkins at Cross Connects, the way it's built drives one behavior (collecting contacts) while LinkedIn management works hard to suppress this. I

Broadband Stimulus draws many to seek $$$

2009-04-07T13:51:00.005-04:00

Ed Gubbins from Telephony as usual, had the correct information. Seeing all that free moolah available brought out many companies (competitors in some cases) to join forces and see what they can get from the Government. Interestingly, the Bells haven't jumped in just yet; either there are too many restrictions or they don't want this business. After all, their reluctance to seek rural business

T-Mo to release home phone and tablet PC on Android platform

2009-04-06T14:29:00.006-04:00

According to the New York Times, T-Mobile USA will be launching a home phone and a tablet PC based on Google's Android platform. The carrier will sell the home phone in 2010 and the tablet PC shortly afterward, according to documents the newspaper obtained from one of T-Mobile's partners.Supposedly the device will plug into a docking station and will be coupled with another device that will

Avail Media reports they've picked up IP-PRIME customers too

2009-03-31T11:32:00.005-04:00

From Fierce IPTV: In the wake of last week's announcement by EchoStar, Avail Media has made a pronouncement of their own. EchoStar claimed it had picked up many of IP-PRIME's former customers, and now Avail has said "not so fast...". Avail Media is touting its own success winning over telcos that up until now have been using IP-PRIME. It has just announced that it has so far converted nine

Echostar chases IP-Prime customers

2009-03-25T13:52:00.003-04:00

Multichannel News is reporting that "EchoStar's Satellite Services division is marketing its ViP-TV transport service to SES Americom's IP-Prime customers, many of whom are independent telcos. The IP-Prime program is winding down per SES's announcement last December that it would shut down the wholesale IPTV service by July 31 of this year. The ViP-TV offering supports MPEG-4 programming, with

On my way to Big D!

2009-03-20T16:22:00.002-04:00

Another week, another destination. This time, Dallas, Texas, home of the Cowboys, massave suburban sprawl and The Metroplex. I will be attending a conference on wireless telephony, so hopefully I'll be a bit smarter next week. Wish me luck!

A question of online content

2009-03-20T16:07:00.005-04:00

One of my readers asked what I thought about service providers offering limited access to online content. To quote the reader's question, "I think it is very interesting how ESPN, Disney, and Soapnet have offered their content based upon a block of IP's provided to a specific service provider. I wonder if this is going to happen with other cable companies and phone companies offering up online

AT&T brings smart grid technology to homes

2009-03-18T15:54:00.003-04:00

Now that Smart Grid is more accesable to homeowners, AT&T is hoping to be among the first to capitalize on providing this technology through it's systems. Today AT&T announced it is expanding its relationship with SmartSynch and bringing it to the residential sector, providing electrical utilities companies with an alternative smart-grid technology for individual homes.More than 100 utilities

North Carolina Q

2009-03-13T16:01:00.004-04:00

Pulled pork is not my first choice for Barbeque, but when in Nome......So we finished our meeting, and it was lunch time. Of course, BBQ was what everyone wanted and the local place is ALWAYS the best choice. We headed to Little Richards in Yadkinville, a town in Western NC near the Virginia border. I typically order what the locals prefer, and that strategy paid off here. I had a "BBQ Tray",

US pay TV landscape hits 80 million

2009-03-10T17:32:00.002-04:00

From Fierce IPTV: Silicon Alley Insider reports that cable TV companies, telcos and satellite TV providers in the U.S. collectively had almost 80 million households signed up at the end of 2008, about 1.5 million more than in 2007. Some observers might find it surprising that the housing crash and the rise of Internet TV viewing hasn't had a measureable impact yet on subscribership, but perhaps

The road calls...

2009-03-10T16:40:00.005-04:00

Finally! I'm getting out to see some rural cooperatives, this time to discuss wireless telephony. This trip is primarily a learning experience; to see how they do their business, what are the barriers to success, etc. After this I hope to be more versed on what rural carriers see as challenges as compared to their urban counterparts. Also, BBQ!

Clearwire rolling out in 8 new markets this year

2009-03-06T14:20:00.008-05:00

Contrary to what many "experts" we saying about Clearwire's next moves, the WiMAX provider has announced at least 8 new markets before the end of the year. According to Fierce Wireless, "Those markets include Las Vegas, Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas/Ft. Worth. In addition, the company will convert existing pre-WiMAX markets in Seattle, Honolulu and Charlotte to mobile WiMAX and expand

A closer look at rural broadband

2009-03-02T15:22:00.005-05:00

Ed Gubbins from Telephony was recently surprised by the lack of controversy over his column, "Forget Universal Broadband". Among others, Gubbins was questioning the wisdom of improving rural broadband infrastructure as part of President Obama's Stimulus Plan. Either many agree with him or no one (but me) reads his columns.A Closer Look at Rural Broadband - Telephony

What the broadband stimulus package means to rural telcos

2009-02-24T12:19:00.006-05:00

New details about the program to award $7.2 billion for broadband have emerged, underscoring the widely held belief that small rural telephone companies--initially at least—may have the most to gain.What the broadband stimulus package means to rural telcos - Telephony Online

Rural Broadband: No Job Creation Machine?

2009-02-21T18:00:00.002-05:00

Some noted economists have thought long and hard about the build-out of rural broadband and have concluded...nothing. Apparently, they felt that the impact of the Stimulus' planed increase in Internet access to spur economic growth is difficut to quantify. “'Everyone talks about the jobs that are going to be created by this,' said Scott Wallsten, a senior fellow at the Technology Policy

Worldwide IPTV subs double again

2009-02-17T13:51:00.002-05:00

While IPTV is slow to show acceptance in the US, worldwide numbers show a different story. Global IPTV subscribers now number 15.5 million, now for the second year in a row.The US has been late to the IPTV party, so can we expect a surge in growth here in the next few years?Broadband Forum/Point Topic: IPTV subs double again - FierceIPTV

iDEN network not dead (yet)

2009-02-13T12:50:00.001-05:00

Boost Mobile, the prepaid subsidiary of Sprint-Nextel, is focusing it's effots to use the company's iDEN network, rather than the CDMA one. This is either because iDEN fits the current business model (as they claim), or to make it a more attractive target for purchaseBoost revitalizes iDEN network - RCR Wireless News

Giles Cottle: IPTV operators can't escape the content issue

2009-02-11T10:10:00.004-05:00

Giles Cottle , a research analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, writes that despite their lack of television success to date, telcos still place a great deal of faith in IPTV, putting it front and center of their content strategies. They see it as crucial to taking on cablers, which continue to muscle in on their voice and broadband territories."Although Belgacom and BT have recently reported

Congress approves digital TV delay

2009-02-05T12:01:00.001-05:00

DTV changeover delay imminent. Now that it's passed both houses, The President just needs to put pen to paper, which he vowed to do.'nuff saidCongress approves digital TV delay | Entertainment | Industry | Reuters

Telcos gaining ground over Cable

2009-02-05T11:36:00.004-05:00

Fourth Quarter earnings were reported by Time Warner Cable today. One very interesting stat was AT&T's U-verse service has encroached an estimated 21% of TWC's territory. “Telco competition has expanded to a more significant fraction of our footprint,” said TWC's CEO Glenn Britt on today’s earnings conference call. “As they enter new areas, they have initial gains in net subscribers. You’ll

"You can take your Internets and *&^%$!!!"

2009-02-03T10:22:00.002-05:00

A report last month by the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that although price is a barrier for dial-up users in switching to broadband, one-third of those without a Net connection simply don't care.About 35% of adults who's access is dial-up, haven't switched due to cost, and about 20% don't want it. According to John Horrigan, the report's author, "low-income and older Americans

VoiceWing takes flight (out)

2009-01-29T15:01:00.001-05:00

Verizon Communications Inc. has decided to shutter it's VoIP unit, VoiceWing, on March 31 to focus on other technologies. VoIP is still in play, but will likely be delivered and marketed differently. Verizon plans to introduce a service over their fiber optic lines, vs. just anyone with an Internet connection.The backend services company for VoiceWing, Deltathree, has seen their stock drop and

Panel to approve tax credits for rural broadband rollout

2009-01-27T16:55:00.001-05:00

According to RCR Wireless, The Senate Finance Committee is expected to make tax credits available to wireless carriers and others in the telecom industry to rural and low-income urban areas with little or no high-speed Internet access. The credit will be given to companies that expand broadband networks.Panel to approve tax credits for rural broadband rollout - RCR Wireless News

Gizmodo UK : Rural Broadband Overtakes Urban

2009-01-23T15:58:00.004-05:00

Here's an interesting story out of the UK: Rural areas of the UK are better connected to broadband than their urban neighbors.The report was authored by Ofcom, a "regulator" or telecommunications services. According to Gizmodo UK: "The new report - The Communications Market 2008: Nations and Regions - shows that for the first time there’s a greater proportion of households with broadband in the

House Commerce Committee Stamps $1B for Open Access

2009-01-23T14:53:00.001-05:00

The House Committee on Energy approved the creation of a $2.825 billion fund for the broadband industry, as one part of the economic Recovery Legislation.Dubbed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, “The proposal aims to be technologically neutral, allowing participation by terrestrial wireless, satellite and wireline providers, subject to aggressive performance requirements and other

Senate expected to pass delay of DTV conversion

2009-01-23T09:48:00.001-05:00

In keeping with this week's theme of the big DTV switchover, The Wall Street Journal, among others, is reporting that the Senate is close to passing a delay of the February 17 switchover until June.This is in reaction to the fact that the coupon program (2 $40 coupons for each household requesting them) has run out of money, viewers are still confused, and many stations are still not ready.This

Why wait? 1st cable company converts to all-digital

2009-01-22T16:52:00.002-05:00

BendBroadband, a cable company in central Oregon, decided to make the move to DTV now, rather than wait for the the Feb. 17th deadline. “'The transition to an all-digital platform puts BendBroadband in an important strategic position,' (said) BendBroadband President and CEO Amy Tykeson. 'By eliminating carriage of analog signals, we were able to reclaim more than 300 MHz of spectrum (out of 750

Tough times call for tough negotiating

2009-01-21T14:22:00.001-05:00

I remember a class I took many years ago where the instructor claimed that "anything is negotiable". This story in the Wall Street Journal certainly supports his argument.Tired of the high price of his cable bill, a man called his TV, phone & Internet provider, AT&T, for a better rate and was successful. As my dad would say, "let that be a lesson for you".Cable Bill High? Phone Costs Up? Now,

A Call to Action for a National Broadband Strategy

2009-01-15T09:42:00.007-05:00