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Small Telephone Systems Verses Multi-line Business Phones

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Telephone(With Me)

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Seven Costly Mistakes Businesses Make When Buying Telephone Equipment

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2014-01-05T20:58:00.001-04:00

Happy Holidays !!! to Everyone and a Prosperous New Year 2014 !!!

We thank you for your support and we do not forget !!!

2012-05-01T21:12:00.006-03:00

WaveParsers Blogger

2012-05-01T21:12:00.005-03:00

There are no worldwide standard for telephone jacks. The North American RJ-11 pattern is used in over 100 countries through-out the world and if you are traveling to China, Greece or Vietnam, you will have no trouble plugging in your laptop modem, where-as, you will find that plugging-in is impossible without the proper telephone jack adapter, if you should be traveling to Sweden, Hungary and almost 40 other countries.

Complete selection of telephone jack adapters are now being offered by retailers, compatible to your laptop and modem, for your worldwide travel. There are duplex adapters, which will allow both the hotel's telephone and your modem to be plugged in simultaneously. This is quite an advantage, for it allows you to check the line quality and establish a connection without unplugging your modem.

In certain cases, you may find that the nationality of the hotel chain determines the type of telephone plugs used in that hotel rather than the country standard. This is a frequent occurrence with large US, British and German hotel chains. It is advisable that each time you plan to go abroad you should check this with your travel agent in order to make sure that you will be able to operate your computer system in the country that you are visiting or have the right telephone adapter with you. There are instances where the telephone in the hotel room is totally 'hardwired,' that is to say that the telephones installed in the rooms are without a jack. In this case there are three ways that you can solve your plugging in problem - first, you may use bare wire with alligator clips, wired to a RJ-11 line to create a connection, second, you can use a acoustic coupler that attaches the modem to the handset, or, if the telephone system in the room is digital, the handset should have a jack and, using a digital interface you can achieve the connectivity.

The other thing that you will need to check with your travel agent is whether the telephone system, in the hotel where you are booked in, is analog or digital. This is for the reason, that modems generally work with analog telephone systems, and for digital systems, you would need special adapters for your modem to work. The digital telephone system can be easily identified by the presence of a visual display, a data socket on the side, or additional buttons for such things as television channels and laundry and other services. Any attempt to plug in your modem with a digital phone may permanently damage the modem and render the digital phone in-operable. In order that you may operate your modem with the digital phone, you will need two things - one, an acoustic couplet that goes on to attach your modem to the telephone handset or a digital interface that connects your modem to the telephone handset jack. The equipment is driven by electrical power and hence you will need appropriate power supply along with, for these to operate.

The most common analog adapter has atleast one telephone jack (FXS port) for connecting a conventional telephone and an Ethernet jack, which you can use to connect to your LAN port in your laptop. Using an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA), you may very well connect a conventional telephone to a remote VoIP server. Using various VoIP protocols, you may have your ATA communicating with the remote server, encoding and decoding the voice signal by using a voice codec such as ulaw, alaw, gsm, ILBC and others.

What is VoIP? VoIP stands for Voice over Internet. You use your internet service for perhaps a monthly fee as a subscription to your internet service provider. You can send and receive as much data as you want on this service without paying any additional fee, especially when you have signed for a plan for unlimited use. This is not the case with your regular telephone, where you not only pay a monthly rental for each line that you have installed, you also pay for the calls that you make. Therefore, your telephone bill depends on your actual usage and your rental or rentals. With VoIP, you can send voice over the internet service that you are using. This voice is first converted into digital data and transmitted over the internet. By deploying suitable adapters, as discussed above, you can make calls over the internet which comes free to you.

ATA is a device that connects a standard telephone to a network or a computer system so that you can make telephone calls over the internet. Internet based calls, especially long distant calls are substantially cheaper than the regular calls. Further, ATA is much more cost effective than the specialised VoIP phones that connect directly to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) input of your laptop or computer system.

Most of the telephone jacks such as, RJ-11, usually comes with four conductors and may also be available with six. It is likely that this jack is used in your household or office phones. These phones are plugged into by ordinary wire which is not twisted, sometimes known as "gray satin" or "flat wire." The jack connects your telephone to the telephone company central office or to your private branch exchange (PBX) system by longer wires known as twisted pair.

There are several types of telephone adapters available for your required application. All of these ATAs provide you with connectivity between the telephone system and your computer or a network, with some of these performing analog to digital converstions and connects you to VoIP server, while others use software to do one or both of the tasks. The simplest one is RJ-11 type, which plugs a telephone and/or a fax machine into the USB connector in your computer, laptop or your handheld system. This type of ATA generally works in conjunction with software, typically a soft-phone program. The software acts like an interface between the telephone and the VoIP server, for digitizing the voice data so that it can be transmitted digitally over the internet.

In a large corporate setting, ATA has multiple telephone jacks, with an RJ-45 connection to the 10/100BaseT Ethernet hub or switch. This is used to connect to the Local area Network (LAN). Such an ATA, communicate directly with a VoIP server by digitizing voice data and using certain protocols like, H.323 or SIP. In this type of application, the software, as mentioned previously, is not required. Sometimes, the connection between a telephone and a LAN with ATA is referred to as VoIP Gateway.

A digital phone adapter simply lets you add the feature of VoIP capability to one or two of your phones. The adapter lets you attach your digital phone to an internet provider's (IP) network. This concept replaces IP phones, which lets you make calls without any adapters. The broadband phone system is the one where the internet service provider, provides you with the facility to make local and long distance calls for one low price. In such cases, the service provides you with secure online access to features such as phonebooks, call waiting, caller ID, voice mail, conferencing, call forwarding and more. In this case a telephone adapter is simply plugged into your high speed internet connection and the telephone is plugged into one of the two adapter ports, and you just need to dial from your telephone to initiate a call over the internet.

Cell phone use overseas. In 99% of the world the local cellular service standard is called GSM. We use this in the states as well. When combined with a SIM CARD (which usually goes under the battery of the phone) the phone is able to communicate and the SIM CARD also holds the telephone number and memory for pre-paid credit. Rates can be extremely low using this system. For example in 99% of all SIM CARDS incoming calls are free and calls to the states can cost a trifle. Such as, from the UK to the USA 7 cents/minute, from Israel 22 cents, from Australia 27 cents. Yes, USA Dollar cents! There are today even prepaid service providers in the USA offering rates of 10 cents per minute to call anywhere in the US to any type of phone. No contracts, no credit card checks, no bills. Pre-paid always means no minimums no contracts, no obligations. You only pay for the calls made. You'll need an unlocked GSM tri-band or quadband UNLOCKED phone. You can buy factory unlocked phones and sim cards for more than 170 or the 193 countries on earth from http://www.planetomni.com Tel. # 800-514-2984

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:12:00.004-03:00

WaveParsers Blogger

2012-05-01T21:12:00.003-03:00

Choosing the right telephone system from start is always the best path, but not always the most economical. Before you head down to your local electronic store and pick up the cheapest multi-line business phone you can find, here are few pointers you should keep in mind.

Many multi-line business phones have a pretty decent feature set such as voicemail, caller ID, call waiting ID, 3 way calling and intercom (in multi phone setups). These phones integrate the Key System Unit (or KSU) into the phone itself, which means each individual telephone functions as its own "mini phone system." The term KSU, (Key System Unit, Key Signaling Unit or Key Service Unit) dates back to the early day's phone systems, it's basically "the Brain" of the phone system. All call processing data and telephone line interfacing is carried out by the KSU. For many small offices with less than 4 phones (extensions) and 4 telephone lines, these multi-line phones are adequate and economical. However, as a business grows, the many disadvantages of these phones begin to show their merits.

By comparison, multi-line business phones are sold with the marketing term, "KSU-less design," which translates (in buyers minds) to lower overall costs. Small telephone systems on the other hand include a separate KSU unit or "Brain" in addition to each telephone. A major disadvantage comes to play when you are interfacing your phones with the telephone company lines. The KSU acts as the "line interface," for a phone system, all major system connections terminate at the KSU. Now with each multi-line phone acting as its own "mini phone system," each phone now needs direct connections to each telephone line.

A single telephone line consists of 1 pair of wires. Almost all multi-line phones support up to 4 lines, meaning each multi-line phone needs up to 4 pairs of wires or the equivalent of a standard Cat5e cable. As you begin to add more KSU-less phones to your office you must factor in the cost to install another drop of cat5e (or cat5) cable. You must also account for the additional termination blocks in your telephone closet where all these phones must be "Bridged" (or shared) to the 4 phone lines. As you can imagine, for installations with more than say 4 or 5 phones the wiring aspect can get pretty complex. Anything over 6 or 7 phones will be a wiring mess, if done unprofessionally, which adds to the cost of these low budget systems. However, this bridged connection is how multi-line phones "intercom" one another. By sending a signal over each bridged line, each extension can communicate without actually tying up any of the 4 phone lines. As long as every multi-line phone is connected to all 4 lines (or matching number of lines if less than 4), each phone can intercom each other internally while keeping the phone lines free for external calls.

Small Telephones Systems on the other hand, which come equipped with a separate, dedicated KSU unit, are at a distinct advantage in both areas. Having a single KSU unit means a single interface point for the telephone line connections. Many small telephone systems need only a single pair of wire to connect each extension telephone. What this means is if you are deploying a number of phones in one particular area, you can save dramatically on cabling costs by having your contractor "split" the single Cat5e cable into, at most, 4 single telephone jacks! - This becomes very cost effective as you deploy additional phones. (However, many pros will only split single Cat5 cable once for 2 telephone jacks leaving the remaining wires as spare pairs). Cable management becomes much easier (and neater) as you need not worry about bridging 10 phones to 4 telephone lines. One single pair of wires (to connect to a telephone) of the 3 or 4 pairs in a standard telephone cable is enough for as many lines as the small telephone system can handle since the actual line connections are at the dedicated KSU unit and not at the individual telephone.

Another plus for the small telephone system is the ease of transitioning to a larger phone system. The wiring scheme for the most part will remain the same albeit installing more cable drops to new areas. Not so much the same for the multi-line business phones. Depending on how each phone was "bridged" to interface to those 4 telephone lines, this entire wiring scheme may need to be undone as most small (and large) telephone systems require individual (not bridged or shared) connections to the KSU.

Programming wise there is one disadvantage when comparing small business telephone systems to multi-line business phones, which can be viewed as multiple disadvantages. Since each individual telephone functions as its own KSU it also functions as its own Voicemail unit (if equipped). Which means if you want to enable an Auto Attendant feature (where your callers are greeted by a company recording instructing them to press 1 for Joe Boss, 2 for Sales Manager etc...) you will have to record this greeting for as many times as you have voicemail enabled phones (up to 4). Here's why, with most multi-line business phones, the voicemail feature includes a personal voicemail box for the extension and an optional auto attendant feature. The auto attendant feature can only handle one call at a time; ergo if you want the system to answer up to 4 incoming calls simultaneously you need at least 4 auto attendant enabled phones. So technically speaking you must record the same auto attendant greeting 4 times, 1 on each phone. You must also enable the system mailbox for each of the 4 phones to accept general messages. You now have 4 different phones/voicemail boxes in your office where you must check for general messages. This is known as a general mailbox, which is a default destination for callers who do not press a menu option or dial an extension. This scenario is not efficient for larger setups but may work for smaller ones.

With a small business telephone system, there is just one central voicemail unit which can handle multiple calls at once. Storage times are much greater and there is just one mailbox for general messages. You can also take advantage of advanced features (if equipped) such as voicemail to email (where the system sends the voicemail in a standard wav format to your email address), which in this fast paced world can be a BIG time saver and added convenience.

One last point on this topic to cover quickly; with the advent of the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) continually proving its cost effective existence, many businesses find themselves wanting to take advantage of these savings. Many small business telephone systems on the market today are equipped to handle VoIP telephone lines through either a simple hardware or software upgrade. An upgrade may include adding an Ethernet (or media) port to the system or if already equipped, simply enabling this port through software activation. Simply plugging this unit into your company LAN and perhaps minor firewall configuration you can now start saving on land line costs by calling out over less expensive VoIP lines.

Multi-line business telephone can benefit as well but through a 3rd party VoIP gateway. This gateway converts a VoIP line (sometimes called a "Trunk") to a standard telephone port. You will need as many gateways as you want lines, (or opt for a multi-port unit). However you may have to plan on spending some time configuring and adjusting the settings of the unit to obtain the proper volume levels while minimizing echo and other artifacts that may be induced when converting the signal from a standard Analog telephone line to SIP or other VoIP protocol. Many high end units come with built in (hardware or software) echo cancellers and noise suppressors which minimize these adjustments (and work very well) but increase the cost of the gateway dramatically.

To conclude, although it may seem like great savings early in your start up phase, for needs of 4 or less external lines and extension phones, the multi-line business phone can actually prove to be a cost effective solution. In my humble opinion these multi-line phones are better suited for a home office (or SOHO) situation. If you have big plans to expand exponentially (and don't we all!) I recommend you at least consider a small business telephone system. Although a bit more initial investment is required, the benefits far out way the cost disadvantage if not cancel it out completely.

If you're looking for a great small telephone system to start out with that's not too advanced and bloated with "bells and whistles," I recommend the XBlue Networks X16 small office telephone system. This system is priced right smack in the middle of a decent multi-line business phone setup and an advanced small business telephone system. XBlue Networks hit the nail on the head with this model by stripping off only the advanced telephone features most small business may not have a need for, or are rarely used; allowing the X16 small office phone system to fill a niche in the market left primarily untouched. This compact, stylish phone system offers some nice designer phones to choose from (for those wishing to be unique) and a great feature set.

If you're local to the New York City metro area, PBX Interactive, LLC currently has a great promotion going on for these small telephone systems. Feel free to give us a call at 718-272-0206 or just click the following link to take advantage this nice starter telephone system: http://www.pbxinteractive.net/promo/x16

About the author:

Damian Parkins is the Operating Manager / Sr. Telecom Specialist here at PBX Interactive, LLC. He has over 12 years engineering experience in the Telecom industry, with many different system types and telephony platforms under his belt. He has designed many custom telephony solutions for our clients and has interfaced with many leading vendors in the industry. Damian is constantly undergoing training in the latest advancements in Telecom Technology and is one of our main content providers here at http://www.pbxinteractive.net/

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:12:00.002-03:00

WaveParsers Blogger

2012-05-01T21:12:00.001-03:00

In this jet-set age the utility of telephones have not reduced. Even if we see every other person carrying a mobile phone these days most of the households in developed countries have still not done away with land line telephones. Telephones need not be charged in short intervals unlike mobile phones and thus they can be used during any emergency situation when the power supply gets severed. These positive features of telephones compensate for lack of mobility which cellphones provide in abundance. There are wide array of telephones with various hi-tech features available in the market and you can make proper telephone price comparison before you buy one of your choice.

Now you don't need to drop into a brick and mortar store to buy a telephone handset. The advent of internet has revolutionized the way we shop and there are wide arrays of e-shops available in the internet which would provide you with a wide array of choices for buying telephones manufactured by top brands. The price ranges of the telephones differ on the features incorporated in these telephones. For example, telephones with caller-id and dual speaker and voice messaging features would be much pricier than simple single line telephones without any such fancy features. So, you should make a detailed telephone price comparison before deciding to buy one.

However, the brand name of the manufacturers also makes some considerable different on the price of telephone handset you plan to buy. Starting from Panasonic to Phillips there are quite a few electronic gadget manufacturing giants who have ventured in the telecommunication arena. You would be spoiled for choice if you want to venture out to buy telephone handsets because other top brands like Motorola and Siemens also manufacture telephone handsets. If you don't want branded telephones then you can buy cheaper versions.

Branded telephones are usually more costly than non-branded ones because a telephone set from a reputed brand usually comes with a warranty as well as a quality assurance and a vast support of after sales service network across the country. That's why if you want to procure your telephone hand set from a top brand then you might have to shell out more money than you might have done otherwise.

The best advantages of buying your telephone sets from these websites is that you need not hop from the website of one top brand to another to make telephone price comparison on the handsets of your choice. For example, if you want cord-less digital telephone handset these amazing e-shop websites would provided you detailed price charts where you can compare the price range of similar models manufactured by different manufacturers.

Apart from that, these websites also provide great discount offers to their customers and if you want to avail these offers and deals you just have to log into their website and check out their amazing range of telephone handsets. So, log into one of these popular e-shops selling telephone handsets and buy the telephone which suits your price and needs.

Fiona Livnat is an author with expertise in varied subjects. She has over ten years of experience in writing.Her commitment to help people is reflected in her writing. For more details please visit Telephones Price Comparison

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:12:00.000-03:00

WaveParsers Blogger

2012-05-01T21:11:00.002-03:00

Companies have spent BIG dollars for the telephone equipment that some vendor wanted to sell them - not necessarily for what they wanted or needed.

If you are in the market now or will be soon to update your telephone equipment this report may contain answers to the questions you need to know before you make that capital expenditure. Armed with this knowledge you might just save thousands of dollars.

Paying Too Little or Too Much

To start with, what should a new telephone system cost? In general, you should plan on spending somewhere between $450.00 and $850.00 per station installed. If you spend less than that, you're probably buying something that you don't want. Cheap never lasts. The pleasure of low price is often long forgotten after the pain of poor quality hangs on for many years. If the price is higher, you are probably buying something you don't need.

These numbers do not include specialty add on items like caller I.D., paging or voice mail. Those would increase the price. But this should give you an idea of what you'll be spending. If you think you're going to buy an 8 phone system for under $2,000.00 don't fool yourself. If you find someone to sell it to you, I guarantee you won't be happy because you'll have bought an inexpensive, cheap problem waiting to happen.

All too often the customer will say " I need 3 lines and 8 phones and the vendor is more than happy to provide a bid of just that. Some will even go to the length to fax you your proposal. Why do they work soooooo... hard?

If you're in the manufacturing business or accounting business you probably know that business very well but how much can you know about telephones? It's a shame that a business is sold what they asked for when that really isn't necessarily what they need.

So how do you figure out what you need?

First and most simply ... How many telephones will you need? Start with a floor plan of you facility. It can be a simple sketch of the rooms. Don't have one? Some businesses have a fire escape plan, which is a good place to start, and it will serve for this purpose as well. Or you could just draw that sketch. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Just something that shows the different rooms and the basic structure of your facility. Now mark the location of each phone you will need so you can get an accurate count of the number of telephones. Don't forget things like faxes, modems and credit card terminals. These could be noted by marking an "F" for fax, "CC" for credit card terminal or an "M" for modem.

Now you know you need "X" number of telephones and "Y" number of peripheral devises (those faxes etc.).

The next step is to figure out what type of telephones you want to have at each location. To be candid, there are as many different types of telephones as there are type of cars. So how do you get a handle on which type of telephones you need at each location? You need to identify what the job of the telephone is at that spot.

"Some basic information on which to base your decision. "

Does the phone need to show each line on it; or can you get by with one button with all the lines located under it? This depends on if you need to be able to go to a phone other than the one that was answered to see the lines and take a call off hold.

Speaker telephone (this might be used by someone who would review large or several papers while on the phone to keep their hands free. Another use may be for a conference room where multiple people might need to listen or talk as a group.

Does the person use the telephone a lot and need to have a one-touch button on it for other individuals in the office? If so, how many? For example, an officer of the company might need a phone with a button for his / her secretary that would enable them to see if that staff member was on the line. It would also allow for one touch access to call that individual. A receptionist would need to have buttons for all the other people so they could transfer calls with the touch of one button. This might be in the form of a console with many buttons on it, or a manager or executive secretary might need a smaller version of the console with a few extra buttons for a smaller group of personnel.

Is there a phone in a break or storage room where you want a way to communicate but that won't be used a lot? This could be a less expensive type of telephone. Do you need to have a courtesy phone in a lobby or counter area for customers to use?

How many telephone lines (telephone numbers) does your business need? How many outside telephone calls do you want to have going on at once? It's been proven that many businesses are over lined. If you have 10 telephone lines and really only need 9 that could be costing your company as much as an extra $400.00 a year. This is an area that you should discuss at length with a prospective telephone vendor. One time I was designing a telephone system for a doctor and she told me she wanted to have five phone lines for her new start up business. When I asked her how many people she was starting with she told me three. "How can three people answer five phone lines?" I asked. And that didn't account for anyone being with patients. I informed her that if she had too many lines no one would ever call in and say, "Doctor Smith, you know when I call in I never have any trouble getting through." People expect their call to be answered. In other words if she was over lined she would never know. She would just pay too much month after month. However, on the other hand if she didn't have enough lines, people would complain about her lines always being busy and she could simply add more lines as needed.

Typically, if I were designing lines for a new business the ratio is one line for every two or three people. Ten people; five lines. Twenty people; ten lines. However, that isn't always the case. In a factory, most people will be in the shop and not need to use the phone. But in a telemarketing firm almost everyone need to have a line. You can't afford to have staff sitting around waiting to use the phone. But these are the exception, not the rule.

Price vs. Cost

Often a business will use the bottom line price to make the final decision. This could be a costly mistake. Let's be realistic. If price is the ultimate deciding fact, we'd all be driving cheap, unreliable, unsafe cars. But you and I know, there are a lot of fine luxury automobiles sold in this country. And there is a good reason why.

We are all very aware of the massive amount of information we're bombarded with about the importance of taking care of our hearts. So if you found out you needed to get a pacemaker, would you go out looking for the cheapest one you could find? Of course not. You would want the best doctor and the best pacemaker money could buy.

Your business telephone system is the heart of your business communication to YOUR customers. Don't you value them as much as you do your health? OK, almost as much. Remember your telephone is the heart of your business.

There was a small city government that was looking at two different telephone systems. One was a cheap system, the other a more expensive more reliable system. Of course the reliable system was almost twice the price of the other cheaper system. When the customer asked if the vendor offering the cheaper system could offer a 5-year warranty like the more expensive system she was told that his cheaper system would probably have to be replaced in five years. So the longer warranty was out of the question. Now can you see that the higher priced system is actually less costly because it would last much longer?

"Could you be missing an important part of the equation?"

There is another part of the telephone equation that most equipment vendors will never even address. The network side. Let me explain. Lets say your looking at a telephone system that has 8 telephones. Earlier you heard me say you can expect your telephone equipment to cost you somewhere between $450.00 and $850.00 per station. If you have an 8-phone system that's a bottom end figure of about $3600.00 and a top end figure of about $6000.00. That's pretty much a
given. Well if your business has 4 telephone lines you probably spend about $30 to $35 per line or $140.00 in reoccurring monthly charges on your telephone bill. If you have long distance bill of say $125.00 per month that's a total reoccurring monthly bill of $265.00 or $3,180.00 per year. If you think you will keep you telephone system 10 years, okay let's be conservative and say 5 years or 60 months, that means you have a network cost of $15,900.00.

Don't you think that the network side of your equation at least deserves a look? Wouldn't it be a good idea to see if there is anything that can be done there to reduce some of the monthly reoccurring expense? Many vendors won't even look at this side of the equation.

"Company gets sued because of their telephone system"

How could it happen? Isn't it almost always true that if something could
happen, wouldn't it happen at the most inopportune time?

A delivery truck looses control and crashes into your building. Thankfully no one is hurt but the impact does two things. The point of impact causes your power to go off and in the excitement of the loud crash a customer in you building collapses. You pick up your telephone to dial 911 to get emergency help and guess what, your phone doesn't work. If you lose critical time this could result in a liability position for your company.

You see, at your house the telephones are powered by the phone cord plugged into the jack. But on a telephone system you basically have a computer device that runs the individual telephones and without electricity your telephones won't work. Therefore, isn't it critical to have battery back-up on that system? Battery back-up is a way to keep your phones running even when you don't have electrical power. This is often an overlooked part of a telephone proposal.

OK, my story is a little stretch. So let me ask a more realistic question. If your power goes off and a customer calls your business what do they hear? Nine out of ten people asked that question say; " The customer hears a busy signal." Well, that does sound like a logical answer but losing power to your telephone system is the equivalent of unplugging all you phones at home and then having some one call you. What would they hear? ... That's right unending ringing. It would appear to them your business is closed. What if they then called one of your competitors and made a purchase from them? You could lose that customer for life. Can you afford to lose even one revenue call due to a short power outage?

Caution: The Trunker

There is yet another area that can be hazardous to your telecommunication health. The one-man shop or trunker. There are telephone equipment sales companies that are run totally by one person. That's right, one person who sells and installs telephone systems. Some of these guys drive up in their car and operate out of the trunk, thus the term trunker. Their overhead is lower because it's just them. If you purchase a bargain telephone system from a company that is run by an individual like this, what is your service like if something happens to him. What if he goes on vacation and you need immediate attention? What if he's installing a new system for someone else and your system goes down? It's mind boggling that a business would risk their communications to purchase a telephone system from one person. Oh you might save a little on the front side, but the loss you could have down the road far out way the few pennies you kept. You need the assurance that your service needs will be met if something happens to your telephones.

Comparing Apples to Oranges

Once you have all your bids in, how do you decipher what is what? There are only a few things that will relate across from one system to the next. The number of phones and lines is an easy one. You need to be careful about the types of phones and what they do. The only other thing that at a glance makes comparing easy is price and we've already discussed the draw back to using that as a major factor. One suggestion is to take your proposals; cover the prices up on them and then copy them and let a vendor or two that you trust tell you what the differences are in the bill of material. A way to eliminate this problem is to hire a consultant to draw up a request for proposal. Usually for a percentage of the purchase price a set of standards can be drawn up so all the vendors are quoting apples or oranges not both. This fee can be somewhere between 5 and 10% of the awarded bid price. But this can be money well spent if it keeps you from making a costly mistake in the purchase of equipment you will have to use for years.

As you can see there are many areas to examine when getting ready to purchase a telephone system for your office. Can you afford to over look any of them? As a matter of fact, you should actually go through what is called a telephone interview with a potential telephone equipment vendor. Spend time having all your questions answered so you understand exactly what it is you need and so will your prospective vendors.

James A. Bower is the Co-Founder and President of Bower Income and Profit Systems a company dedicated to enhancing business performance in many areas through tapes books and seminars. His presentations include sales, marketing, telephone skills, motivation, goal setting and achievement, telephone equipment and voice mail design and business organization for efficiency. He is an internationally recognized instructor and is the recipient of many awards in recognition of his successful efforts in assisting businesses create a more efficient environment resulting in maximum profits. He has had the opportunity to speak for groups as a large as 5000 and can get his points across to any size audience.

James has been actively addressing business issues and solving business problems for over 30 years. He is available to make presentations to company staff or for individual consultation.

Contact James at 316-773-1994 or jbower1@cox.net

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:11:00.001-03:00

WaveParsers Blogger

2012-05-01T21:11:00.000-03:00

Everyone knows the story of Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone.
There's the story of Bell's first words, "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see
you," that's indelibly printed on our brains from childhood. However, what some
don't know is that the telephone was developed in a similar form simultaneously
by Elisha Gray, who lost the patent battle by only a few hours in 1876.
Bell was successful primarily because he understood not only electricity and
the workings of the telegraph, but had a thorough understanding of acoustics,
which most inventors weren't all that familiar with. While focusing on the
mechanics, they weren't taking into account the unique qualities of sound that
made transmitting speech so much more complex than simple clicks of the
telegraph. With a background in music and acoustics, Bell could address these
issues more readily.
Chance happening plays role in acceptance
The telephone may not have gained such wide acceptance if, as if by
serendipity, the Centennial Exhibition hadn't been scheduled in Philadelphia for
only a few months later. Tucked away at a small table in an obscure corner, Bell
did not hope to garner much attention until he drew the attention of the Emperor
Dom Pedro de Alcantara of Brazil, who was amazed by the invention. Immediately,
all the scientists in attendance were clamoring to study the new invention.
At first telephones were seen as a fad that were more for entertainment
purposes than commerce, until newspapers and banks began grudgingly using them
to convey information quickly by virtue of free phone installations. The
publicity from this made them immediately more popular and soon phone exchanges
were set up in most major cities.
In the 1880's metallic circuits were developed that allowed for long distance
calls, which grew in popularity slowly because of the cost. Later, in the
1890's, this was overcome by the development of the party line so that families,
especially in rural areas, could split the cost of a line.
Direct dial overcomes operator interference
Until 1891, calls were put through by exchange operators, but this was done
away with by a Kansas City man who invented the direct dial system because he
was paranoid enough to think that the operators were sending his business calls
to competitors. He was an undertaker.
In 1927, the first transatlantic call was made over radio waves. During both
World Wars, telephone advancements grew by leaps and bounds because of heavy
spending by the Defense Department. Innovations resulting from war-time
experiments included Bell Telephone's first mobile telephone system, which
connected moving vehicles to landlines via radio. Surprisingly, this was as
early as 1946, a year that also saw the development of coaxial cables for major
transmission improvements with less interference.
In the 1960's, telephones were so much a part of the landscape that Bell
Telephone could no longer continue to use the alpha-numeric codes for telephone
exchanges (remember using numbers like Normandy-7610?) and switched to longer,
all numeric numbers. At the same time, transatlantic cables were being laid to
accommodate the increased demand for intercontinental telephone communication.

One of the most important shifts in telephone history was the launch of the
first telephone satellite in July of 1962. TelStar was a joint venture between
Bell and NASA and revolutionized telephone communications like nothing that had
come before. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit could now be used for long
distance calls without the need for laying endless lines of cable and did away
with the problem of frequent cable damage and repair.
Fiber optics move sound at the speed of light
Fiber Optic Cables were first used for telephone transmission in 1977, when
both GTE and AT&T laid Fiber Optic lines in Chicago and Boston. By the
mid-1980's, fiber optic cable was the preferred method of telephone
transmission, since it could carry a much higher volume of calls with much less
interference. Since it also carries information faster and farther and resists
lightning strikes, the advantages soon became obvious to the computer and other
industries as well.
When the United States government deregulated telephone service, AT&T, the
telephone communications giant, was immediately inundated with competition from
MCI, Sprint and hundreds of smaller local companies and soon fiber optic lines
were snaking around the country, being dropped along side natural rights of way
such as gas lines and railroads. Telephone costs dropped and a new telephone
service revolution had begun.
Cellular phones take the next step forward
In 1973, Dr. Martin Cooper of Motorola Corporation made what was probably the
first cellular telephone call on a portable handset called the Dyna-Tac. After a
successful test run, he took it to New York to introduce the technology to the
public. By 1977, the cell phone had gone public, but these first models were
cumbersome and generally used by those who were used to keeping in touch by
two-way radio. By no means were they considered something that everyone should
have or even want. They were initially considered a replacement for the mobile
phones already in existence. The difference with cellular was the use of small
"cells" for range of service in order to increase the capacity of calls handled,
dramatically increasing the number of calls capable of being made by
mobile/cellular phone at one time in one area.
The first cellular services used analog technology operating at 800 Megahertz
in a continuous wave. Over time, the power needs of callers increased and the
industry standard moved to a more reliable 1850 MHz with PCS. In 1988, the
Cellular Technology Industry Association was formed to develop guidelines for
cellular service providers and steer developments and improvements in the cell
phone industry. There are now well over 60 million cellular telephone customers,
a staggering number for a service that has been commercially available for only
thirty years.
Next stop, digital!
While the majority of users still have analog cell phones, the new frontier
is definitely digital. Rather than using a continuous wavelength for
transmission, digital chops up the wave into discreet bytes of information and
sends them in "pulses" of data. The up side to this is that digital signals tend
to be more secure when transmitted than analog. It's also a more efficient use
of bandwidth and provides clearer, cleaner sound quality. If you transmit video
clips or photos (like with the new video or picture cell phones) digital is much
faster, and will be the choice hands-down when you're integrating the cell phone
and the Internet.
There is a caveat; however, in that digital currently transmits through three
different technologies. This can lead to some problems with coverage. If you are
on a TDMA (time-division multiple access) system and traveling in an area that
has digital coverage that's CDMA (code-division multiple access), you could run
into problems.
The answer for now is the combined analog-digital technology that providers
are touting. This offers the great coverage of analog when needed and the great
speed and quality of PCS/digital.
Telephone conferencing arrives on the scene
The first real "audio conferencing" could be said to have been the party
lines set up back in the early years of telephone use, although at that time the
advantages of a party line for multiple users weren't grasped except as a way to
save money. In fact, the fact that several people in different locations could
pick up and talk on the line at the same time was considered a nuisance and was
actively discouraged as "eavesdropping."
When party lines were phased out, the idea of multiple conversations were
forgotten until businesses began seeking ways to carry on meetings via telephone
in order to save travel expenses and link teams together over distances. The
concept was revisited with new parameters; this time restrictions needed to be
in place, and the lines had to be open only when needed and desired.
Soon companies around the globe were offering to coordinate conference
calling for companies based on either flat rates, monthly fees or based on call
volume, with a trained operator setting up connections between each participant
on a dedicated line so that groups of up to ten could talk simultaneously. Their
bulk long-distance rates enabled them to pass savings along to their customers.

Telephone manufacturers like Polycom, AT&T and Panasonic also jumped on the
bandwagon, developing office telephone systems that enabled users to dial a
client, put them on hold then call up a third party and connect the three
callers into one conversation.
The Internet soon brought competition, however, to audio conferencing and the
cost of long distance telephone calls. Even with lower rates based on bulk
purchasing and group rates, Internet telephony is gaining ground on traditional
telephone audio conferencing because it's so much cheaper.
VoIP, the Internet and the eventual demise of traditional telephone
conferencing
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) soon became popular for telephone
communications because it avoids the toll charges of standard telephone
connections. Dial-up internet connections provided near "toll-quality" voice
communications, and with broadband connections the increased data throughput
enabled businesses to use VoIP in conjunction with other Internet services like
data sharing and video conferencing. With the money saved using VoIP, it seems
obvious that using analog phone lines for telephone conferencing will soon be a
thing of the past.
Most VoIP audio conferencing technologies give you the capability to network
multiple groups or parties from different geographical locations, making it
simple to hold an international sales staff meeting. Web conferencing solutions
using VoIP from companies such as Voxwire, TTCGlobalTalk and VoiceCafe can
provide almost unlimited conference room seats for a meeting, limited only by
the bandwidth of the VoIP server.
As the Internet becomes a standard part of any suite of office equipment,
analog telephone services, audio conferencing and their equipment will soon
become obsolete. Audio conferencing will be done more and more on the Internet
using VoIP based web conferencing services offering powerful collaborative
services that go beyond just simple voice communications. For placing calls,
digital phone services like Vonage and Packet8 that implement VoIP over
broadband connections will step in to offer less expensive, more comprehensive
calling options to meet the needs of individuals and companies going into the
future.
This article on the "The History of the Telephone" reprinted with
permission.

About the Author
Lucy P. Roberts is a successful freelance writer providing practical information and advice for consumers and businesses about everything related to audio conferencing services and VoIP providers. Her numerous articles include tips for saving both time and money; product reviews and reports; and other valuable insights for persons searching the Internet for information about how VoIP works and related topics.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:09:00.002-03:00

Companies have spent BIG dollars for the telephone equipment that some vendor wanted to sell them - not necessarily for what they wanted or needed.

Paying Too Little or Too Much

So how do you figure out what you need?

Now you know you need "X" number of telephones and "Y" number of peripheral devises (those faxes etc.).

"Some basic information on which to base your decision. "

Price vs. Cost

"Could you be missing an important part of the equation?"

"Company gets sued because of their telephone system"

How could it happen? Isn't it almost always true that if something could
happen, wouldn't it happen at the most inopportune time?

Caution: The Trunker

Comparing Apples to Oranges

James has been actively addressing business issues and solving business problems for over 30 years. He is available to make presentations to company staff or for individual consultation.

Contact James at 316-773-1994 or jbower1@cox.net

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-05-01T21:09:00.001-03:00

Shop'n n Shop'n Blogger

2012-05-01T21:09:00.000-03:00

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

2012-03-23T00:15:00.000-03:00

Newest version of the logo for XM Satellite Radio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While the United States initiated the satellite radio evolution, Canada is now hot on their trails. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) began hearings in 2004 for applicants ready to develop Canada’s first satellite radio broadcasting. The Canadian satellite radio industry received quite a lot of interest and in the end three main applications were filed: XM filed one in partnership with Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius filed an application with Standard Broadcasting and the CBC. The third application belongs to CHUM Limited and Astral Media and to many came as a surprise. That was mostly because CHUM Limited and Astral Media came up with a different solution that that proposed by Sirius and XM Radio. CHUM applied for a subscription radio service that is to be delivered through the already existing terrestrial DAB transmitters. In other words, the transmitters would be the ones receiving the satellite transmission, from where they would continue the broadcast to consumer owned receivers. While the CHUM Limited and Astral Media proposal offers an entirely Canadian approach, the first two bring in a blend of US based technology and Canadian broadcasting channels. XM Radio and Sirius had a slight advantage in the fact that the coverage area of their satellites already existed in parts of Canada, so a small audience was already using their services.
Three satellite radio services for Canada

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved all three applications in June 2005, but with a series of conditions imposed to the three solicitants. Here they are as required by the CRTC:
• A minimum of 8 channels must be produced in Canada and for each Canadian channel 9 foreign channels can be broadcast.
• At least 85% of the content on the Canadian-produced channels (whether musical or spoken word) must be Canadian.
• At least 25% of the Canadian channels must be French-language stations.
• At least 25% of the music aired on the Canadian channels must be new Canadian music.
• At least 25% of the music played on the Canadian channels must be from up-and-coming Canadian artists.

The three companies had to accept these conditions as they are part of the Canadian broadcasting regulations. The US companies and their Canadian partners began negotiations for tilting the rules in their favor. One of the main offers of both the Sirius and XM Radio partnerships was that they would play 50% French content as opposed to the 25% required by the CRTC. AS a results of the negotiations, XM Radio received 5 channels of National Hockey League Play-by-Play in addition to the channels they already had – XMs part of the deal was to cover the Canadian National Hockey League games. The fact that the US satellite industry giants were both allowed to broadcast on Canadian territory determined CHUM to appeal the decision. They motivated their action by saying that the two US companies would simply “suffocate” CHUM with their presence in Canada, not allowing any room for development for the all-Canadian company. CHUM also complained about the deals that were cut with the two US companies. As a response, Canadian Satellite Radio and Sirius Canada said that CHUM is in fact trying to obtain monopoly over the Canadian satellite radio market for themselves.
Today’s Canadian satellite radio
One of the main complaints of the people of Canada was that the CRTC decision did not require sufficient Canadian content. This made the broadcasters come out with promises of additional French and Canadian content. The Canadian Federal Cabinet accepted the CRTC decision on September 10, 2005. XM satellite radio was launched on the 29th of November 2005 and Sirius was next on December 1. Monthly subscription rates are $12.99 for XM with a one time activation fee of $19.99 and $14.99 for Sirius, without any activation fees. Both companies are expecting rapid increases in the numbers o subscribers, although, in spite of the extra Canadian content they added to their air time, there are still quite a few voices protesting against the potential monopoly the two companies may get to in the near future.

2011-08-10T00:15:00.000-03:00

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August 9, 2011

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Editor's corner:
Highlighting today's women telecom leaders

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By Samantha Bookman

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In this day and age, where women make up a larger percentage of the workforce than ever before, some might find it odd to celebrate women in leadership positions. But the workforce statistics don't point out a still-glaring fact that in the telecommunications vertical--in any high-tech industry, really--women are still few and far between, particularly in leadership roles.

That statistic is changing, but perhaps not fast enough. And for young women still in school, the example set by women leaders can be a compelling and even critical component of their decision about which career field to pursue.

Those are two key reasons why FierceTelecom's second annual Women in Wireline special feature is important and relevant. Highlighting the achievements of these executives can help point the way forward for others looking to grow in a field that was historically male-dominated.

Many of our selectees are veterans of the telecommunications industry: Maura Mahoney held positions at Bell Atlantic and NYNEX (now Verizon) and other telecom-oriented companies before joining Sidera as Vice President of Marketing and Communications.

Jean McManus of Verizon and Erica Johnson of the University of New Hampshire's InterOperability Lab (UNH-IOL) lead technical teams in development of advanced communications technologies.

Executives like Karlyn Oberg of SureWest (Nasdaq: SURW) and Olivia Garfield of BT Openreach are driving network-building initiatives with the goal of improving broadband access to millions of consumers.

I hope you'll take a few minutes today to check out our 2011 Women in Wireline feature and the leaders we profile within. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.--Sam

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By Sean Buckley

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NTELOS (Nasdaq: NTLS) is giving the telecom industry a sneak peek at how its wireline business, which will combine the current NTELOS Wireline and FiberNet units, by announcing that the new publicly traded company will be called "Lumos Networks."

A product of NTELOS' previous decision last December to separate its wireless and wireline operations, Lumos Networks will hold brand launch events in four of its key markets: Charleston, West Va., and Waynesboro, Covington, and Daleville, Va.

Meanwhile, NTELOS Wireless will retain the NTELOS name, providing nationwide wireless service.

Michael B. Moneymaker, President and CFO of Lumos Networks Corp., said that the name change will help create brand identity for the wireline side of the business, something that can be challenging when two powerful segments have to compete for capital and people resources.

"The change to Lumos Networks will allow us to create a stronger identity for our wireline business--data, broadband, voice, and IP services," he said.

NTELOS isn't alone in its desire to create separate identities for its wireline and wireless holdings. The ILEC actually joins other service providers like Sprint (NYSE: S), which spun out its former wireline operations as Embarq, now part of CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL), and the former Alltell spinning out its wireline assets to create Windstream (Nasdaq: WIN).

When the transition is complete, Lumos Networks will be listed on the Nasdaq, trading under the symbol "LMOS."

For more:
- see the release

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By Sean Buckley

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tw telecom (Nasdaq: TWTC) saw the benefits of its business-centric services focus in Q2 2011 take shape as the service provider reported that revenue grew 1.8 percent to $338.4 million.

On a year-over-year basis, revenue was up 6.8 percent, up from the $316.8 million reported in Q2 2010, representing a year-over-year increase of $21.6 million.

As has been the case in previous quarters, the growth drivers in tw telecom's earnings mix continue to be derived from enterprise, data and Ethernet and VPN-based products. Data and Internet services represent 47 percent of revenue for the quarter versus 42 percent in the same quarter last year.

During the Q2 2011, tw telecom's enterprise revenue grew 2.2 sequentially and 8.3 percent year-over-year. Likewise, data and Internet revenue grew 3.9 percent sequentially and 17.9 percent year-over-year, a factor that was driven by a 29 percent year-over-year increase in Ethernet and VPN-based products.

Larissa Herda, tw telecom's Chairman, CEO and President, said that "Our success was driven by our strategic data and Internet portfolio, including the new product initiatives we launched last year."

Ongoing demand for enterprise services drove tw telecom to increase its fiber-connected building additions nearly 60 percent.

Outside of enterprise sales, tw telecom reported a $2.6 million increase in wholesale services, which it attributes to more wireless backhaul services to wireless operators and more Ethernet services to other service providers to serve their end-customer base.

Of course, there were some obvious losses.

tw telecom's net income was $14.3 million for the quarter, down from the $242.3 million in Q2 2010. The service provider's net income was impacted by a $227.3 million non-cash income tax benefit in 2010.

Network services, for one, declined 1.2 percent, a factor that tw telecom says reflects growth in other services, including colocation. Voice services remained nearly flat with 0.7 percent growth, reflecting churn and a reduction in usage-based services.

Ongoing demand for its enterprise and wholesale network services, tw telecom decided to raise its 2011 annual capital investment guidance to $340 to $350 million. The increase in capital spending will be used to drive more success-based investments to connect new customer locations, expand colocation facilities and extend the reach of its fiber network.

For more:
- see the earnings release (PDF)

By Sean Buckley

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Verizon (NYSE: VZ) may have one of the largest global IP-based networks, but even they have areas where they just can't reach or are too expensive to deploy--so they are complementing their Private IP Service suite with mobile satellite solutions.

Verizon Private IP satellite network availability (Source: Verizon SLA)

Since the satellite services leverage Verizon's MPLS private IP network, Private IP customers will be able access their respective private networks from any area where Verizon has satellite service coverage.

Customers can use the Mobile Satellite Solution to support an array of services, including primary access, business continuity, digital signage, IPTV or content delivery.

Depending on the specific configuration, Verizon can get its Mobile Satellite Solutions up and running in the U.S. within 24-36 hours.

While Verizon's drive to integrate its Mobile Satellite Service as part of the Private IP Service suite may be new, the service provider has been delivering satellite services for over 20 years to business and government customers. In recent years, Verizon's Mobile Satellite Service has been used during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attacks, and the Oklahoma City bombing, in addition to large floods and wildfires.

For more:
- see the release

By Sean Buckley

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Telus' (Toronto: T.TO) ongoing moves to expand its wireless and wireline service portfolios helped drive Q2 2011 revenue up 6.4 percent to CAD 2.55 billion (USD 2.56 billion).

The revenue increase was the result of about a 10 percent in wireless revenue and 3 percent growth wireline growth. Both the wireless and wireline divisions reported that they saw continued growth in delivering broadband data services to customers.

Driven by growth in data and equipment revenues that were partially offset by expected declines in local and long-distance voice revenues, Telus' external wireline revenues were up 3.1 percent or CAD 37 million (USD 37.2 million).

Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO in the Q2 2011 earnings release, said that the wireline unit's "growth is supported by solid TELUS TV and high speed Internet customer additions of 59,000 on a combined basis, up 84 percent year over year," adding that "TELUS' TV client base surpassed 400,000 customers this quarter while our voice business yielded the lowest level of consumer line losses in five years."

Here's a breakout of Telus' key wireline metrics:

Wireline Voice Losses: While Telus did see expected 4.2 percent network access line (NAL) loss to 3.68 million due to cable competition and wireless substitution, residential NAL losses of 31,000 improved by 20,000 year over year, a factor it attributes to bundling voice with its Optik broadband data and voice services. On the business side, NALs increased by 7,000 due to increases in wholesale lines.
Broadband and Data: In the wireline side of Telus, broadband was a key growth engine. During the quarter, Telus added 13,000 new Optik broadband subscribers due to what Telus said was a "pull through effect of Optik TV sales" in addition to ongoing broadband service expansion. At the same time, growth in Internet and enhanced data services and TV sales drove up total data service and equipment revenues were up 14 percent, or CAD 78 million (USD 78.5 million).
Video Growth: Telus' bet on IPTV continues to pay off as the service provider signed up 46,000 new Optik TV subscribers in the second quarter, representing a 59 percent increase over the same quarter last year. As of the end of the quarter, Telus had 403,000 Opitk TV subscribers, a 77 percent increase over Q2 2010.

Given the Q2 growth Telus reported in its wireless and wireline units, the service provider has decided to revise its original consolidated revenue outlook for 2011 to CAD200 million (USD 201.3 million) to CAD 300 million (USD 301.9 million).

For more:
- see the earnings release

By Sean Buckley

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MTS Allstream's (Toronto: MBT.TO) Q2 earnings reflect the ongoing challenge of balancing out new growth in broadband and converged IP services with legacy service declines.

While MTS Allstream's revenue grew to CAD 443.7 million (USD 447.4 million), up slightly from the CAD 439 million (USD 442.7 million) it reported in Q1 2011, the big area of growth was seen in earnings per share, which rose 40.7 percent to 76 cents, and net income, which rose 41.5 percent to CAD 49.8 million (USD 50.2 million).

Pierre Blouin, CEO of MTS Allstream said in the financial release that "Our past investments and strong focus on IP technology nationally and on unique bundles of home services in Manitoba contributed to another quarter of solid financial results for both MTS and Allstream."

Looking at it from the division perspective, the growth of MTS and Allstream was driven by new consumer broadband and converged IP-based business services.

MTS' continued bets to expand its wireless, broadband, and IPTV service initiatives, all of which all rose collectively by 9.6 percent year over year, paid off in Q2 as MTS reported that revenue rose 2.9 percent from CAD 232.8 million (USD 234.8 million) to CAD 239.5 million (USD 241.5 million).

Allstream, however, again saw its share of IP-based service growing pains. Although continued to connect more buildings to its IP and fiber network, Allstream's overall revenue declined by CAD 5.9 million (USD 5.95 million), or 2.8 percent, to CAD 204.2 million (USD 205.9 million) from CAD 210.1 million (USD 211.9 million) due to declines in legacy voice and data revenues.

However, Allstream's legacy losses were slightly offset by a 10.6 percent increase in converged IP revenues that are supported by success-based investments that are adding more new fiber-fed buildings to its network. In Q2 2011 alone, Allstream lit an additional 47 buildings on its network, bringing it to a total of 2,211 buildings as of the end of June.

In addition to EPS, the success of both the MTS and Allstream divisions drove EBITDA growth. Overall EBITDA growth for the quarter was 8.6 percent year-over-year.

Due to the Q2 results, MTS Allstream decided to raise its 2011 revenue outlook from CAD 1.7 billion (USD 1.71 billion) to CAD 1.78 billion (USD 1.8 billion).

For more:
- see the release
- Winnipeg Free Press has this article

Earnings report: Wireline in the second quarter 2011

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PAETEC's (Nasdaq: PAET) Intellifiber subsidiary may have turned some heads in the Ethernet services department when it rang up its 100 Mbps capable Ethernet over Copper (EoC) service, but now it's delivering a 200 Mbps EoC service to an unnamed social media company.

Leveraging EoC gear that Overture Networks acquired when it purchased the former Hatteras Networks, the new 200 Mbps service will be used to connect its data center to the Internet.

To achieve the 200 Mbps speeds, Overture has incorporated higher rate adaptive span profiles in their EoC products that they say can support up to 15 Mbps per copper pair. By introducing these new adaptive profiles, Overture said that they can reduce the turnup time for 200 Mbps EoC services.

The new deployment is centered on flexibility in that the social media company can provision new Ethernet speeds as needed.

Clint Heiden, president of national accounts and fiber services, PAETEC, said that the "interesting thing is that the customer also uses us for 300 Mbps fixed wireless."

Heiden added that this deployment is "is a demonstration of our ability to provide solutions independent of fiber, copper, and fixed wireless, and rather than providing an access method we're starting to push the envelope on being able to provide alternative access solutions that meet the needs of customers."

For more:
- see the release

Wireline news from across the Web:

@FierceTelecom RT MSNBC via @verizonbusiness: Will the smart grid outsmart itself? Article | Follow @FierceTelecom

> Telcordia has been selected to manage Chile's number portability system. Release

> Dish Network's Q2 profit fell after bleeding more subscribers, while its adjusted earnings per share of 75 cents fell short of analyst's 79 cents forecast. Article

> Verizon's customers and employees in Tampa, Fla. donated over 15,000 pounds of food and contributed over $8,000 to the 'Feeding America Tampa Bay' portion of 'Kindness 2011' Campaign. Release

> Globe Telecom, the Philippines' second largest telco, reported that Q2 2011 net income rose 19 percent to $59 million. Article

> MRV Communications introduced a new lineup of hybrid Network Interface Devices (NID) for their OptiSwitch Carrier Ethernet access series. Release

> Over 200,000 BitTorrent users have been sued in the U.S. since 2010 for sharing copyrighted content online with other users. Article

> Starbucks clamps down on free WiFi squatters in their shops, while users complain the coffee chain is blocking access to power outlets. Article

And finally ... Fred Lawler, SVP of Global Field Services, Level 3 counts down the top 10 strange and irritating causes of fiber cuts on its network. Post

> SOHO business spend to surpass $17B by 2015 Post
> LightSquared inks LTE roaming deal with ClearTalk Post

Significant investments are being made to all aspects of wireless communications infrastructure. Higher end-user bandwidth requirements, subscriber growth, new wireless-based communications for smart grid, and other applications are driving the transition to packet-based infrastructure as the underpinning for 3G/4G wireless solutions. Join us to learn about the elements of an all packet approach to mobile backhaul. Register today!

Everywhere you turn, you can find examples of machine-to-machine (M2M) technologies and services. M2M communications are transforming the way developers are connecting devices over the Internet. Join us to learn how you can leverage a state-of-the art platform with integrated hardware, middleware, and services to develop a new breed of connected devices. Register today.

Sponsored by Huawei, Blue Coat, and Qualcomm, TC3 connects you to what the carriers are thinking, what they are looking for, and how they find innovation and work with entrepreneurs. It's 15 carriers with 20 strategies in 1 day. Details at http://telecomcouncil.com/tc3

Registration is now open for FierceWireless' latest virtual event, which combines the outstanding content and networking opportunities of our live events with the convenience of a Webinar. Join us as we explore the many ways operators are maximizing their 4G network investments and evolving their business strategies to accommodate a new era of mobile broadband. We'll also take a look at what is next on the network evolution path: LTE-advanced. It's a full day of Fierce content, delivered to you at your desktop, and it's FREE. Register Now!

Learn more at www.comptelplus.org

Questex Media LLC will launch M3, the first invitation-only event focusing on vertical industry segments within the mobile space. This first in a series of mobility events will focus on health, finance and retail within the mobile landscape. M3 promises to be a catalyst to help participants organize, structure and monetize these evolving industry verticals. For further information, contact Jennifer Ware at 203-831-0075, jware@questex.com or visit www.m3mobilityexchange.com.

This eBook from FierceTelecom we will explore the trends, benefits and challenges service providers have in building a profitable cloud service business.Click here to download today.

This eBook from FierceMobileContent will look at some of the technologies necessary to deliver a quality mobile video experience as well as delve into the various business models necessary for making this a reality. Click here to download today.

Forsk is looking for support engineers for its RF planning & optimization software, Atoll. Main responsibilities will be: Technical support for existing customers (hotline, emails); Support during evaluations (remote and on-site); Pre-sale/Post-sale training & mentoring sessions... Read more.

If you have RF Engineering experience in wireless technology – this is a great OPPORTUNITY to join an exciting company and to become a part of a winning team Murata Electronics North America, Inc., a leading international electronic component sales organization, is seeking a Senior RF Engineer for our Plano, Texas office. Learn More!

Wireless WorkForce Technical Training is seeking one or more full or part-time trainers to train students on the installation of microwave and radio access network equipment at our San Diego California facility. The ideal candidate(s) will meet the following criteria: *Alcatel Lucent radio access network and microwave equipment experience *Extensive knowledge and experience in microwave network installation... Learn more.

Announcing FierceWirelessJobs, the new FierceMarkets careers site. Find the perfect job or post your openings at http://www.fiercewireless.com/jobs.

FierceTelecom is the leading daily news source for telcos and other telecom industry insiders.
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2011-08-10T00:14:00.000-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	\| 08.09.11 \| Visa unveils plot to kickstart m-payment adoption
Date:	Tue, 9 Aug 2011 12:06:20 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceMobileContent <editors@fiercemobilecontent.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercemobilecontent.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

August 9, 2011
Sign up for free:
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This week's sponsor is BlackBerry®.
	Are you up for the challenge? The BlackBerry Partners Fund™ is challenging you to build the most innovative and creative apps for the BlackBerry Developer Challenge 2011. Learn more

Also Noted: ebook: Mobile Video's Promise
Spotlight On... Opera targets Chinese market with Oupeng mobile browser
Cloud music platform Spinlet comes to the U.S.; Shooger launches animated merchant videos and much more...

6 steps to making a more effective mobile app
Is a mobile app more successful if it maximizes its userbase or aims for a smaller, more dedicated fan following? Will developers see a greater ROI charging a premium download price or should they make their apps free and offer in-app purchases, even knowing that many users will never pull the trigger on virtual goods? Or is it best to offer an app for free and then begin charging later to gain greater exposure, even though the plan could deter potential customers who may be reluctant to pay for an app that was once free? The answers aren't simple. Special Report

Experience Real World LTE Advanced HetNet Benefits
August 23, 12:00 pm EST/ 9:00 am PST

HetNets and small cells are a buzzwords in the wireless industry. But it isn’t just about adding small cells, LTE Advanced can bring much more out of small cells and significantly increase the network capacity and the user experience. This webinar goes beyond slide ware and will show real LTE Advanced benefits in Qualcomm’s over-the-air heterogeneous network, which has multiple picocells added to macro cells. Register Now!

Sponsor: Intel

FierceLive! Webinars

> Mobile Backhaul: Exploring an All-Packet Approach - Wednesday, August 24, 2pm ET/ 11am PT
> Simplifying M2M Application Development - Aug 31, 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

Events

> Insurance Telematics USA 2011 Conference & Expo - Sept. 8-9, 2011 - Chicago, USA
> Mobile Merger Event, Sept. 15, Online
> The Future of 4G: A FREE Interactive Executive Summit - September 20, 2011
> Bricks and Mobile 2011 - October 5 - Spertus Institute, Chicago
> Mobile Augmented Reality Event - Oct. 11 - San Diego, CA
> The Open Mobile Summit: Registration now open, act now! - November 2-4 2011 - San Francisco, CA
> Appcelerate - November 4, 2011 - San Francisco, CA
> Android Developers Conference - November 6-9 - San Francisco

Marketplace

> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity
> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?
> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

> Sr. RF Engineer at SyChip, Inc. in Plano, TX
> Atoll RF Planning / Optimization Tool Product Support Engineers at Forsk, Chicago, IL
> Radio Network Trainer, Wireless WorkForce in San Diego, CA
> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs

* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here

1. Visa accelerates chip migration to drive m-payment adoption

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Visa revealed plans to ramp up U.S. adoption of dynamic chip authentication technologies in an effort to boost acceptance of Near Field Communications-based mobile payments. The financial services giant contends that encouraging investments in EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) contact and contactless chip technology will accelerate m-payment rollouts and improve global interoperability and security by introducing dynamic values for each transaction, reducing static authentication and, in turn, slashing cardholder data theft.

Visa plans a three-pronged approach to encouraging chip authentication adoption. Beginning Oct. 1, 2012, the company will expand its Technology Innovation Program to the U.S., eliminating the requirement for merchants to annually validate their compliance with the PCI Data Security Standard during any year in which chip-enabled terminals generate at least 75 percent of the retailer's Visa transactions. Qualifying terminals must support both contact and contactless chip acceptance, including NFC-based payments. Qualifying merchants must guarantee their systems do not store track data, security codes or PINs, and they must adhere to related standards.

Visa also will require U.S. acquirer processors and sub-processor service providers to institute support for merchant acceptance of chip transactions no later than April 1, 2013. Visa states that chip acceptance will enable service providers to carry and process additional data like cryptographic messages included in chip transactions.

In addition, Visa will institute a U.S. liability shift for domestic and cross-border counterfeit card present point-of-sale transactions. At present, POS counterfeit fraud is largely absorbed by card issuers--liability for counterfeit fraud may now shift to the merchant's acquirer if a contact chip card is presented to a merchant that has failed to adopt corresponding terminal technology. Visa explains that the liability shift encourages chip adoption, with any chip-on-chip transaction delivering the dynamic authentication data necessary to better protect all parties.

The liability shift will go into effect on Oct. 1, 2015, with fuel-selling merchants granted an additional two years for transactions generated via automated fuel dispensers. Visa adds that the U.S. is the lone country yet to commit to either a domestic or cross-border liability shift tied to chip-enabled payments.

In May, Visa announced it will collaborate with U.S. and international bank partners including US Bancorp, PNC Financial Services, Regions Financial, BB&T Corp, Toronto Dominion's TD Bank and the U.S. arm of Barclays PLC to introduce a digital wallet enabling users to make real-world and online purchases via smartphone. The wallet solution will store customer credit and debit card account information. Visa acquired monetization platform provider PlaySpan in February, a move to accelerate its expansion into the digital and mobile commerce segments--two months later, Visa made an unspecified investment in Square, whose increasingly popular mobile payment solution enables users to accept credit and debit card purchases anywhere and anytime via iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone.

Last month, Visa (along with rivals MasterCard, Discover and American Express) confirmed it will join Isis, the nationwide mobile commerce joint venture spearheaded by Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), AT&T (NYSE:T) and T-Mobile USA. According to Isis, the moves significantly expand the payment options available to mobile subscribers, at the same time extending the fledgling network's reach to encompass payment terminals already installed at U.S. merchant locations.

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: M-Commerce, Visa
back to top

Webinar: Simplifying M2M Application Development
Aug 31, 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

Everywhere you turn, you can find examples of machine-to-machine (M2M) technologies and services. M2M communications are transforming the way developers are connecting devices over the Internet. Join us to learn how you can leverage a state-of-the art platform with integrated hardware, middleware, and services to develop a new breed of connected devices. Register today.

2. Cablevision rolls out Optimum streaming TV app to iPhone

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Cablevision Systems is introducing a revamped Optimum App that expands streaming TV services to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone and iPod touch, promising subscribers a full cable television experience across iOS devices used in their homes. Cablevision first launched the free Optimum App via Apple's iPad tablet in April, offering customers access to more than 300 channels of live TV alongside thousands of video-on-demand titles, DVR management tools, interactive guide information and search. Cablevision subscribers can also use the Optimum App as a virtual remote control for conventional television sets.

Optimum for iPhone allows a users to watch TV or manage her DVR.

The Optimum App is powered by Cablevision's proprietary Advanced Digital Cable network. Because the app is optimized solely for Wi-Fi networks, users cannot access content outside of the home. More than 200,000 iPad users have downloaded the Optimum App in the four months since it initially surfaced in Apple's App Store.

Cablevision states it controls the right to distribute programming to devices like the iPad and iPhone per terms of its existing distribution agreements with content providers. But in June, Viacom filed suit in federal court in Manhattan, seeking an injunction to halt the Optimum App from including content originally broadcast across Viacom-owned networks including MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Viacom is also seeking damages.

"Cablevision, instead of negotiating with Viacom for such rights, simply launched the iPad App with Viacom content," the lawsuit contends, adding talks have "not resulted in an acceptable arrangement." Viacom states that mobile streaming services like the Optimum App undercut its ability to negotiate licensing agreements with platforms like Hulu and Netflix: "Selling the content of its networks to broadband content providers is an important component of Viacom's future business plan," the suit argues, adding that Cablevision's app "has and will continue to negatively impact the viability of that business."

Viacom is also squabbling with Time Warner Cable over the latter's own iPad solution. The Time Warner app--issued weeks prior to the Optimum App--resulted in a flurry of cease and desist notices, prompting the cable provider to drop content from Viacom, Fox and Discovery Communications. Fox and Discovery later relented and allowed Time Warner to stream their content; as of late June, Viacom and Time Warner are working to "resolve this and other litigation and potential litigation."

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: Mobile TV, iOS, Cablevision
back to top

3. Consumers Union: T-Mobile carrier billing could leave users 'vulnerable'

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, is expressing concern that new digital content billing solutions introduced last week by T-Mobile USA could leave subscribers vulnerable to fraud or merchant mistakes.

T-Mobile USA's Direct Carrier Billing initiative allows subscribers to purchase digital goods--including games, virtual credits, music and videos--directly via web-enabled devices like smartphones, tablets, netbooks and PCs, charging all purchases to their monthly wireless bill without manually entering credit card information. T-Mobile USA and billing service partners BilltoMobile, Boku, OpenMarket, Payfone and Zong have vowed to monitor all transactions, offering fraud controls, age-appropriate content blocking and spending limit management tools while promising a two-step customer authentication and purchase verification process.

According to Consumers Union, charges that appear directly on wireless bills do not enjoy the same statutory protections that cover credit card or debit card purchases. " If the mobile payment charge appears on the customer's cell phone bill, the product might escape consumer protections entirely unless the contract provides them," the nonprofit said in a statement. "Consumers Union's review of T-Mobile's current customer contract found that those protections were lacking."

Consumers Union adds that earlier this year, it called on T-Mobile USA and other operators to institute stronger consumer protections in their service contracts. "At the time, a T-Mobile representative indicated that the carrier would respond to the request but no response has been received by Consumers Union," the group stated.

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: T-Mobile USA, M-Commerce, Consumers Union
back to top

4. Google+ social networking app expands to Apple's iPad

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Three weeks after rolling out a version of its new Google+ social media network optimized for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has issued a new update that expands support to Apple's iPad tablet and iPod touch.

Google+ gives users the flexibility to selectively share materials with friends and family sorted into "circles." The revamped Google+ for iOS version 1.0.2.1966 adds new settings for Huddle, a group messaging feature supporting real-time texting to multiple contacts--users may now select who can message them based on circle placement. The update also introduces aggregated circle add notifications.

Google+ signups remain limited to users expressly invited to join the service--although any iOS device owner may download the application from Apple's App Store, the solution works solely for consumers with existing Google+ accounts. Last week, digital research firm comScore reported that the social network eclipsed the 25 million visitor mark in late July, and is now growing at a rate of about a million users per day.

For more:
- read this CNet article

Read more about: Google, Mobile Social Networking, iOS
back to top

5. Ovum: Feature phone app revenues to reach $1B by 2016

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Galvanized by surging smartphone adoption and corresponding consumer interest in downloading applications from storefronts like Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store and Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android Market, user demand for apps optimized for lower-cost feature phones is poised to almost double by 2016, reaching global revenues of $1 billion, according to telecoms analyst firm Ovum. The forecast adds that the number of active feature phones worldwide will reach 2.3 billion in 2016, representing 63 percent of the overall mobile phone market.

Ovum credits the expected growth of feature phone app downloads to improved software development and distribution options. "Inspired by the success of apps in the smartphone market, the options have improved drastically, with many larger handset manufacturers, operators and third parties now offering improved distribution programs for feature phones," said Ovum analyst Nick Dillon in a statement. "While addressing this market is not as easy as the smartphone market, it has the potential to be more lucrative for some developers. The larger size of the market combined with higher barriers to entry means that there is less competition than in the smartphone market."

Ovum adds that despite the age of Java ME, the platform remains the best bet for feature phone app development. In addition, Ovum recognizes that Nokia (NYSE:NOK) web widgets and Opera Mini widgets also present compelling opportunities for simple web-based solutions. The forecast also states that the growth of HTML5 will further improve web development options--Ovum believes HTML5-enabled browsers will become widespread across feature phones during the next 12 to 18 months.

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: Metrics, Mobile Applications
back to top

New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

SPOTLIGHT ON... Opera targets Chinese market with Oupeng mobile browser

Opera Software introduced Oupeng, a new mobile browser developed for the enormous Chinese subscriber market. In addition to leveraging Opera's signature data compression technology, which increases page loadings speeds by up to 10 times while reducing data consumption as much as 90 percent, Oupeng embeds support for Weibo, one of China's premier microblogging services, enabling users to efficiently share content, post updates and view photos. Opera developed Oupeng in conjunction with nHorizon Innovation Software, its joint venture with Chinese mobile phone distributor Telling Telecom. Release

Quick news from across the Web

> Cloud music platform Spinlet comes to the U.S. Release

> Shooger launches animated merchant video vignettes. Release

Wireless News

> Rumor Mill: RIM's first QNX smartphone won't support BES. Article

> Motorola's Jha remains open to Windows Phone down the line. Article

> FCC to review AT&T's Qualcomm, T-Mobile deals in 'coordinated manner.' Article

Mobile Developer News

> Windows Phone GM Charlie Kindel exits Microsoft. Article

> HTCDev portal goes live with OpenSense SDK release. Article

> AT&T launches eco-themed Power Your Future developer challenge. Article

And finally... Australia is home to 58,053 Jedi Knights. Article

Webinars

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> Mobile Backhaul: Exploring an All-Packet Approach - Wednesday, August 24, 2pm ET/ 11am PT

> Simplifying M2M Application Development - Aug 31, 2 pm ET / 11 am PT

Events

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> Insurance Telematics USA 2011 Conference & Expo - Sept. 8-9, 2011 - Chicago, USA

North America's leading insurance telematics event is back by popular demand! Insurance Telematics USA 2011 will gather the thought leaders and pioneers of the insurance telematics space to carefully dissect and answer the critical issues that your business is currently facing. Learn more.

> Mobile Merger Event, Sept. 15, Online

Merge mobile into your business with our virtual event featuring 36 sessions and 27 hours of content from mobile industry leaders Microsoft, Samsung, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, RIM, Impact Mobile, Hipcricket, Jumptap, Alcatel-Lucent, Mozilla, HP, MTV and more. Click here.

> The Future of 4G: A FREE Interactive Executive Summit - September 20, 2011

> Bricks and Mobile 2011 - October 5 - Spertus Institute, Chicago

Bricks + Mobile - collaborate with leaders across the retail, CPG, and agency spaces and explore how to effectively drive visibility, engagement, and ROI. Join Isis and Discover for a full day of speakers and workshops focused on mobile commerce strategy and execution looking into 2012. Register now.

> Mobile Augmented Reality Event - Oct. 11 - San Diego, CA

Co-located with CTIA Enterprise and Applications. Connect with top AR professionals in a relaxed interactive atmosphere. The event also features the first annual Augmented Sustainability Awards. For more information www.mobilearevent.com. Fierce subscribers get the special rate of $199 by using code MAR2011

> The Open Mobile Summit: Registration now open, act now! - November 2-4 2011 - San Francisco, CA

Meet the most influential and the most innovative in converging mobile, Internet, media and apps at the thought leadership event of the year. Act now - click here!

> Appcelerate - November 4, 2011 - San Francisco, CA

Registration now open! Meet the leaders of the Mobile app economy. The CEOs of the hottest app publishers share their secrets on making, marketing and monetizing mobile apps. Don't miss out, this event sells out! Click here for more info.

> Android Developers Conference - November 6-9 - San Francisco

AnDevCon is the world's premier event for Android apps development and management. It features top experts and is 100% Android focused. Fierce subscribers receive a $100 discount off the Full Passport by inserting code MEDIASPONSOR when prompted on the eRegistration page at www.andevcon.com

Marketplace

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity

This eBook from FierceTelecom we will explore the trends, benefits and challenges service providers have in building a profitable cloud service business.Click here to download today.

> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?

Experience 20-30% faster page downloads, up to 70% faster JavaScript execution, HD video at 30 fps. Download the White Papers from the Qualcomm Innovation Center, Inc and Qualcomm's Web Technologies and begin to optimize the mobile Web to perform like the wired Web.

> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> Sr. RF Engineer at SyChip, Inc. in Plano, TX

> Atoll RF Planning / Optimization Tool Product Support Engineers at Forsk, Chicago, IL

> Radio Network Trainer, Wireless WorkForce in San Diego, CA

> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs

Announcing FierceWirelessJobs, the new FierceMarkets careers site. Find the perfect job or post your openings at http://www.fiercewireless.com/jobs.

2011-08-10T00:13:00.002-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Are you up for the challenge? BlackBerry Developer Challenge 2011
Date:	Tue, 9 Aug 2011 10:10:46 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceMobileContent <editors@fiercemobilecontent.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercemobilecontent.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

BlackBerry® Developer Challenge 2011

This week's FierceMobileContent is brought to you by BlackBerry®.

The BlackBerry Partners Fund™ is challenging you to build the most innovative and creative apps for the BlackBerry Developer Challenge 2011.

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© 2011 Research In Motion Limited. All rights reserved. BlackBerry®, RIM®, Research In Motion® and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world.

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2011-08-10T00:13:00.001-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	White Paper: Telco Triple-Play Service Fulfillment
Date:	Tue, 9 Aug 2011 11:03:15 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceTelecom <editors@fiercetelecom.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercetelecom.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

This week's FierceTelecom is brought to you by Sigma Systems.



		Compete better, drive new revenues, deploy new services, and gain subscriber loyalty

		Traditional competitors and web services giants with massive evaluations, such as Apple and Google, are aggressively targeting your subscribers with VoIP and online video offerings. It's time to fight back. Whether you are in the planning stages or have already deployed fiber-to-the-home (FTTH), learn how to compete better, drive new revenues, deploy new services, and gain subscriber loyalty.



	Download Sigma Systems' complimentary and informative white paper, Telco Triple-Play Service Fulfillment. Developed in partnership with Heavy Reading, this paper: Demonstrates how telco service providers can deliver competitive triple-play service bundles to consumers Explores major technical, operational, and financial challenges of IP service fulfillment for triple-play packages Suggests the operations support system (OSS) best practices service providers can adopt to tackle the major back-office and provisioning challenges for triple-play fulfillment Don't get left behind. Download the Telco Triple-Play Service Fulfillment white paper now.

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2011-08-10T00:13:00.000-03:00

Attend the world's largest event focused on 4G and the mobile internet

This week's FierceMobileContent is brought to you by Yankee Group.

You Are Invited to Attend the 3rd Annual 4G World

The Largest Global Event for 4G Innovation

Chicago, IL, USA
October 24-27, 2011
www.4GWorld.com

Home

Program

Speakers

Save $200 off conference rates. Use PRIORITY CODE 4GWMS28
http://www.4gworld.com/register/registration-packages-prices/
Early bird pricing ends Aug. 31. Register early and save!

4G WORLD 2011 – THE MUST-ATTEND INDUSTRY EVENT OF 2011

With 14 executive keynotes and more than 60 breakout sessions, comprehensive training opportunities and more, 4G World 2011 is once again shaping up to be the industry's must-attend event for 2011.

Th is year's four-day conference, the world's largest event forused on 4G, includes more than 200 speakers, along with more than 30 network operators from around the globe. Experts from across the entire 4G and mobile Internet ecosystem will present. 4G World 2011 will also be host to more than 300 sponsors and exhibitors and close to 12,000 attendees.

Attendees will learn from industry and global thought leaders on topics such as backhaul, customer experience, 4G operator deployments and business models, NFC, 4G technology road maps, femtocells, 4G operational transformation strategies, mHealth, M2M, cloud computing, evolution of m-commerce, WiMAX/LTE and mobile Internet innovations and applications.

4G WORLD 2011 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING COURSES

4G World 2011 also provides an exceptional opportunity for professional development through our collocated training sponsors. Our training sponsors offer a comprehensive lineup of courses allowing you to develop or keep current with skills in the latest wireless technologies. No other industry event brings you such a wide range of critical and powerful options for learning. Current training opportunities include:

Award Solutions Training Courses

LTE Technology Overview
Mond ay & Tuesday, Oct. 24 & 25
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
2-day course

Read full course description:
http://www.4gworld.com/program/training/

LTE-Advanced (R10) for Engineers
Wednesday, Oct. 26
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
1-day course

Read full course description:
http://www.4gworld.com/program/training/

Delivering Voice in LTE-IMS Networks
Wednesday & Thursday, Oct. 26-27
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
2-day course

Read full course description:
http://www.4gworld.com/program/training/

IEEE Training Course

The Future of Wireless - Nanotechnology and Practical Wireless Communications
Tuesday, Oct. 25
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
1-day course

Read full course description:
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2011-07-26T02:28:00.001-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	Live Webcast Featuring Google: "Optimizing Web and Mobile Site Performance Using Page Speed"
Date:	Mon, 25 Jul 2011 10:16:00 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceMobileContent <editors@fiercemobilecontent.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercemobilecontent.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

Webcast: Optimizing Web And Mobile Site Performance Using Page Speed

This week's FierceMobileContent is brought to you by Compuware-Gomez.

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End-users' expectations for web and mobile site performance keep rising. In a 2011 survey of 4,014 mobile web users 71% stated they expect websites to load as quickly, almost as quickly or faster on their mobile phone than on the computer they use at home – up from 58% in 2009.

With web and mobile sites your customers expect transactions that are fast and work faultlessly. Failure to deliver quality web experiences through slow or malfunctioning sites will result in lost customers and business.

Join our featured speakers, Bryan McQuade, Senior Software Engineer at Google and Page Speed tech lead, and Compuware APM CTO Steve Tack to learn:

What end-users rising performance expectations mean for website owners and developers

The impact of web and mobile site performance on business results

Best practices to optimize web and mobile site performance using Page Speed

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2011-07-26T02:28:00.000-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	\| 07.25.11 \| Apple clamps down on in-app content purchases
Date:	Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:55:03 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceMobileContent <editors@fiercemobilecontent.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercemobilecontent.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

July 25, 2011
Sign up for free:
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This week's sponsor is Qualcomm.

Optimize mobile Web pages, smoothly stream multimedia and support richer Web-based applications Download our White Papers.

Also Noted: Spotlight On... Qualcomm scoops up GestureTek gesture recognition tools
Flipboard teams with Conde Nast for iPad ads; LG duets with Jane's Addiction for 3D concert and much more...

FierceMobileContent is on Twitter
Follow us for faster, shorter updates throughout the day.

New Fierce eBook: Building a Better Backhaul Network

This eBook from FierceWireless we will look at how operators are designing better backhaul networks and planning ahead for the next round of capacity constraints. Click here to download today.

Sponsor: ebook: Mobile Video's Promise

Events

> CTO Telecom Summit - September 18-21, 2011 - Montelucia Resort, Scottsdale, AZ
> Cloud Connectivity and Device Content 2011 - 20-21 September 2011 - BH Barbizon Palace, Amsterdam
> LocNav USA 2011 - October 18-19 - San Jose
> The Open Mobile Summit: Registration now open, act now! - November 2-4 2011 - San Francisco, CA
> Appcelerate - November 4, 2011 - San Francisco, CA
> Android Developers Conference - November 6-9 - San Francisco

Marketplace

> eBook: Path to 4G
> eBook: OTT Delivery: An Online Video Revolution That Changed TV Forever
> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity
> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?
> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here

1. Google Books exits App Store as Apple cracks down on in-app purchases

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Both e-book retailer Kobo and The Wall Street Journal will no longer sell content directly to consumers via their iOS applications, indicating that Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is beginning to actively enforce recent App Store subscription guidelines prohibiting media providers from integrating in-app purchase options linking consumers directly to their own websites. The Wall Street Journal also reports that Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) has removed its Google Books e-reader solution from the App Store inventory.

Google removed its Google Books e-reader solution from the App Store inventory.

Kobo CEO Mike Serbinis said Apple told the firm Saturday it may no longer operate its digital bookstore from within its branded iOS applications and must stop selling e-books directly through the solutions. Kobo complied, updating the app to remove sales options; iOS device users who wish to buy Kobo titles must now visit the company's website via the browser. The Wall Street Journal, which was circumventing Apple's rules by including website links inside its iPad app, will also eliminate all purchase options, meaning consumers who download the app and wish to subscribe to the digital publication must either call customer service or visit WSJ.com.

"We remain concerned that Apple's own subscription [rules] would create a poor experience for our readers, who would not be able to directly manage their WSJ account or to easily access our content across multiple platforms," a Journal spokesperson said. Apple declined to comment.

Apple introduced the App Store subscription platform in mid-February. Publishers immediately expressed serious reservations over the terms of the service, which awarded Apple 30 percent of subscription revenues, as well as ownership of consumer data like names and email addresses. Some smaller developers even scrapped their iOS application plans. Apple quietly updated the guidelines in June, removing all pricing guidelines and giving content providers the freedom to offer in-app subscriptions at any price they wish.

"Apps can read or play approved content (specifically magazines, newspapers, books, audio, music, and video) that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app, as long as there is no button or external link in the app to purchase the approved content," reads section 11.14 of the revised App Store Subscriptions agreement. "Apple will not receive any portion of the revenues for approved content that is subscribed to or purchased outside of the app." Apple set a June 30 deadline to comply to the rule.

For more:
- read this Wall Street Journal article

Read more about: Apple, Google, App Store, Wall Street Journal
back to top

New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

2. Report: Facebook's iPad application hidden inside iPhone app code

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Facebook's long-awaited application for Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad tablet is reportedly buried within the code of the latest version of the social networking giant's iPhone app, issued this weekend.

TechCrunch reports that Facebook for iPhone 3.4.4 includes a fully executable version of the native, HTML5-based iPad app, although the solution is currently usable only on jailbroken iPad units. The app touts a left-side menu system, popover menus, News Feed, Places integration and other features. A source confirms that the edition of Facebook for iPad discovered in the iPhone app code is the same version the company plans to formally launch sometime in the near future.

More than 12 months after the iPad first hit retail, Facebook remains conspicuously absent from the tablet platform. In mid-June, The New York Times reported Facebook for iPad has been in production for over a year, evolving through a series of design iterations. People who have seen the app say its user experience is tailored for the iPad's touchscreen interface, with revamped Facebook Chat and Facebook Groups features. Facebook also will unveil new full-screen photo and video-sharing tools.

Sources indicate that Facebook also plans to retool its mobile website to accommodate the iPad form factor--one person said the site is not intended to compete with Facebook's iPhone and iPad apps, but it will "supplement these experiences." Last month, TechCrunch reported that Facebook is developing an HTML5-based mobile platform optimized for the iPhone and iPad designed to circumvent the App Store distribution channel, giving Facebook far greater control over the user experience as well as premium app downloads and in-app transactions.

Apple has sold more than 25 million iPad units since introducing the device in April 2010. During that time, Facebook users have consistently bemoaned the absence of a web interface developed for touchscreen-based devices. Third-party developers have stepped in to fill the void, rolling out Facebook-themed iPad apps including MyPad, iFace and Facetab.

Facebook now boasts almost 700 million users worldwide, with more than 250 million consumers actively using Facebook's mobile products across all platforms, up from only 65 million a year ago. According to Nielsen Company data published last year, Facebook is also the most popular app on Apple's iOS platform, with 50 percent of users accessing the solution within the last 30 days.

For more:
- read this TechCrunch article

Read more about: Mobile Social Networking, Facebook, iPad
back to top

3. RIM acquires video editing startup JayCut

By Sandhya Raman

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Research In Motion (NASDAQ:RIMM) announced it acquired video editing company JayCut. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

JayCut, a seven-employee company based in Sweden, offers a free video editing platform and also licenses its software to several companies. RIM plans to add JayCut's services to its BlackBerry PlayBook.

"By working with JayCut to add video editing capabilities to the BlackBerry platform we can further enrich our customers' multimedia experience with BlackBerry," said RIM's CTO, David Yach.

The news comes as many tablet makers work to piggyback on the success of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad. RIM said it shipped half a million PlayBooks in its most recent quarter.

Last week, Nerdberry.com reported that RIM was developing an OTT set-top box, similar to the Apple TV, for release later this fall. The product reportedly will be able to integrate with the PlayBook and stream Netflix.

For more:
- read the JayCut post
- read the RIM blog post

Related articles:
RIM execs respond to criticism of BlackBerry strategy at shareholder meeting
RIM adds 1M EMEA BlackBerry subs, faces pressure on management plans
AT&T approves BlackBerry Bridge tethering software for RIM's PlayBook

Read more about: Apple, Blackberry, RIM, JayCut
back to top

4. Forrester: Tablets generate 21% of mobile traffic to retailer sites

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

More consumers prefer shopping on their tablet over their smartphone, according to a new survey conducted by Forrester Research. Nine percent of all online shoppers now own a tablet, and close to half report using the device to make an online purchase, Forrester notes--more than half of respondents who own both a tablet and a smartphone indicate they prefer to shop via tablet, and while the number of smartphones far surpasses the number of tablets, retailers report that tablets now generate 21 percent of their mobile traffic.

Forrester credits the growth of tablet-based e-commerce to the larger screen size and the possibilities for richer content interaction inherent in features like page flipping, horizontal scrolling and audio recognition. The firm also credits the portability of tablets, stating that the living room is the most common room for tablet usage but also citing significant activity in destinations like airports and restaurants.

Despite consumer enthusiasm for tablet-based shopping, retailers have been slow to keep pace. On average, retailers have invested just $14,000 to roll out commerce tools optimized for the tablet format, Forrester reports.

For more:
- read this Forrester blog entry

Read more about: Metrics, M-Commerce
back to top

5. Traffic data provider Inrix lands $37M in Series D

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Traffic information services firm Inrix has completed a $37 million funding round led by Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers' Green Growth Fund and August Capital. The firm said the new financing will support acquisition efforts and fuel its global expansion and R&D prospects, with an emphasis on enhancing its mobile applications and in-car solutions.

More than 100 million consumers across 22 countries in North America and Europe now use Inrix-powered traffic services. Earlier this year, the company signed agreements with automakers Audi and Toyota to deliver real-time traffic information and routing tools optimized for connected navigation systems. In addition, close to 2 million drivers use the Inrix Traffic app for iPhone and Android--versions for BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices are launching this week. Inrix also ships white-label mobile apps for partners Ford and Navigon.

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: VC/M&A, Location-Based Services, Inrix
back to top

SPOTLIGHT ON... Qualcomm scoops up GestureTek gesture recognition tools

Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) has acquired certain assets from gesture recognition technology developer GestureTek. Financial details were not disclosed. Qualcomm plans to integrate GestureTek solutions into its current and next-generation Snapdragon processors, enabling manufacturers to produce smartphones, tablets and other connected devices to support user interfaces based on natural human movement. GestureTek is retaining some assets and will continue its gesture-controlled public display and digital signage business. Release

Quick news from across the Web

> Flipboard teams with Conde Nast for iPad ads. Release

> LG duets with Jane's Addiction for 3D concert. Release

> Fiat Source app rolls out to iPad. Release

Wireless News

> RIM slashes 2,000 jobs, says COO to retire. Article

> GSM picks Barcelona to host Mobile World Congress through 2018. Article

> Activist investor Icahn wants Motorola to monetize its patent portfolio. Article

Broadband Wireless News

> AT&T to add another $1 billion to 2011 capex thanks to wireless. Article

> Clearwire, Sprint, Time Warner announce significant expansion of NYC WiMAX footprint. Article

> Proposed legislation could put white-space plans in jeopardy. Article

European Wireless News

> Orange unveils new digital content and design unit. Article

> TomTom collides with smartphones, reports unexpected loss. Article

> Tele2 gains scale with Network Norway purchase. Article

And finally... The world's most expensive hot dog, complete with pulverized porcini mushrooms, white truffle shavings and creme fraiche dressing. Article

Events

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> CTO Telecom Summit - September 18-21, 2011 - Montelucia Resort, Scottsdale, AZ

The CTO Telecom Summit, September 18-21, 2011, will bring together CTOs to discuss IT topics and trends currently affecting the industry. The 2011 agenda has been revamped to include focus groups, think tanks, and analyst Q&As, all of which encourage meaningful conversations between delegates, analysts and solution providers. Learn more.

> Cloud Connectivity and Device Content 2011 - 20-21 September 2011 - BH Barbizon Palace, Amsterdam

The Cloud Connectivity and Device Content Summit will outline the key steps operators need to take to ensure their services are ready to compete against OTT providers and bring value to their brand. Attend and hear exceptional cases of best practice, identify which customers to market to and answer questions on how cloud is driving convergence between devices. Register today!

> LocNav USA 2011 - October 18-19 - San Jose

Bringing together our highly successful Location Business Summit, with our long-running Navigation conference, LocNav USA is a large-scale, senior-level event. It comprises of two executive-level conferences, a central exhibition, workshops and our new Get Funded Show. For more information click here or email naomi@thewherebusiness.com.

> The Open Mobile Summit: Registration now open, act now! - November 2-4 2011 - San Francisco, CA

Meet the most influential and the most innovative in converging mobile, Internet, media and apps at the thought leadership event of the year. Act now - click here!

> Appcelerate - November 4, 2011 - San Francisco, CA

> Android Developers Conference - November 6-9 - San Francisco

Marketplace

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> eBook: Path to 4G

In this eBook we will explore the current state of 4G deployments in the U.S., the role of devices in attracting consumers and more. Download this new eBook brought to you by FierceWireless.

> eBook: OTT Delivery: An Online Video Revolution That Changed TV Forever

This eBook from FierceOnlineVideo, will look at which segment stands to benefit the most from this new delivery vehicle, and which stands to lose, as the nascent video revolution marches forward.Click here to download today.

> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity

This eBook from FierceTelecom we will explore the trends, benefits and challenges service providers have in building a profitable cloud service business.Click here to download today.

> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?

> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> Sr. RF Engineer at SyChip, Inc. in Plano, TX

> Atoll RF Planning / Optimization Tool Product Support Engineers at Forsk, Chicago, IL

> Radio Network Trainer, Wireless WorkForce in San Diego, CA

> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs

Announcing FierceWirelessJobs, the new FierceMarkets careers site. Find the perfect job or post your openings at http://www.fiercewireless.com/jobs.

2011-07-26T02:26:00.000-03:00

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	\| 07.22.11 \| Will Apple acquire Hulu to boost its mobile video ambitions?
Date:	Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:50:52 -0400 (EDT)
From:	FierceMobileContent <editors@fiercemobilecontent.com>
Reply-To:	editors@fiercemobilecontent.com
To:	nbrauchitsch@yahoo.com

If you are unable to see the message below, click here to view.

July 22, 2011
Sign up for free:
Subscribe | Website | Jobs | Mobile Edition
Refer FierceMobileContent to a Colleague

This week's sponsor is Qualcomm.

Optimize mobile Web pages, smoothly stream multimedia and support richer Web-based applications Download our White Papers.

Also Noted: Spotlight On... Patent troll Lodsys expands in-app purchase fight to 'Angry Birds'
Peel debuts TV recommendation app for Android; Artificial Life teams with MXit for mobile games and much more...

FierceMobileContent is on Twitter
Follow us for faster, shorter updates throughout the day.

New Fierce eBook: Building a Better Backhaul Network

This eBook from FierceWireless we will look at how operators are designing better backhaul networks and planning ahead for the next round of capacity constraints. Click here to download today.

Sponsor: ebook: Mobile Video's Promise

Events

Marketplace

> eBook: Path to 4G
> New eBook: Building a Better Backhaul Network
> eBook: OTT Delivery: An Online Video Revolution That Changed TV Forever
> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity
> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?
> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

* Post a classified ad: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here

1. Apple mulls bid to acquire digital video service Hulu

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly considering making a bid to acquire digital video service Hulu, with sources telling Bloomberg that the two companies are currently in the early stages of negotiations.

Hulu, owned by media conglomerates News Corp., Disney and Comcast, touts ABC, Fox and NBC programs including Modern Family, The Office and Glee, series or season runs of past favorites like Arrested Development and The X-Files and a catalog of feature films. Acquiring Hulu would give Apple a popular new subscription service spanning both mobile and desktop platforms: "Part of the ecosystem of Apple's future is to include more video," said Wedbush Securities Inc. analyst Scott Sutherland. "It's something they are focused on."

Bloomberg and SNL Kagan forecast Hulu's price tag could surpass $2 billion. Apple--now the world's second most-valuable company--recently said it has $76.2 billion in cash and securities on its books. Both Apple and Hulu declined to comment on the reports.

Hulu's digital audience tops 28.5 million users per month, with mobile apps available for Apple's iOS and Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android. However, the service is a source of discontent to cable and satellite providers who pay programmers $30 billion a year for the rights to broadcast programming viewers can check out online or on mobile devices for free via the ad-supported service.

Although Hulu offers an ad-free premium version, dubbed Hulu Plus and priced at $7.99 per month, reports indicate Hulu board members have clashed with CEO Jason Kilar over the number of ads run in each free program and the cost of Hulu Plus membership.

For more:
- read this Bloomberg article

Read more about: Apple, Mobile Video, Hulu, VC/M&A
back to top

New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

2. Gartner: Worldwide mobile payment volume to grow 76% in 2011

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

The number of subscribers using mobile payment options will increase from 102.1 million worldwide in 2010 to 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2 percent year-over-year spike, according to a new forecast issued by Gartner Inc. Worldwide mobile payment volume is expected to reach $86.1 billion during the current year, up from $48.9 billion--a 75.9 percent annual increase.

Merchandise purchases across mobile app stores and digital commerce platforms like Amazon.com and eBay are driving m-commerce growth, Gartner states. Merchandise purchases are expected to yield 90 percent of all North American mobile transactions this year, compared to 77 percent in Western Europe. Money transfers and prepaid top-ups currently dominate developing markets, generating 54 percent of mobile transactions in Eastern Europe and 32 percent in the Middle East and Africa.

Despite the growth, Gartner said the mobile payment market is evolving slower than anticipated. In particular, emerging markets are not yet embracing mobile payment services with the fervor many onlookers expected: "Many service providers are yet to adapt their strategies to local requirements, and success models from Kenya and the Philippines are unlikely to be translated to other markets," said Gartner research director Sandy Shen in a statement. "While developing markets have favorable conditions for mobile payments, such as high penetration of mobile devices and low banking penetration, this is no guarantee of success, unless service providers adapt their strategies to local market requirements."

Shifting the focus to developed markets, Gartner believes that mass-market adoption of Near Field Communications-based m-payment services is at least four years away. "The biggest hurdle is the need to change user behavior by convincing consumers to pay with mobile phones instead of cash and cards," Shen said.

For more:
- read this release

Read more about: Metrics, M-Commerce, nfc, Gartner
back to top

3. Google says it rejected $100M royalty deal to use Java in Android

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) legal representation has stated the company turned down an offer to pay $100 million in royalties in exchange for using elements of the Java programming language in the development of its Android mobile operating system. Google attorney Robert Van Nest said during a federal court hearing Thursday that the 2006 offer from Sun Microsystems outlined a three-year, "all-in" deal to jointly build Android, not a patent licensing agreement.

"There wasn't any specific discussion of patents," Van Nest said after U.S. District Judge William Alsup requested an explanation for why Google and Sun entered talks. Van Nest stated that while a few lines of code in Android are "identical" to Java, the code likely came from a third party, adding "We are investigating that."

Oracle, which acquired Sun in April 2009, is now seeking as much as $6.1 billion in damages over claims that Android "directly copied" elements of Java. According to court filings submitted late last month, Oracle wants Google to pay $0.9 billion to $1.4 billion upfront for infringing on its patents. Oracle also wants 15 percent of mobile advertising revenues generated across the Android platform. Late last year, Google said its mobile ad business operates at a run rate of $1 billion annually.

On Thursday, Oracle separately won permission to question Google CEO Larry Page to determine his knowledge of the situation. Oracle seeks to depose Page about Google's discussions with Sun over licensing Java as well as Android's strategic value, according to a court filing. U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna M. Ryu ruled that Oracle may depose Page for two hours "solely on topics relevant to the willfulness of defendant's alleged patent infringement, and the value of Android."

Oracle states that "approximately one-third of Android's Application Programmer Interface (API) packages" are "derivative of Oracle's copyrighted Java API packages" and related documents. "The infringed elements of Oracle America's copyrighted work include Java method and class names, definitions, organization, and parameters; the structure, organization and content of Java class libraries; and the content and organization of Java's documentation," the Oracle suit alleges. "In at least several instances, Android computer program code also was directly copied from copyrighted Oracle America code."

Intellectual property activist Florian Mueller believes the Oracle lawsuit could force Google to restructure its Android business in both economic and technical terms. "It could very well be that a defeat in court would require Google to make fundamental changes to its Dalvik virtual machine--changes that would likely affect many if not all existing Dalvik-based (.DEX) applications," Mueller writes on his blog.

For more:
- read this Bloomberg article

Read more about: Google, Android, Oracle, Java
back to top

4. Inneractive: iOS ad click-through rates double up Android

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

While Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android and Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS lead the race for worldwide smartphone supremacy, mobile advertising trends across the two platforms are significantly different according to a new infographic issued by mobile ad mediation platform Inneractive.

Click here to see more of the Inneractive chart.

From a global market perspective, Apple leads on effective cost per mille (eCPM), which measures the revenue a developer generates per every 1000 impressions of an ad in his or her application--iOS eCPM is now $1.70, Inneractive reports, compared to $1.30 on Android. The iOS platform also boasts a significant lead on consumer click-through rates at 2.3 percent, more than double Android's 1.1 percent CTR. The global fill rate on Android now reaches 85 percent, however, compared to 78 percent on iOS.

Looking at the U.S. market, iOS doubles up Android on eCPM ($1.52 vs. $0.72). Apple also wins with click-through rate of 86 percent compared to Android at 61 percent. Android edges iOS on fill rate, with a 99.01 percent CTR compared to 98.96 percent on the Apple platform.

For more:
- read this Inneractive blog entry

Read more about: Mobile Advertising, Metrics, Android, iOS
back to top

5. Placecast launches ShopAlerts Self-Serve mobile marketing tool

By Jason Ankeny

Comment | Forward | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Location-based mobile marketing firm Placecast unveiled ShopAlerts Self-Serve, a white-label geofencing solution enabling merchants to create, roll out and track targeted mobile campaigns. According to Placecast, ShopAlerts Self-Serve gives merchants the flexibility to establish physical campaign boundaries, interacting with opt-in customers only when they enter the geofenced area--messaging can include discounts, sale notices, store directions and related real-time content.

Placecast notes that the ShopAlerts messages can be delivered via SMS, MMS or push notification, enabling merchants to reach consumers across mobile networks and handset models. ShopAlerts Self-Serve also touts analytics reports spanning all aspects of program performance, including participation and ROI. Placecast adds that ShopAlerts Self-Serve is not directly open to small businesses--mobile operators, yellow pages providers, retailers, financial institutions and deal services instead deploy the solution to their SMB customers.

Placecast first launched ShopAlerts in late February in partnership with AT&T (NYSE:T). Touted as the first large-scale, geo-specific consumer deals program spearheaded by a U.S. wireless operator, ShopAlerts bolsters marketing messages with customized content like weather and traffic.

For more:
- read this release

SPOTLIGHT ON... Patent troll Lodsys expands in-app purchase fight to 'Angry Birds'

Patent holding company Lodsys has amended its lawsuit alleging that a number of iOS developers are violating its intellectual property rights by implementing in-app purchase options within their iPhone and iPad solutions. The updated suit targets five additional gaming companies: Rovio Mobile, maker of the smash Angry Birds, as well as Electronic Arts, Atari, Square Enix and Take-Two Interactive. Lodsys contends the developers violated patents related to in-app payments and data collection applied to user interactions and seeks 0.575 percent of U.S. revenues over the period of the notice letter to the expiration of the patent, plus applicable past usage. Article

Quick news from across the Web

> Peel debuts TV recommendation app for Android. Release

> Artificial Life teams with MXit for mobile games. Release

Wireless News

> Verizon notches 2.3M iPhone activations, 1.2M LTE device sales in Q2. Article

> AT&T adds 3.6M iPhones in Q2, still confident on T-Mobile deal. Article

> HP's Bradley: Amazon's Kindle was a big driver behind Palm acquisition. Article

And finally... Has an amateur codebreaker solved the Zodiac killer riddle? Article

Events

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> CTO Telecom Summit - September 18-21, 2011 - Montelucia Resort, Scottsdale, AZ

> Cloud Connectivity and Device Content 2011 - 20-21 September 2011 - BH Barbizon Palace, Amsterdam

> LocNav USA 2011 - October 18-19 - San Jose

> The Open Mobile Summit: Registration now open, act now! - November 2-4 2011 - San Francisco, CA

Meet the most influential and the most innovative in converging mobile, Internet, media and apps at the thought leadership event of the year. Act now - click here!

> Appcelerate - November 4, 2011 - San Francisco, CA

> Android Developers Conference - November 6-9 - San Francisco

Marketplace

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> eBook: Path to 4G

In this eBook we will explore the current state of 4G deployments in the U.S., the role of devices in attracting consumers and more. Download this new eBook brought to you by FierceWireless.

> New eBook: Building a Better Backhaul Network

This eBook from FierceWireless we will look at how operators are designing better backhaul networks and planning ahead for the next round of capacity constraints. Click here to download today.

> eBook: OTT Delivery: An Online Video Revolution That Changed TV Forever

> New Fierce eBook: Cashing in on the Cloud Services Opportunity

This eBook from FierceTelecom we will explore the trends, benefits and challenges service providers have in building a profitable cloud service business.Click here to download today.

> Looking for a better mobile Web experience?

> New Fierce eBook: Realizing Mobile Video's Promise

Jobs

* Post listing: Click here.
* General ad info: Click here.

> Sr. RF Engineer at SyChip, Inc. in Plano, TX

> Atoll RF Planning / Optimization Tool Product Support Engineers at Forsk, Chicago, IL

> Radio Network Trainer, Wireless WorkForce in San Diego, CA

> Need a job? Need to hire? Visit FierceWirelessJobs

Announcing FierceWirelessJobs, the new FierceMarkets careers site. Find the perfect job or post your openings at http://www.fiercewireless.com/jobs.

2011-05-28T15:59:00.000-03:00

Image via Wikipedia

THE R&D INDICATOR

The amount of money a corporation spends on research and development is a: good guide to its earnings prospects. Generally, the higher the expenditure in relation to sales, the greater the company’s emphasis on new-product development. Benchmark: 5 % of annual sales spent on research is considered a sizable commitment to research spending. Source: Merrill Lynch Stockfinder Research Service, 165 Broadway, New York 10080.

OPTIONS AS INDICATORS

Often the first sign of a rally in a stock is increased activity in its options. Recommended: Look for newcomers on the “Most Active Options” list in The Wall Street Journal. Then, all you have to remember is …sell high…buy low...Happy climbing!

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April 4 – June 12, 2011

May 2 – July 29, 2011

June 1 – Aug 31, 2011

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Pay no attention to that widget recording your every move | Windows Live Mesh goes live without support for Linux

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20 awesome tech products at DEMO
Build-your-own iPhone and Android apps, cloud services, photo tools and more on display at DEMO Spring 2011. Read More

WHITE PAPER: Riverbed

Improve Application Performance Management
Riverbed® Cascade© stacks up extremely well against the competition. How well? In particular, Cascade outperforms other application-aware network performance management solutions in such important areas as product strength and cost efficiency. Read Now.

In this Issue

WHITE PAPER: IBM

Defining a Framework for Cloud Adoption
Read this white paper to understand IBM's framework for cloud computing adoption which establishes common definitions, delivery models and services and identifies key aspects required for a successful cloud computing execution. Read Now

Pay no attention to that widget recording your every move
Ever wonder how much of a time suck Bejeweled is? Or how often your legitimate work-related research on the Web deteriorates into recreational browsing? Now there is software that will tell not only you, but also your boss and your coworkers. Read More

Windows Live Mesh goes live without support for Linux
On March 31, Microsoft will stop supporting the beta version of Live Mesh. Users of the file synching service must manually upgrade to the full production Windows Live Mesh service or lose the data stored in their folders. This cloud service synchs files between multiple Windows machines and Macs, but because it doesn't support Linux, other services like Dropbox still have an edge. Read More

Microsoft pooh-poohs Google Cloud Connect
Yesterday, Google released a tool that let's Microsoft Office users automatically sync and share documents on their PCs via Google Docs. Today, Microsoft fired back in a blog post that accuses Google Cloud Connect of being difficult to install, a potential cause of data loss, a drain on application performance and a security/privacy risk. Read More

WEBCAST: Adobe

Turn Unrealistic Deadlines into Realistic Deadlines
Adobe Acrobat X can help give your team the power to turn unrealistic deadlines into realistic deadlines.Join the Adobe Acrobat X software webinar and go from under pressure to overachieving. Learn More

Don't fear the cloud
What's with all the FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) circulating on cloud, fueling unrealistic fears? The cloud is a deployment choice that deserves the same risk management procedures you put in place for any other platform. Read More

Amazon wants to make it easier to build complex clouds
With the launch of CloudFormation, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is hoping to make it easier for enterprises to put together stacks of applications and resources for its cloud computing service. Read More

Intel plots 'client-aware' cloud services
Intel wants the cloud to be a bit smarter. Read More

WHITE PAPER: Quest Software

Choosing the Right Active Directory Bridge Solution for You
The importance of a solid Active Directory (AD) bridge in your diverse IT environment can't be minimized. An AD bridge allows Unix, Linux and Mac systems to coexist with a Windows infrastructure. Further, it consolidates countless identities and passwords, reducing complexity and cost while improving security and productivity. Read Now

Verizon to offer cloud-based unified communications
Verizon is getting set to offer its customers unified communications services that can include presence information, instant messaging, videoconferencing and fixed-mobile call handoffs through a Cisco Systems-based cloud infrastructure. Read More

Box.net closes $48M funding round
In yet another sign of cloud-hosted software's momentum in the business market, Box.net, which makes a software-as-a-service content management application, announced it has closed a US$48 million funding round. Read More

Citrix invests in personal cloud management company
Citrix Systems has invested in Primadesk, a company that is developing a free, Web-based application to help users keep track of content stored in different cloud-based services. Read More

Google Gmail outage leaves 150,000 users without e-mail
About 150,000 of Google's Gmail users woke up Sunday morning to missing e-mails, contacts and chat histories. Read More

India's MindTree offers remote IT management tools
MindTree, a mid-size Indian outsourcer, has developed its own remote IT infrastructure management service delivery platform, MWatch, in a bid to differentiate its remote management services from those of its larger competitors. Read More

GOODIES FROM THE SUBNETS
Up for grabs from Microsoft Subnet: a Windows 7 Enterprise Technician class for three people. From Cisco Subnet: 15 copies of VMware ESXi books. Enter here.

SLIDESHOWS

When IT professionals cheat
We asked 200 IT professionals to tell us how often IT workers cheat on certification exams, buy fake gear or illegally share software. Here are the results.

Tech 'firsts' that made a President's day
From the first presidential steamboat ride to the introduction of electricity in the White House to Obama's famous BlackBerry, our nation's commanders in chief have always enjoyed the privilege of being exposed to technology's cutting edge -- even if they haven't always embraced the opportunities.

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