Category: Independent Operators

  • Three Different Scenarios for Delivering Cloud Based Communications as a Service

    Three Different Scenarios for Delivering Cloud Based Communications as a Service

    “Communications as a Service”  or CaaS can include any type of communications delivered as a service based on a subscription model.  That is, Voice over IP (VoIP), instant messaging (IM), email, chat, web, audio and videoconference services.  It might also include telco network operations and management in the cloud.  Yet the term CaaS now means…

  • Will 2011 Be the Year of Fiber to the Building?

    Background: Stimulated by predictions of exponential Internet traffic growth and advances in DWDM/ fiber optic technology, the dot com and telecom bubble years of 1998-2001 were marked by waves of optical network start-up companies that were very well funded by VCs and Angel Investors. Many of those companies were focused on Metro Optical network access,…

  • An Interactive Chat With an Old School Instrument

    Received a fascinating telemarketing call that I almost hung up on, but have been listening now for 30+ minutes. One of the only groups that can escape the do not call laws are the politicians. This call was from Tom Campbell, who is running for the governor of California. Instead of a recorded call, this…

  • Video Innovation in Iowa

    Iowa Independent Telcos have always been at the forefront of adding video and other services to their broadband offerings. It is appropriate then, that the Iowa Telecom Association would produce one of the best one-day programs on the topic of video. Topics ranged from over the top video, to local content to Emergency Alert Services…

  • Back to the Future – Software as a Service & Managed Services

    Software as a Service (SaaS) is a popular Web 2.0 buzzword. It struck me at NTCA’s panel, Software as a Service: Creating New Revenue Channels, that Independent Telcos have been providing a sort of Software as a Service, really a Managed Service since their inception. Independent Telcos are starting to add on Software as a…

  • Convergence – More Business than Technical Challenge for Smaller Operators

    The challenges that small telcos face regarding the convergence of services onto a single platform was the subject of a panel featuring industry experts at the 2008 TelcoTV Conference. The overarching theme of the panel was the challenges surrounding convergence deal more with the business issues, as opposed to questions of technology. Steve Pastorkovich of…