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Viodi View Menu<\/strong><\/p>\n Current Issue<\/a> VoIP Swap Meet?<\/a> VON to Fast Forward<\/a> <\/p>\n Previous Issue<\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi View Subscribe<\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi Forums<\/strong> Club Viodi<\/a> Local Content<\/a> <\/p>\n Multimedia Search <\/a> <\/p>\n Viodi Workshops<\/strong> Local Content<\/a> Telco Video 101<\/a> Incremona Training<\/a> <\/p>\n Industry<\/strong> Industry Calendar<\/a> Favorite Links<\/a><\/p>\n About Viodi<\/a> Contact<\/a> Biographies<\/a> <\/p>\n Interested in Sponsoring the Viodi View? Send an email to: sponsor@viodi.com<\/strong><\/p>\n Please forward<\/strong> this free publication to anyone you know who is involved in some way with independent telephone companies. <\/p>\n Mission of the Viodi View:<\/strong><\/p>\n In this on-line publication, we share our analysis, opinions and direction on the interactive television news and views that we believe will be of interest and use to our friends associated directly or indirectly with independent telephone companies. For more information as to the various ways Viodi works with independent telephone companies, please go to http:\/\/www.viodi.com\/alliance\/<\/a><\/p>\n Disclaimer:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] and its associates used their best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, the Viodi View [Viodi, LLC] does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.<\/p>\n All displayed trademarks, logos and service marks are the property of their respective owners. \u00a9 2005Viodi, LLC<\/a>. All Rights Reserved. Viodi View Newsletter – March 16th, 2005 <\/strong> <\/p>\n VoIP Swap Meet?<\/strong><\/p>\n By Ken Pyle, Viodi, LLC<\/strong><\/p>\n I did not realize that Jeff Pulver<\/strong> was an avid ham radio operator. It is so obvious, as ham radio operators have been providing wireless packet communications for decades<\/strong> now. From a technical perspective, there are probably thousands of ham radio operators who could have put together the concepts expounded by Pulver, but it seems to be Pulver\u2019s destiny<\/strong> to be the one to articulate this new vision of communications. And just like ham radio operators share ideas and radios at a swap meet, Pulver\u2019s conferences are a great forum <\/strong>for the exchange of ideas among industry leaders. <\/p>\n Pulver\u2019s keynote compared the IP industry<\/strong> to his kids who are just entering adolescence<\/strong>. With AOL\u2019s announcement and rumors of Yahoo! and Microsoft offer of VoIP, it clearly looks like the industry is beginning to mature, but there are still uncertain times ahead. He suggested that the VoIP industry is, \u201cstill looking for its Steve Jobs.\u201d He encouraged the audience to, \u201cSeize the moment<\/strong>. If you see an opportunity, take it\u2026time goes by and doesn\u2019t come back.\u201d<\/p>\n It looks like AOL<\/strong> sees an opportunity to add VoIP as another feature for their millions of customers. Their launch in April<\/strong> appears to be a full-service VoIP offering<\/strong>, which will include E-911, Local Number Portability<\/strong>, as well as some sort of integration with the AOL buddy lis<\/strong>t. He suggested a parallel between today\u2019s VoIP and the Internet in 1996. Jonathan Miller<\/strong>, Chairman and CEO of AOL said, \u201cFeel electricity in the air and this time it is carrying our voices to the masses.\u201d Interesting metaphor, as AOL gave an interesting speech regarding wireless at the WCA a few months back. <\/p>\n I had almost forgotten about Bell Labs, now known as AT&T labs. According to Hossein Eslambolchi, PhD, AT&T Labs has been called a crown jewel of SBC\u2019s purchase of AT&T. AT&T Labs have some interesting projects underway. Probably the most interesting is the multimedia search engine<\/strong> that captures and converts audio in real-time to searchable and indexable text. <\/p>\n In the not-too distant future, it is not too hard to imagine the closed captioning occurring at the device, as opposed to deep within the network, by the network operator. Very impressive, although it seemed similar to at least one other companies Intellectual Property. Will be interesting to see where that development goes. This could make for some very interesting Emergency Alert Systems, as well low-cost web-centric, call centers<\/strong>. <\/p>\n The highlight of the first morning had to be FCC Chairman Michael Powell<\/strong>. Powell received a standing ovation from many in the crowd. Powell enthusiastically congratulated the attendees when he said, \u201cWith VoIP, we have given them something to talk about.\u201d He went on to say that because of VoIP, \u201cconsumers are increasingly the winner.\u201d He warned that the VoIP industry, \u201cwon\u2019t be a rock star forever.\u201d The industry must take care to work with the government to solve 911 issues<\/strong>, protect legitimate law enforcement agency concerns and advance<\/strong> the notion of Universal Service <\/strong>and affordability for all.<\/p>\n He implied that Broadband providers need to respect the Internet Freedoms<\/strong> he first mentioned in a speech last year, if they want a continued light-touch regulatory environment<\/strong>. These freedoms are:<\/p>\n These freedoms were also mentioned by FCC Bureau Chief of Policy<\/strong>, Dr. Robert Pepper<\/strong> and FCC Wireline Bureau Chief, Jeffrey Carlisle <\/strong>in the forum they led on Monday night. These guys are tireless<\/strong>, as this forum was held from 7:30 to 9:00 P.M. on a Monday night. <\/p>\n A topic of hot discussion at this forum was the Madison River <\/strong>case. It was suggested that this case indicates that the FCC will be very aggressive<\/strong> in pursuing cases where an Internet Freedom<\/strong> is restricted<\/strong> by a provider. Madison River was apparently blocking port 5060, which was wreaking havoc with Vonage\u2019s VoIP traffic. It was also pointed out that there are remedies under anti-trust law that could be pursued. <\/p>\n The ultimate<\/strong> regulation<\/strong> will be market forces<\/strong>. Pepper pointed to the rise of the some 6,000 WISPs (Wireless ISPs) as evidence that substitute products will appear as demand requires. Pepper suggested that 10%<\/strong> of rural broadband customers are served by WISPs. <\/p>\n A comment heard from several venture capitalists over the course of the conference was the importance of regulatory clarity <\/strong>and political certainty <\/strong>with regards to VoIP. The VCs indicated that this climate is restraining<\/strong> their investment<\/strong>. Powell, Carlisle and Pepper all emphasized the importance of the VCs, carriers and other stakeholders to let their views being known<\/strong> in Washington, if a positive changed is to be affected. <\/p>\n Greg Haldejian of Irwin, Campbell & Tannewald P.C<\/strong> did a good job representing IOCs’ concern<\/strong>s when he suggested that, \u201cIn order to have a broadband service, you need to have a broadband network.\u201d He reminded the audience that there needs to be an investment in the underlying network in order for all of the cool IP applications to work. He provided an excellent case study<\/strong> of a rural IOC, TCT West<\/strong>. He explained how they are using IP over copper, wireless and fiber to bring affordable communications to rural Wyoming. <\/p>\n Next Article<\/a><\/p>\n Back to Top<\/a><\/p>\n Previous Issue<\/a><\/p>\n Viodi View Subscribe<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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