Tag Archive
Skype to FCC: Keep the Internet Open & Neutral
Skype, a big proponent of open networks and net neutrality, in a filing today with the Federal Communications Commission argued that net neutrality was “about growing the broadband ecosystem and preserving a borderless, open Internet” and said it would “promote investment, jobs and innovation.” The company said that it “welcomes the Commission’s focus on preserving... »
Skype to FCC: Keep Internet Open & Neutral
Skype, a big proponent of open networks and net neutrality, in a filing today with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), argued that net neutrality was “about growing the broadband ecosystem and preserving a borderless, open Internet” and said it would “promote investment, jobs and innovation.” The company said that it “welcomes the Commission’s focus on... »
Survey Says: Verizon Wireless Is Top Carrier
The first-ever wireless carriers survey from Zagat puts Verizon at the top of the heap. The company got feedback from more than 2,300 wireless customers who rated Verizon, ATT, Sprint and T-Mobile on key performance aspects: reliability, coverage, products, value and customer service. Verizon Wireless scored a 22 (the average …(225 words) Related Topics: carrier,... »
FBI: ISP Tried to Scam $15M Out of AT&T, XO, Others
The FBI has arrested and charged the owner of Core IP Networks, a Dallas-based ISP, with conspiracy to commit fraud.The feds say Matthew Simpson, 25, of Red Oak, Texas, was part of a 19-person ring that planned to scam ATT Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., XO Communications and other carriers out …(255 words) Related Topics: AT&T,... »
Voxbone: Sales Soared 60% in 2009, Despite Recession
IP network services provider Voxbone says its revenue soared 60 percent in 2009, in spite of the global economic recession.However, the privately held, Belgium-based company didn’t disclose an overall earnings figure. Voxbone sells local and toll-free numbers to entities including carriers, resellers, call centers and calling card providers. It said …(112 words) Related Topics: 2G,... »
FBI: ISP Tried to Scam $15M Out of AT&T, XO, Others
The FBI has arrested and charged the owner of Core IP Networks, a Dallas-based ISP, with conspiracy to commit fraud.The feds say Matthew Simpson, 25, of Red Oak, Texas, was part of a 19-person ring that planned to scam ATT Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., XO Communications and other carriers out …(255 words) ... »
Voxbone: Sales Soared 60% in 2009, Despite Recession
IP network services provider Voxbone says its revenue soared 60 percent in 2009, in spite of the global economic recession.However, the privately held, Belgium-based company didn’t disclose an overall earnings figure. Voxbone sells local and toll-free numbers to entities including carriers, resellers, call centers and calling card providers. It said …(112 words) ... »
8 x 8 Has an Outage
I received an email late yesterday afternoon from a reader about 8 x 8 suffering an outage. Unlike Tom Keating, who posted, I didn’t post, and was relieved that their PR folks had been quickly in touch with their customers over night, explaining the situation. In an era where no company (other than maybe the... »
Packet8 Service Down
Almost exactly one year ago 8X8’s Packet8 VoIP service suffered a major outage due to DNS issues. It now appears that both their domains 8×8.com and www.packet8.net are down. But more importantly their VoIP phone service is down. Stay tuned while I try and find out more… Update #1: from Joan Citelli Director,... »
Australia goes wild for wireless internet
Use of wireless broadband services mushroomed during the past year to reach more than two million subscribers, driven by the popularity of wireless modems and mobile devices such as the iPhone. The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s communications report, released yesterday, revealed the use of wireless broadband services jumped 162 per cent in 2008-09, while... »
Carrier 2010 capex spending to focus on IP backhaul and edge networking
Telecom spending is set to grow in 2010 according to Avian Securities but that growth might not be in the move to IP communications equipment as carriers do not need much equipment. According to Avian Securities analyst Catharine Trebnick, spending will grow 1.5% to $57.7 billion in 2010. Spending will focus mainly on IP backhaul... »
Google Nexus One Review
The Nexus One. In the modern climate of hyped (and over-hyped) smartphone launches, Google’s official entry into the phone-sales game has excelled in a department where many find difficulty: generating legitimate excitement. Of course, long before the name Nexus One or the recent bounty of pictures and details existed, the very concept of a... »
The Complete List of Foreign Telecom ADRS, with 2009 Returns and Current Yields
David Hunkar submits: Ten of the foreign fixed-line telecom stocks offer yields of more than 5% as of December 31, 2009 as shown in the table below. Fixed-line telecom companies in foreign countries tend to be monopolies or hold a dominating position in the market even if other carriers operate. Many of them are also... »
The Wish List: 7 Things We Hope Will Come True in 2010
With 2009 coming to an end, it is not surprising that everyone is making predictions about what 2010 has in store. So instead, four of us — Liz, Stacey, Sebastian and I — have put together a wish list of seven things we hope come true in 2010. Facebook Goes Public – What Silicon Valley... »
eWeek Says To Expect More From GoogleVoice in 2010
Check out the eWeek article about GoogleVoice and Gizmo. Seems the Nexus One isn't the only thing that Google is now "leaking" over. Here's what I think. 1) Gizmo5's assets brings GoogleVoice the missing soft client on multiple platforms except the iPhone. That will have to wait. Macs, PCs, Symbian and Android will be their markets... »
Airtel Launches Middle East Data Services
Bharti Airtel, India’s leading telecom operator today announced the launch of wholesale data services for the Middle East on its Connect network, to serve global carriers in the region. The… ] Related Topics: carrier, carriers,... »
The State of Google Voice on The iPhone
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) sums up fairly concisely just what is up with the status of Google Voice on the iPhone. If Google GIVES the Nexus One to all GoogleVoice customers, with some kind of incentive to move to T-Mobile, it will initially be AT&T who suffers. Do you remember the old days when... »
Top Stories of 2009: Mobile VoIP gets real
There are two different and sometimes warring sides to the Mobile VoIP world. There are the application and software developers who have created mobile VoIP apps that use carrier data networks and circumvent carrier voice plans, and then there are the carriers who sometimes wish to block such applications while also making plans to... »
‘VoIP’ Named Industry of the Decade
According to IBISWorld, VoIP was named “Industry Of The Decade” besting even the search engine industry? Surely, you jest. You mean to tell me the VoIP industry beat Google’s, Yahoo’s, and MSN’s (now Bing’s) billions?... »
Consumers, Not Businesses, Giving Wi-Fi Hotspots a Boost
Earlier this month, when I visited Paris for the Le Web 2009, the most important thing I “packed” for the trip didn’t weigh an ounce: an account with Wi-Fi hotspot aggregation service, Boingo. It alone allowed me to stay connected, avoid expensive hotel Wi-Fi access fees and most importantly, not feel out of touch... »
KeaneTel Lures Agents With "Cap and Trade” Plan
Master agency KeaneTel has announced a new compensation arrangement, the KeaneTel Cap and Trade Plan. Under the plan, KeaneTel will “cap” the commissions it keeps in its split of commissions with agents who “trade” their current master agent for KeaneTel. KeaneTel will provide new agents access to almost 30 carriers …(432 words) ... »
The State of Global WiMAX: The 2009 Report
No disrespect to Clearwire, but I’ve long maintained that the future of WiMAX, the wireless broadband technology is outside of the U.S. The end of 2009 report issued by The WiMAX Forum has only reaffirmed my belief. According to the report: There are 519 wireless broadband Internet deployments based upon WiMAX in 146 countries around... »
Airvana’s Peculiar Acquisition Announcement
What should we make of Airvana’s (AIRV) announcement that a private equity group is buying the company for $530 million, or $7.65 a share in cash? With $205 million in cash and equivalents as of September, plus almost $40 million collected subsequently from Ericsson, Airvana has more cash than it needs, so this isn’t... »
Verizon Perfects the Art of the Non-answer
When the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a few weeks ago asked Verizon to explain why it doubled its early termination fees, I thought it was a good idea that the FCC was raking the wireless giant over the coals. You know, keeping them honest and whatnot. My stance prompted one Verizon spokesperson to jokingly... »
With BendBroadband, HSPA+ Super-fast Wireless Broadband Arrives in the U.S.
BendBroadband, a Bend, Ore.-based cable operator, this morning launched a next-generation wireless broadband network that uses HSPA+ technology, thus becoming the first company in the U.S. to do so. T-Mobile USA has a trial network up and running in Philadelphia, though it has yet to launch a commercial service. HSPA+ is an upgrade to the... »
Hype: Google VoIP phone pictures hit the Internet?
Google is getting everyone to rewrite their holiday wishlists this week with its leaks of what some claim are pictures of the new Google VoIP phone. Sure it looks kinda like the T-Mobile MyTouch I already have in my pocket, but that wont stop tech nerds from ranting about it, and I–dear readers–am one... »
Europe’s txtr Ready to Fight Amazon’s Kindle
txtr, a Berlin-based startup, is building an e-reader that it hopes will be Europe’s answer to the Amazon Kindle. Christophe Maire, CEO of the company, sat down with me in Paris earlier this week and gave me the details. He is one of the co-founders of gate5, a German navigation/mapping service that was acquired... »
Google Takes A Page Out of Best Buy’s Playbook
Everyone who knows consumer electronics knows that in the USA, BestBuy is considered one of the savviest of retailers around, ranking up there with WalMart. So it's not a surprise to me that Google has taken a page out of the BestBuy playbook that basically broke the price controls, ludicrous terms and changed the... »
All Hail the iPod touch
As the competition for smartphone domination starts to heat up, it is becoming increasingly clear that the iPod touch is Apple’s ace up its sleeve, and according to a report by Flurry, a San Francisco-based mobile analytics company, 24 million iPod touches represent about 40 percent of the total 58 million iPhone OS devices. From... »
The Google Phone
Let's try to clear up the rumor that a Google Phone that reportedly is coming out in January. That is if you can believe any blog that tells you its a rumor. First of, one has to expect that the phone would not be for the traditional mobile network. Honestly if I was Google I'd... »