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March 31, 2005
Tradeshow Industry Taking Notice of Jason Chudnofsky's Move to pulver.com
(nice picture Jason!)
Posted by jeff at 08:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Jon Arnold now has a Blog!
Jon Arnold's blog has launched as a new pulver.com hosted blog.
Jon will be providing his perspective on the IP Communications scene from a Canadian perspective.
Posted by jeff at 07:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 30, 2005
How to Use Inevitable Vertical Consolidation as the Vehicle to Create a Positive Regulatory Structure (A Few Preliminary, Triggering Thoughts):
// Another chapter in the pulver.com book on the evolution of the IP Communications Industry
[Caveat: I'm usually not one to discourage mergers in the communications industry. I am sure there are quite a number of entrepreneurs who would like nothing more than to be acquired by a well-heeled company, with the deep-pockets, connections and resources to realize the visions and dreams of the founders. For this reason, I generally don't think the merger process should be overly expensive, time-consuming or burdensome on the acquirer, the target or government. Sometimes, I think we should all be so lucky to be an acquisition target. Why discourage would-be acquirers? I also don't like the idea of wasting government resources on mergers. Having said that, I do believe that there may be unique opportunities to achieve positive results in the context of a merger proceeding that legislators, regulators, jurists, and policymakers otherwise might not have the stomach to accomplish without the hook of a pending merger.]
Dave Dorman said something rather revealing a few weeks ago at a House Commerce Committee Hearing on telecom mergers. During the Bell-IXC love fest, Dorman suggested two contradictory reasons why the SBC-AT&T merger is in the public interest. To paraphrase: First, he said that SBC and AT&T should be allowed to merge because there are so many other unaffiliated IP-based communications providers out there that AT&T would not be missed. Dorman also said that AT&T could not survive as an unaffiliated player without its own last-mile access facilities. These two statements beg the question: If AT&T, the largest of all the unaffiliated providers, cannot survive without access to its own last-mile facilities, how does Dave Dorman expect the countless others to survive?
Perhaps the answer comes in using the merger process as the vehicle to install a few minimally-intrusive obligations that might ensure the ongoing viability of application layer competition and the survivability of the unaffiliated IP-based communications providers. The truth is that the existence of these potentially countless number of unaffiliated IP-based communications providers have been and will continue to be pointed to as the reason why there is no longer a need for common carrier and other regulatory oversight over the traditional telecommunications providers. But it the unaffiliated VoIP ASPs die, doesn't that beg for re-implementation of common carrier rules? So let's see if we can develop a simple structure that doesn't kill the unaffiliated and let's the Bells, cablecos and others proceed with little regulatory oversight.
What has become clear over the years is that, ironically, mergers are among the only vehicles that regulators have successfully used to advance the ball for competition. All relevant rulemaking proceedings have become so politically charged that it is, first of all, a painstakingly long process, with untold draining of regulator time and resources. Second, most rulemakings only allow for incremental baby steps for fear of devastating any politically-connected special interest or industry segment. Third, rulemakings are often subject to protracted legal, reconsiderations, vacations, remands.
The FCC has limited resources. I think there are only about 14 attorneys left in the Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau. Can 14 attorneys handle both the IP-Enabled Service proceeding and the inevitable flood of merger reviews? I'm not sure how many staffers are handling the inter-carrier comp and universal service reform issues, not to mention the scores of other relevant proceedings that the FCC should review this year. It is quite possible that the mergers will suck many resources away from all of these worthy proceedings. I'm not suggesting that the mergers should suck up all of the FCC resources. I'd love to see a positive, technology and innovation-promoting, IP-Enabled Services Order soon. I would also like to see the implementation of a more reasonable intercarrier compensation regime. But, if the mergers are destined to suck all of the FCC's resources, is there some way to use the process to do some good.
So, is there a way to snatch victory from the jaws of regulatory stalemate? Mergers have proven to be good means to extract concessions where regulators otherwise might not have had the stomach or the clearest legal hook to adopt rules. Look at the AOL - Time Warner merger. The FCC has not been able to compel the cablecos to allow independent ISP access to end-users. But, because of the AOL-TW merger, those on the Time Warner network do have a choice of ISPs. Whichever way the Supreme Court rules in Brand X, these users will not be affected. A reversal and remand of a rulemaking would have jeopardized these consumers' access to unaffiliated ISPs.
Admittedly, some merger conditions have not had their intended effect, either because they were largely overly broad or easily loopholed into meaninglessness. SBC and Verizon were both obligated to provide significant out-of-reach competition as conditions of their prior, respective mergers. I think the lack of inter-region competition by the Bells speaks for itself -- no cross-Bell competition when, as the Bells put it, UNE prices are so low, each Bell is practically giving its network away to would-be competitors? That is pretty telling.
In any event, if orchestrated properly, I think it is possible to get the Bells to do the right thing in the context of their respective mergers, much of which they seem very willing to do anyway.
First, I would get each entity to commit to Net Freedom and consumer empowerment obligations with immediate, self-effectuating and meaningful penalties for violations of a consumer's net freedoms. In particular, no merged company may interfere with the consumer's right to access the content or applications of the consumer's choice; no merged company may interfere with the consumer's right to attach the personal devices of the consumer's choice. We'll undoubtedly fight over the details surround QoS guarantees to unaffiliated providers (i.e., Should the Bell be allowed to offer a higher quality product to its own customers? Should the quality of provisioning to unaffiliated ASPs evolve over time as consumer expectations change?) These are tough questions, but probably a lot easier than the evolving impairment standard that has plagued the wholesale unbundling regime of Title II of the Telecom Act for 8 years. Perhaps, the bottom-line should be that the merged entity cannot discriminate against the unaffiliated ASPs vis-a-vis the merged entities treatment of its other retail customers AND its own affiliated ASPs (e.g., AT&T's Call Vantage).
Which brings me to my second concession proposal. Each entity should commit to establishing a separate IP-based communications separate affiliate. In SBC's case this could simply mean preserving AT&T CallVantage. The separate affiliate could be used as the benchmark to verify that all unaffiliated IP-based communications providers are dealt with on just, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory rates, terms, and conditions. This is not a perfect solution, but it's got to be better than what we've got now. There will still be some room for cross-subsidies and insider dealing. Frankly, would SBC really care if it gouged AT&T CallVantage if it meant simply taking money out of one pocket and putting it in the other, while using its other hand to take money out of a lot of other unaffiliated pockets? Second, the type of provisioning that SBC might provide to CallVantage is not necessarily the type of provisioning that every other IP-based communications provider might prefer. There would have to be room for some reasonable flexibility in provisioning and building to suit the needs of other customers, so that we all don't become mere cookie-cutters from the CallVantage mold.
I suspect that the intercarrier compensation issues will become less relevant after the mergers, but not necessarily. As SBC and Verizon become net payers of interstate access, or, at least, the revenue becomes less significant, we'll see some movement towards bill and keep or cost-based intercarrier compensation. I do have some concerns about the sanctity of backbone peering relations. With the largest Bells owning the largest backbones, will they begin to "de-peer" with others? That would certainly set the power and ubiquity of the Internet back a long way.
I think I would also suggest that the merged entities commit to offering a reasonably priced naked broadband product to retail customers. Verizon and Qwest have already committed to offering naked DSL. The cablecos currently offer unadulterated broadband transmission without compelling the end-user to purchase the cablecos own voice product. If this product is inevitable and the sleeves-off-their vests, why not ask the merged entities to commit to it?
A final note on consolidation and its affect on VoIP companies as retail customers rather than as potential competitors of the Bells. To some extent, IP-based communications provider are really just large users of telecommunications services, like all other large users. As such, they are subject to the potential problems that beset all large users after losing competitive suppliers. In the special access market, loss of AT&T and MCI, will mean loss of the two largest competitive sources of special access. The FCC has deemed the special access market competitive based on the competitive offerings of AT&T and MCI. With these competitors gone as stand-alone providers, there will likely be significantly less competition in the special access market. I suspect this might result in dramatic price increases in the less competitive special access market, unless the regulators or anti-trust authorities take some action to ensure that the market behaves as if it were competitive.
The question emerges, when will the positive concessions apply evenly across all carriers? It would be most unfortunate if SBC and Verizon were the only entities obligated to adhere to these positive obligations.
These are just my initial, evolving impressions. I welcome your thoughts and feedback.
Posted by jeff at 07:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Kagoor Acquired by Juniper Networks
Congrats to ODK and his team at Kagoor!
I've known ODK since his days at VocalTec and I wish Opher and his team continued success!
Look for other Session Border Controller (SBC) companies to be in play during the rest of 2005. A roll-up "poof" IPO of some of the others would not surprise me.
Posted by jeff at 07:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Another Milestone in the history of pulver.com: Jason Chudnofsky has joined the pulver.com team!
Personally, I am real excited to announce we were able to attract someone of the global stature and reputation in the tradeshow business such as Jason Chudnofsky. As pulver.com transitions into our next phase of growth, I will be looking to Jason’s forward thinking, innovation and experience as we develop and introduce new events around the world.
Jason joined pulver.com’s Events Group as our CEO. In this newly created position, Jason will expand the pulver tradeshow, conference and events franchise into new US and global markets.
Jason has been a pioneer in the unprecedented expansion of US-based technology events worldwide. He may be best known for his role in growing the Comdex tradeshows in the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1988 Jason became President of the Trade Show Division of The Interface Group which produced Comdex. In April 1995, when The Softbank Corporation of Japan acquired Comdex, Jason became President and CEO of Softbank Comdex, Inc. His responsibilities continued when ZD Events and Key3Media Events acquired the assets of Comdex. In the 90's Jason also served as President and CEO of the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas.
It is an honor to have Jason as a member of the pulver.com team. I am looking forward to working together with him.
Posted by jeff at 01:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Paul Kapustka on Brand X and Net Freedoms
Advanced IP Pipeline: Jeff Pulver On Why 'Brand X' Matters
Advanced IP Pipeline: 'Net Freedoms' Face Challenges
Posted by jeff at 12:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 29, 2005
Up-to-the-Minute pulver Coverage of Brand X
Well our man in Washington, Jonathan Askin, was not able to get into the Brand X argument, so he is trying to give me a quick play-by-play from the steps of the Supreme Court.
Thanks to OpenPark, Jonathan has Internet Access from the steps of the Supreme Court. If Brand X goes the wrong way, will the Supreme Court become Jonathan's home as he attempts to gain access to alternate ISPs?
Most of the excitement appears to be centered around the Grokster Case. (see photos below) There were many vocal protestors on both sides march at the foot of the Supreme Court. Interestingly, there do not appear to be anyone rallying for or against Brand X. A more sober crowd of lawyers watched and speculated on possible outcomes of the Brand X argument.
While both cases might have dramatic consequences on the consumer's Internet and communications experience, it is quite possible that the seemingly less visible Brand X ruling might prove to have more sweeping effects on the future of one's Internet experience.
No one seemed to get a good read on the Grokster Case, but it did seem that the ISPs were a bit more confident exiting the Supreme Court after the Brand X argument. Justice Scalia, in particular, questioned the FCC logic in its Cable Modem Order which was the subject of the Brand X Argument. Scalia essentially questioned how a service ceases to be the same service once you add another service on top of it. If a car dealer adds windshield wipers to a car, is the dealer no longer selling the underlying car? By analogy, an information service riding on a telecom service still includes an underlying telecom service. Thus, the cable modem service might include an underlying telecom transmission service subject to Title II regulation. If the FCC doesn't want to regulate the underlying transmission service, the proper process might have been the forbearance process.
Posted by jeff at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Pictures of Protest Outside Supreme Court for Grockster Case:
Jonathan Askin was our "man on the street" today at the Supreme Court in Washington D.C. and took the following photos using his Nokia 6600 Camera Phone of the people protesting both for and against Grockster.
Picture of protest outside Supreme Court for Grockster case
...And the opposition
more for Grockster
more against Grockster
Posted by jeff at 06:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Supreme Court to Hear Brand X Cable Modem Case this Morning:
This morning the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Brand X Case and consider the regulatory classification of cable modem service. If the Supreme Court gets beyond the procedural issues, and in fact deals with the substance of the case (the regulatory classification of cable modem service and, by analogy, other broadband delivery platforms), the conclusions in this case could dramatically affect the course of the Internet and communications policy and competition, including some incidental effects on the US VoIP industry.
Although the Brand X decision affects ISPs most directly, the Supreme Court's opinion might have some incidental effect on whether, and to what extent, unaffiliated Internet service providers are entitled to use the cable companies' networks to reach their subscribers. The Ninth Circuit had upheld a District Court decision reversing an FCC Order that had concluded that cable modem service was an "information service". Under the rejected FCC rule, cable modem service would not have been subject to telecom regulation, and therefore limited obligations would have been imposed on cable operators to make the cable plant available to competitive Internet access providers. The Ninth Circuit rejected the FCC's conclusions. The Ninth Circuit essentially acknowledged a "layered" regulatory model: the cable modem service includes both a regulated telecom transmission service upon which the unregulated Internet information service rides. The underlying telecom service would be subject to telecom regulation, while the information service riding the telecom transmission would not. Under this conception of cable modem service, it would seem that the current state of the law should be that unaffiliated ISPs should have access to end-users via cable modem. The reality, to date, however, seems to be that independent ISPs still don't have much access to cable customers except to the extent that the ISPs have negotiated access or the FCC or FTC have, otherwise, compelled access pursuant to merger agreements such as the conditions set forth in the AOL-Time Warner deal.
An initial question, however, in the case under review is whether, regardless of the merits of the dispute, the lower court should have given greater deference to the views of the FCC. If the Court only reaches this threshold question, the Supreme Court might simply send the case back to the Ninth Circuit for reconsideration under a more deferential standard of review. That would postpone judicial resolution of the regulatory classification of cable modem service and its ripple effect on other flavors of Internet access.
I believe that the Supreme Court decision is likely to trigger heavy activity at the FCC beginning the Summer of 2005. The FCC has been waiting (and waiting) for final resolution of the Brand X decision before it tackles the regulatory classification of all varieties of high-speed Internet access services. Once the Supreme Court releases an Opinion (most likely June '05), the Commission will attempt (again) to categorize and reconcile conflicting approaches to Internet access across multiple platforms. Most obviously, the FCC will attempt to develop a unified regime governing Internet access for cable modem service and for Bell-provided DSL and other broadband pipes.
In the United States, the Bell companies are still regulated as common carriers in their provision of DSL service and are required to offer their transmission capacity to unaffiliated Internet service providers. If the cable companies are determined, by a final ruling of the Supreme Court, that their cable modem services are not subject to telecom "fair access" regulations, then the Bells will have a much stronger "parity" argument that their facilities also should not be subject to competitive access when offering broadband Internet access services.
Thus, this decision will likely affect the course the FCC takes in several pending proceedings regarding the regulatory treatment of Internet access services provided by the Bell companies, most recently raised in BellSouth and Qwest petition for forbearance from Computer II obligations and the deregulation of DSL and other broadband services. The FCC has also been holding in abeyance a couple other broadband proceedings pending a Supreme Court decision in the Brand X case.
Some have argued that the Brand X decision will not affect the ability of consumers and ASPs to reach one another and maximize the capabilities of the network and their Internet experience. They may be right, but I have some fears about the slippery slope and what remains once all common carrier regulation of last-mile transmission facilities is stripped away. The FCC used Title II to compel Madison River to allow consumers to reach Vonage. If the underlying transmission service is not subject to Title II because it is not a telecom service, what legal hook is there to ensure that the consumer can reach alternate ASPs like Vonage or even FWD.
From the perspective of an unaffiliated VoIP provider, I believe it will be most important for the FCC to keep in mind the "Net Freedom" principles that both FCC Chairman Powell and FCC Commissioner Copps had been touting over the past year. If and when the FCC strips away some of the current safeguards ensuring competitive access to end-user customers who can only be accessed through a Bell company or cable last-mile bottlenecks, I think there had better be firm rules in place that would ensure consumers continued fair access to the Internet. If the Supreme Court determines that the cable companies do not have to provide access to competitive ISPs, we will see whether the regulators truly believe in net neutrality or whether they were just giving it lip service and using the concepts of "consumer empowerment" and "net freedom" in order to promote an unregulated free-for-all.
Posted by jeff at 06:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
March 28, 2005
Vegas Comdex Canceled (Again)
Las Vegas SUN: Vegas Comdex canceled
"...LVCVA officials said the Comdex mid-November show dates have been reserved, but since there has been no confirmation from organizers, the convention sales force is offering the space to other meetings. The LVCVA has taken Comdex off its own convention calendar.
Meanwhile, a new technology show focusing on telecommunications and Voice-over Internet Protocol is planned at the new Rio conference center Nov. 14-16. The new event, sponsored by Pulver.com, CMP Media and the Telecommunications Industry Association, will be called IP-4-IT 2005"
Posted by jeff at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Aswath has a Dream...To Let Net Freedom Ring!
Aswath Rao: Let (Net) Freedom Ring part 2
Posted by jeff at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Skype to SpeakOut (in Person) at Voice on the Net Canada 2005
When Skype's co-founder and CEO, Niklas Zennstrom, takes the microphone on Tuesday, April 19th at Voice on the Net Canada 2005, it will be the second time he has spoken about Skype in person at a VON event in North America.
It was at last year's event that Niklas shared his vision for the future of Skype and spoke about both SkypeOut and SkypeIn for the first time and shared the Skype product roadmap.
I'm looking forward to both seeing Niklas again and hearing what he has to say and watching the reaction of others in the room to what he says.
As the communication industry press again starts to understand the significance of his presence at our conference, I expect the number of press requests to attend Voice on the Net Canada to just continue to rise.
Posted by jeff at 06:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
VoIP Mission to Israel: Update
Our VoIP Mission to Israel, scheduled to take place the evening of June 14th and during the day on June 15th in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv continues to take shape. I recently met with Zohar Perry, the Israeli Economic Minister to North America and his Director of Communications. Both welcomed the initiative we have undertaken and we look forward to working with their staff.
We are now looking at the possibility of adding an additional component to the event program. We were asked to help play matchmaker to connect companies with promising technologies that are Israel based with companies outside of Israel. We are looking for very cool and promising Israel-based IP related technologies that could be part of, or spun off into new companies. If you are aware of such a company, please send an email to: jeffp@pulver.com.
Also, please feel free to drop me a line if you would like to join us on our VoIP Mission to Israel.
Posted by jeff at 01:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 27, 2005
Hey Om. Aswath, (and Andy): Net Freedom and Consumer Empowerment -- Let’s Start To Make Some Noise!
In the past few days, Om Malk, Aswath Rao and Andy Abramson (while sipping on wine on holiday in France) have all started to address some of the issues touching what are known as our "Net Freedoms."
The time is NOW for a Call to Arms to fight more vigorously for consumer empowerment and net freedom both in the US and all parts of the Broadband empowered world.
I do have growing concerns about the increasing instances of port blocking by those that control the access that consumers have to the Internet. Om Malik correctly noted in a blog yesterday that these instances have, thus far, only been perpetrated by smaller independents and start-ups. The most public occurrence was, of course, the Madison River blocking of Vonage. A couple of days ago, we noted an allegation that ClearWire was also blocking Vonage. I have heard about several instances overseas. I have not, to date, heard about the larger cable or Bell companies block or choking consumer access to the Internet.
The ClearWire incident alone should give us all some pause. Unlike Madison River, which is subject to Title II of the Telecom Act, ClearWire might not be subjected to similar Title II common carrier oversight (particularly if the Supreme Court reverses the 9th Circuit in the Brand X cable modem case and similar logic applies to other non-telecom carriers). Without Title II oversight, it becomes much less clear what the legal basis for Net Freedom exists that would keep Madison River, ClearWire, and others from blocking ports or otherwise choking consumer access to the Internet. I have serious concerns that there is currently no legal hook to compel non-Title II telecom carriers to abide by something akin to the general Section 201 authority that was used to entice Madison River to settle its port blocking case.
Frankly, I believe the Bells and cablecos are quite likely furious with the smaller controllers of last-mile access for flagging the ease by which it is possible to choke consumer access to ASPs that might offer competing voice and other communications services. The other day I heard a Bell rep use the “F” word ("Freerider") to describe what VoIP ASPs do. Several months ago, SBC’s Ed Whitacre used the word in the Wall Street Journal to describe Vonage and Skype. If I were Whitacre’s counsel, I would have suggested that he his mouth quiet for about a year, until SBC had successfully used the VoIP ASPs to achieve their end-game -- no regulation -- and then come after the ASPs as freeriders. This, frankly, is how the UNE-P and CLEC wholesale access issues essentially played out. By historic analogy, the existence of local competition by CLECs reselling Bell services through UNE-P (“unbundling” of the entire Bell service platform – essentially allowing CLECs to offer the same tired POTS services that the Bells offer at a 5% discount) was used to get the Bells long distance authority. UNE-P demonstrated “robust”, “irreversible” competition. Once the Bells got 271, however, they went after UNE-P providers as “freeriders.” The Bells got long distance authority and then killed the competition that got them there. I have grave concerns that the Bells will start using the "F" word more and more against unaffiliated VoIP application providers, much the way they called the UNE-P providers "Freeriders".
We have heard the early rumblings, even while the Bells still need us as the vehicle to get out from other more onerous unbundling and other common carrier obligations.
Frankly, I have never received an acceptable answer from any regulator about how to compel cable, Bells and others to commit to consumer net freedom, short of imposition of Title II common carrier obligations on all controllers of last-mile access. My key point is that the LECs and cablecos must not be allowed to use the unaffiliated VoIP ASPs as the hook to get out from unbundling and other common carrier and access obligations, and then kill off the ASPs once they've used the ASPs to obtain their objective. If the ASPs die, the LECs and cablecos must get re-regulated.
Another piece that irks me: The IP-based ASPs, unlike the UNE-P providers should not be considered “Freeriders”. Unlike UNE-P, ASPs genuinely increase the capabilities and value of the underlying networks. ASPs are not simply reselling the same old tired POTS service. The LECs and cablecos should, instead, recognize the symbiotic nature of the network/ASP relationship and help create a virtuous cycle where the application and edge players encourage broadband uptake and broadband deployment encourages adoption of new Internet applications and services.
I think the issue is how we guarantee net freedom beyond vague application of Section 201 of the Telecom Act. Even that application to Madison River is somewhat suspect. What if Madison River didn't have a speculated pending IPO? Would Madison River have fought or refused to accept the Consent Decree? And what happens to last-mile carriers not subject to Title II (e.g., wireless access providers; cablecos if Brand X is reversed and cable modem service is not a telecom service and therefore not subject to Section 201)? This is why a layered regulatory model to be applied across all delivery media makes sense to me.
The inability of a similar, relatively clear hook in other Titles of the Communications Act will make parity across platforms a little legally tenuous.
I fear that we are seeing rumblings of likely anti-competitive practices from the larger players and we should be immediately and eternally vigilant to ensure that we do not wake up some day next year to find that we have no viable means to stop port blocking and other activity designed to preclude IP-based ASPs from reaching consumers.
Over the past couple of years, I fear we have suffered from a variant of Stockholm Syndrome -- taking whatever nits and scraps the LECs are willing to throw our way as they dismantle the common carrier regime. If the existence of application layer competition is the Bells ticket out of from regulation, they have to keep us around and tout our possibilities until it is too late for common carrier oversight.
Now is time for us to shine a spotlight on these issues before it is too late – before there is no longer a place for unaffiliated IP-based ASPs. First they came for the CLECs, but I wasn't a CLEC so I didn't care; then they came for the ISPs, but I wasn't an ISP, so I didn't care; then they came for the unaffiliated IP-based ASPs, and there was no one left to care.
I hope there are members of the Blogsphere who we can count on in joining the fight and protect Net Freedom and Consumer Empowerment before it is too late.
Posted by jeff at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Star-Ledger Story on Chat Line Line "Bombing"
The Star-Ledger: False 'Help me!' is latest plague from phone chat
"...she was playing a game called "bombing" that she claimed is popular on the chat line, which can be accessed through dozens of local phone numbers...
...Callers ring police with fake emergencies, then watch how many police show up. In some cases, they make the ruse appear more authentic by using technologies to fool caller-ID systems and mimic the phone numbers of their victims."
My hope is that this kind of blatant abuse of our emergency phone systems will not be tolerated and the people who are responsible for such abuse are held directly accountable for their actions.
Posted by jeff at 06:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
March 26, 2005
After a Productive Week, I’m in a “Net Freedom” State of Mind
This week I met with the Israel Economic Mission in New York in regard to my upcoming VoIP Mission to Israel June 14-15, Level 3 withdrew their petition; I had an engaging meeting with members of the executive team of a major service provider; saw that Vonage was sued in Texas over 911 issues; I watched my kids on their birthday from the “Green Room” while they were on “U-Pick Live” on Nick TV, and I ended the week catching up with some of the better known “money people” in Boston after learning about another alleged VoIP port blocking incident.
This morning I woke up thinking back on the week that was and the one thing which stands out in my mind is what happens to Net Freedoms in the event the underlying service provider is not a “Title 2” service provider. What concerns me is that I remember a conversation I had with a Broadband Power Line (BPL) company last year and they made mention of the fact that allowing their customers to have access to Free World Dialup or any VoIP service which wasn’t associated with their own service wasn’t in their own best interests. They took issue with what they called the “free riders.” Reference to “free riders” also came up during my conversation with the service provider I saw this week. Blocking the services associated with “free riders” was the thought that came to mind when I first read Paul’s story on the alleged port blocking incident.
I don’t know what the solution is going to be but for the sake of our kids, if the Internet is going to still be as free as it is today, say ten years from now, public policy may need to need to be reformed to ensure that any consumer can just assume that they can run any lawful application of their choosing if they are a customer of any service provider who amongst their other services also provides direct access to the Internet.
If we don’t protect our net freedoms today, there may not be any to protect in the future.
Posted by jeff at 06:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Pulver, The Grateful Dead, the EFF and the Spirit of Ham Radio
The International Herald Tribune re-ran the recent Skype story from the New York Times.
In the story, John Perry Barlow refers to a random Skype call he took from a person in Vietnam and the Pulver Order receives an honorable mention. :-)
While it might not sound natural for someone to place or take a random call on purpose to a total stranger over the internet, one of the things which I've enjoyed being a ham radio operator during the past thirty years are the random conversations that I get into when I turn on my ham radio, tune to a clear frequency and say the words "CQ CQ."
Ten years ago when VocalTec launched Internet Phone, I remember spending quite a few hours at night during March, 1995 searching from a list of total strangers from various places around the world looking for someone to talk to every time I had a chance to turn on my home computer. During the course of 1995, I remember speaking with people who I got to know, and whose company I learned to enjoy. Instead of worrying about my antenna, radio or HF propagation and sunspots, all I had to deal with what computer I was using, my available bandwidth and my overall connectivity to the internet. While times were different then, the cool experience described by Ethan Todraw-Whitehall is one which anyone who has ever used a CB radio has experienced and something that ham radio operators just take for granted.
The advent of Skype seems to be finally making being a Geek a cool thing. :-)
Posted by jeff at 06:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 25, 2005
Paul Kapustka reports on the lastest chapter in the port blocking saga
Advanced IP Pipeline: Clearwire May Block VoIP Competitors
"At least one customer of Vonage Holdings Inc.'s VoIP service has reported an incident of having the service blocked by Clearwire, according to Brooke Shulz, vice president for corporate communications at Vonage. According to Shulz, when the customer asked why the service didn't work, a Clearwire representative told the customer that they couldn't use Vonage over Clearwire."
This may quickly turn into a debate of "terms of service" vs. "Net freedoms" and the way some service providers deal with what they consider to be "the free riders." Then again, this could also be another case of somebody trying to use the famed "chewbacca defense."
Posted by jeff at 07:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
The VONs Ahead...
Next month the pulver.com team will be in Toronto for our 2nd annual production of Voice on the Net Canada. This event is tracking to be double in size of where we were just a year ago. Our conference schedule provides a great way to learn about the Canadian VoIP industry and this time around our exhibit floor has grown to 35 vendors.
In May, when the pulver.com team travels to Stockholm for VON Europe 2005, we will be producing what is tracking to be our largest European VoIP event..ever. VON Europe 2005 is the industry trade show for the European VoIP Industry. This time around our exhibit floor will have more than 115 exhibitors and our conference agenda includes many of the leaders of the European VoIP industry.
Sandwiched in between both VON events is the return of our Washington D.C. policy summit. Our
Peripheral Visionaries' IP-based Communications Policy Summit 2005 will be taking a hard look at the state of telecom policy in the United States and where we may be headed.
Posted by jeff at 06:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 24, 2005
John Perry Barlow talks about Skype with the NYT
New York Times: Internet Phone Service Creating Chatty Network
Posted by jeff at 07:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Another EvDO Day...
While the LGA side of the Delta Shuttle has yet to discover Wi-Fi, if you are an EvDO subscriber, this no longer matters.
(posted on board Delta 1910 at the gate waiting to leave for Boston)
Posted by jeff at 07:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
2005: The Year the Cable Companies Made VoIP Happen...
One of my take aways from Spring 2005 VON was that by the end of 2005, in the US marketplace, the cable companies will collectively represent the larget segment of paid VoIP subscribers base.
Some of the highlights shared @ Spring 2005 VON:
- Cablevision is adding 12,000 customers per week (CPW) Jan and Feb; will be adding Local Number Portability (LNP) in March, and they address only 3M existing Verizon customers
- Time Warner adding 12k CPW currently & expanding.
- Comcast going from 3 to 20 markets in 2005 to address 15M subs (no current CPW reported)
- Cox expects to complete VoIP rollout to pass entire 7M subs in 2005 (no current CPW reported)
- Charter Communications and Adelphia will cover their territories by end of 2006 (7+M subs)
Posted by jeff at 05:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 23, 2005
Peripheral Visionaries' Summit - May 4th in Washington, D.C.
The Peripheral Visionaries' IP-Based Communications Policy Summit: Back to the Future of Communications
So what's a Peripheral Visionary? Someone who can see into the future -- but only way off to the side. Every industry body with a stake in VoIP has been vigorously presenting its unique perspective to legislators, regulators, judges, Wall Street, enterprises and consumers. We are all convinced of the righteousness of our respective positions, and, admittedly there is merit on each side, which is why the issue has become so intractable. Seldom have all interested parties had the moment to sit down in a room together to hammer out their differences and triangulate, quadrandragulate, or quintangulate their views. On May 4 in Washington, D.C. the leading trade associations and advocates on all sides of the IP-based communications debates will come together for a unified Policy Summit.
Jonathan Askin will be the host of the summit.
IP-technology twists the logic of everything we've come to think about communications, its regulation and its possibilities. The Peripheral Visionaries' Summit is designed to get beyond the rhetoric, to try to see the issues from contrary points of view, to learn from our respective histories, and to look ahead and figure out how we usher in the best possible collective future.
The Summit participants will include leading thinkers from inside and outside the Beltway, including technologists, entrepreneurs, advocates, policy makers and policy wonks. We suspect there is much that legislators, regulators, lobbyists, and policy wonks might learn from the technologists, entrepreneurs, innovators and futurists experimenting with the limits of their imaginations and the power of IP. We also suspect that the technologists have a lot to learn from the policy makers and thinkers formulating the rules that will govern the future of communications and drive technological innovation.
The Summit will also gather insight from those developing other, here-to-fore unimagined, applications taking advantage of IP technology, including those experimenting with video and broadcast applications. Perhaps these players might have something to learn from the seminal experiences of those embroiled in the current debates surrounding VoIP. And, perhaps, those developing the rules to reconcile VoIP with traditional communications policy might have something to learn from the perspectives offered by other IP innovators and entrepreneurs.
The Peripheral Visionaries' Policy Summit will bring to the table all sides with a stake in IP-based communications to find our common ground and to determine where we go from here so that the future of communications can be what it should be - a win-win for all.
Details are available at: http://pulver.com/policy.
Posted by jeff at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Happy Birthday Dylan and Jake!
My twin sons, Dylan and Jake turn 11 today.
It really is amazing how time flies and how quickly some things just happen.
Later today Dylan and Jake together with some of their friends will be the guests of today's Nick TV show "U-Pick Live"
I am glad that today is one of the days that I'm not on the road so I'm able to spend time with my kids on their birthday.
Posted by jeff at 06:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
March 22, 2005
Media Coverage of Level 3 Withdrawal of their FCC Petition
On the way home from Atlanta, I noticed the following stories:
Posted by jeff at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
EvDO Also Works well in Atlanta...
Last night I arrived in Atlanta for an all-day meeting I had today and once again I was reminded of the magic of the Verizon Wireless' EvDO service. At the moment I am enjoying broadband access speeds while I am checking my email while on board a plane waiting for my flight to leave for New York.
Posted by jeff at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
pulver.com PARTY at Supercomm 2005: June 7th in Chicago
For the forth year in a row, pulver.com will be hosting a party during Supercomm. This time the event takes place the night of June 7th at the House of Blues in Chicago and the Herding Cats will be back as our special musical guests.
Readers of my blog who are over 21 are invited to attend the party.
Please remember to R.S.V.P by June 3rd.
Posted by jeff at 07:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 21, 2005
Level 3 Withdraws Forbearance Petition to Preclude the Imposition of Access Charges on Connected IP-Wireline PSTN Traffic
Level 3 withdrew its pending forbearance petition at the FCC, just one day ahead of a mandatory FCC ruling. Grant of the petition would have made clear that connected IP-wireline PSTN services would not be hauled into the intercarrier compensation quagmire that currently plagues most of the US telecom industry. Denial of the petition would have left the industry with lingering uncertainty as to whether or not access charges should apply to connected VoIP services. I fear that withdrawal of the petition leaves us in that same ambiguous netherland. We have no rules dictating whether and, if so, what compensation might be owing to those last-mile wireline providers that "ever-so-graciously" connect VoIP providers to their "ever-so-precious" customers.
I have not yet seen an explanation from Level 3 as to why it withdrew its petition the day before the FCC was obligated to act on that petition. We, however, were at the FCC meeting with Level 3 and the FCC Commissioners late last week, and have had growing concerns that the FCC was not yet prepared to grant the petition. Perhaps the attitude was, pull the petition, build some good blood, live to fight another day, and hope for certain in the relative short term. Admittedly, with the FCC in the first week of its leadership transition, it was somewhat speculative how the issue might have played out, but, frankly, Chairman Martin, does strike me as someone who wants to lead us out of the intercarrier compensation absurdity as quickly as possible. I was hopeful that his leadership in granting the Level 3 petition would have moved us that much faster in the right direction.
Some have argued that the FCC should resolve all of the issues in one grand, unified, omnibus order. I have some concerns about the likelihood of such an effort. Frankly, the issues are so politically and economically volatile, it will take an FCC with a solid backbone to compel a unified solution. Perhaps (I hope), Chairman Martin has that spine.
The fact is that the FCC has been trying for 8 years. It's only been the occasional piecemeal efforts that have made the issues a little more susceptible to resolution. Imagine if the FCC had to move the LECs from 10 cent/minute tariffed access rates to bill-and-keep in one fell swoop, rather than from a "meager" ˝ cent/minute to something less. That would have been a political impossibility. Biting off a few stray, relatively innocuous, pieces here and there that doesn't pose immediate dramatic rate shock to an industry segment would be a nice way to segue into a more rational intercarrier compensation structure. I would think that the regulators would relish any action that would force everyone's hand and compel all industry players to sit down and hammer out a resolution that might hurt everyone a little at first, but ultimately would establish the right structure with the proper incentives to drive all innovators and entrepreneurs to building out broadband networks and deploying new technologies and services that promise to transform the ways in which we communicate. I, for one, am quite concerned about rolling out new services and technologies that might, perchance, require some connectivity to the wireline PSTN. God forbid I should be hit with an access charge bill for one on my FREE services. Did I mention my services are FREE? How am I supposed to deploy my services and build an IP-based communications community with the specter of access charges hanging over me? For now, I'm relegated to interconnect with other IP islands and, perhaps, with the wireless carriers, who seem to recognize the value of maximizing the capabilities and usage of their networks.
The bottom line is that the intercarrier comp regime is so screwed up that anything that forces all sides to sit down to negotiate a more sensible regime, such as bill-and-keep or peering-type arrangements, is a good thing in my mind. Grant of the Level 3 Petition would have brought us that much closer to resolution. At a minimum, it would have clearly exempted the IP-based communications providers from the regulatory swamp.
I still find it interesting to note that the LECs seem to have won the intercarrier comp battle on all sides. In those few instances where the LEC is the net payer of intercarrier compensation, the rate is astoundingly low (e.g., recip comp for ISP-bound traffic), and where the LEC is the net recipient of intercarrier compensation, those rates have remained staggeringly high (i.e., originating and terminating long distance traffic). Perhaps, once the Bells become net payers of long distance access (after their respective acquisitions of long distance providers), they will see the light and we will move to a more rational system of intercarrier compensation. By then, it will obviously be the sleeves off their vests. But perhaps, we will see, in hindsight, the absurdity of charging to connect to the users of the narrowband, wireline PSTN. Perhaps, then we will all begin to really look to the future and promote a ubiquitous, interconnected all-IP, all broadband network of networks.
I, for one, long for the day when the last-mile wireline carriers recognize that they need us as much as we need them - that creation of a unified, ubiquitous network of networks, with relatively easy transiting between and across platforms and technologies is in everyone's best interest and no one should be extracting monopoly rents to reach anyone else's captive customers.
Posted by jeff at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Jim Granelli on Brand X
LA Times: Justices Take Up Future of Net Access
Posted by jeff at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
David Marsden can now be heard on PulverRadio!
David Marsden, an inducted member of the of the radio wing of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can now be heard on PulverRadio.
David is a legend. He is the man who revolutionized radio at CFNY in Toronto. Then he did it at Coast 800 in Vancouver. And now he's going to do it again, at PulverRadio. His show runs 4 times a week, check the schedule for more details.
Tune to PulverRadio to hear what "Raw Rock Radio" sounds like.
Posted by jeff at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
March 20, 2005
VoIP Security on the Minds of Reporters from: AP and Reuters
In the past week, I have been contacted by reporters from both the Associated Press and Reuters regarding “concerns associated with VoIP security.” The Reuters story ran a couple of days ago and the AP story is still waiting in the hopper.
When being interviewed, most reporters are just looking for the sound bite(s) they can use. For these two stories, which I felt were being driven more by the hype of VoIP than reality, I spent much more time than usual providing background information with the hope that the stories which ended up getting published were not so sensational. The way the stories started out, I was imagining the headline running on the front page of the National Enquirer.
While being interviewed, I tried to explain was that most of the Internet Protocols (IP) were built with an inherent concept of ‘trust’ in them and that if someone wanted to exploit this “trust”, it was quite possible to do so. I also offered that with regard to VoIP security, one should first take at least the same level of precautions one would when securing their office email, web server and other production communication servers…after all, there is a reason why firewalls do exist.
When the topic of SPIT came up, I once again suggested that if an office IT person were to apply similar protection as one might be using to fight corporate email spam, spam over VoIP should be a non-issue. Eventually, once we move to a model where the people one communicates with all share a token of authenticity, such that each end point is authenticated and trusted, problems like SPIT and email spam can just disappear.
Posted by jeff at 08:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
March 19, 2005
The “Obligations” of Social Networking
I’ve been on LinkedIn since the Fall of 2003, and along the way have also explored Friendster, Orkut and few other social networks.
When I first got started on LinkedIn, I sent out about a dozen invitations to friends to join and thought it would be interesting to just be a member and see what happens over time. To date, I have yet to request to be introduced to anyone on LinkedIn and yet I somehow now have 595 “connections.”
It turns out that social networking introduction request spam is becoming an increasing noticeable source of spam in my inbox.
During the past few months, I’ve noticed an increase in the number of people on LinkedIn trying to use me to make a connection with someone, in most cases from someone whom I hardly know. What most people on social networks fail to recognize is that in real life “an introduction is an endorsement” and yet it seems that strangers want me to forget about this in the virtual world and just make the introduction.
I have no issue introducing two people who are friends of mine to each other but I generally hesitate blindly introducing a total stranger to a friend since I generally wouldn’t want this happening to myself.
As far as I’m concerned, people shouldn’t be shy in trying to make a direct introduction on behalf of themselves. What is the worst thing someone can do? Ignore your request? As long as the person sending email to: jeffp@pulver.com isn’t yet another college student asking me to in effect help them write their term paper on disruptive communications, I’m generally pretty good at replying to email requests from people whom I don’t know or don’t remember.
I’m not so sure what the obligations of social networking really are but I for one, no longer feel obligated to “take action” to forward link requests from strangers to my friends.
Posted by jeff at 08:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
2005 Mets Home Opening Day – April 11th
This year the Mets opening day is taking place six games into their 2005 season. By the time the New York Mets open their season at Shea Stadium in New York on April 11th, they would have been part of two other opening day ceremonies –the Reds home opener and the Braves home opener.
While it would be great to see these “new” Mets come out of Spring training and into their season with a running start, the first Mets home game of the season is always a fun game to attend. I’m planning on being there, together with 55,000 other Met fans.
Posted by jeff at 07:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 18, 2005
2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Vh1 - Tomorrow Night
Tomorrow night at 9pm EST Vh1 will air their edited broadcast of the 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Posted by jeff at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Fall 2005 VON Exhibit Space...Almost sold out! (again)
In the weeks leading up to Spring 2005 VON our sales team had practically sold out the Fall VON show floor. As a result, we expanded the layout so that we would have additional spaces to sell while we were on-site in San Jose last week. Turns out that we have sold out most of our available inventory. While Fall 2005 VON doesn't take place until the week of September 19th, our exhibit floor is just about sold out again.
Fall 2005 VON will have at least 250 exhibitors from around the world and will be our largest exhibit floor to date.
Posted by jeff at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Back from Vermont...and back on the road again
For me, 2005 so far as been the 'year of the road trip' as I and members of the pulver.com team have spent much more time away from the office than I can ever remember.
Looking at my own personal schedule, I am not aware of any week this year that I will be able to manage to spend five consecutive days in the office. While in theory this is all "my choice", it doesn't always feel that way.
Last week I somehow managed to decline an invitation to testify at the House VoIP Hearings this past Wednesday (only because the price of saying "yes" would have been much, much greater than the cost of saying "no" – given my already scheduled vacation).
While I was away, the pulver.com team successfully produced our Wi-Fi VoIP Summit in New Orleans co-located at CTIA Wireless 2005 and Jonathan Askin did a great job filling in for me at Catholic University yesterday at their Spring Symposium: "The Telecommunications Act of 1996 A Case of Regulatory Obsolescence."
While Voice on the Net Canada 2005 will be taking place only 30 days from now, over that time, I'm already scheduled to travel to Atlanta (twice), Boston, Washington, D.C., Milan and San Francisco.
After experiencing what being "slow" means during 2002 and 2003, I have no complaints at all of being "busy”...it is that I am just trying to figure out how to be "busy" and still manage to get more things done. ;-)
Posted by jeff at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 17, 2005
VoIP Mission to Israel: June 14-15 2005
Amidst all the news, excitement and energy from Spring 2005 VON, there was another initiative in the works that did not make any headline news, but was a personal turning point for me in the ten years I have been part of this industry.
When word starting getting out about our VoIP Mission to Israel, I was amazed at how many people approached me in person and through emails, about getting involved, and being a part of this unique event.
While the dates of when this will be taking place had been floating a bit, the dates and venues have now been set and I am now looking for confirmations of people from both North America and Europe who would like to join us in this activity. Please email: jeffp@pulver.com to join this very exciting mission.
The purpose of the VoIP Mission to Israel is to recognize, and bring attention to the role leading Israeli companies, individuals, venture capitalists, and government policy makers have played in the creation and continued growth of the VoIP industry. On the evening of June 14, we will be at Jerusalem City Hall where we will hold a reception and awards ceremony. On June 15, we will be in Tel Aviv where pulver.com will host a one day conference addressing business, technology and policy issues related to VoIP.
Posted by jeff at 08:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Bright Skies and Snow in Vermont
The past day and a half turned out to be much more relaxing than I had expected it to be...and I learned that walking around a mountain with snow shoes can be a lot of fun. :-)
Bright Vermont Skies
Posted by jeff at 07:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 16, 2005
Kevin Martin Named New FCC Chairman
A new era at the FCC is dawning (alongside the new era in Communications) with the announcement by the President today that Kevin Martin will become the new Chairman of the FCC.
Chairman Martin will not exactly be a wild card to our industry.
As a Commissioner for several years, he has demonstrated a keen intellect and savvy political instincts and skills. I’m looking forward to working with him to advance the cause of IP-based communications and to enable IP-based entrepreneurs and innovators to continue to transform the ways in which people communicate. My experience has been that Mr. Martin has an uncanny ability to put all the pieces together and to bring parties to common ground for mutual benefit. While being Chairman requires a different skill set than being a Commissioner, I’m confident that, Kevin Martin will prove to be a savvy, politically astute Chairman with the ability to hammer out difference and find common ground.
Posted by jeff at 06:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Relaxing by staying connected
A week after Spring 2005 VON and the day after Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, I left Long Island to spend a couple of days in the Green Mountains of Vermont, while the winter snow is still visible. In the past a visit to this Inn/Resort was anything but a relaxing vacation because the best connectivity I was able to achieve was a 21.6k dialup connection and that isn’t how I would describe fun.
It has been more than a year since I’ve last been here and to my surprise the Inn has discovered broadband in rural Vermont. It turns out that last spring the owners of the Inn made a capital investment to run fiber from their main house to each of the cottages/cabins across their 300 acres estate. The availability of free, high-speed internet access in my room enabled my internal relaxation bit and for the moment, while there are quite a number of things which I could be involved in, for now I’m going to focus on the art of taking it easy and seeing how that goes.
The ironic part of vacations like the one I’m on, is that by the time I usually get used to where I am, it’s time to go home. Maybe this time will be different.
Posted by jeff at 07:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 15, 2005
Images from the 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Christy Turlington
Percy Sledge
Dan Aykroyd
Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood
The Edge
McEnroe and Patti Smythe
Ahmet Ertegun
Jann Wenner
Silvo, Bobby and Tony
Ice-T
Justin Timberlake
Eric Clapton and B.B. King
Eric Clapton
Buddy Guy
Neil Young
Chrissie Hyde gives Neil Young a hug
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce gives U2 a Hug
U2
Posted by jeff at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2005 Induction Ceremonies: What a Night!
Last night the class of 2005 was inducted at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The evening started out with a lot of fun and built up to one amazing night. There were quite a number of celebrities in the room last night, in addition to the friends and family members of those inducted as well as quite a few executives from the record industry.
After dinner was served, the first person honored was Frank Barsalona,. There for the induction was Tony Soprano, (James Gandolfini), Bobby, (Steve Schirippa) and Silvio (Steven van Zandt), together with a couple of girls from the “Bada Bing” club. It was Little Stevie’s Silvio who remained totally in character who did the induction. Totally unexpected and a lot of fun.
This was followed by Ice-T whose induction speech of Sire Records founder Seymour Stein was quite heartfelt. Seymore started off his acceptance speech by reading a portion of his haftorah and was one of the more emotional speeches. Seymour will be celebrating 50 years in the music business in another month and some of the people who he was responsible for signing were there last night to share in his celebration.
For a welcome change, each of the artists who were inducted last night also performed. Also, unlike in past years, each of the presenters who did the induction appeared to be cogent and totally sober.
The O’Jays sounded great and the were inducted by Justin Timberlake who said: "Anyone who's ever written, produced or performed something soulful stands in the shadows of these giants."
Rod Steward was there to induct Percy Sledge who performed: "When a Man Loves a Woman."
This was followed by both B.B. King and Eric Clapton having the honors to induct Buddy Guy. The words spoken were heartfelt and the 3-way jam session which followed that included B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton was just amazing to be at. They could have played all night and nobody would have mind. Just an amazing part of Rock History in the room.
The Pretenders were up next and Neil Young had the honors. And Chrissie Hyde sounded great too. Chrissie told the audience she knows the Pretenders have sounded like a tribute band for the past 20 years. "We are a tribute band…We're paying tribute to James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon, without whom we would not have been here."
For a real special treat, and to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of rock 'n' roll, those of us in the room were given a performance by Bo Diddley with Eric Clapton and Robbie Robertson…and to add to the treat, the great Jerry Lee Lewis came onstage to the piano and performed "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On."
The most memorable induction speech of the evening once again was given by Bruce Springsteen when he inducted U2. Bruce just stood out when he described meeting the band for the first time and what it meant to him when he heard “uno, dos, tres, catorce”, spoken in his home. “The translation is one, two, three, fourteen. That is the correct math for rock 'n' roll. The whole had better equal a lot more than the sum of its parts _ or else you're just rubbing two sticks together." Bruce also had fun talking about U2’s iPod deal and poking fun of their so-called commercial sellout. He then suggested he wouldn’t mind doing a similar deal for a red, white and blue iPod himself.
Each member of U2’s speeches were equally great and this lead to U2 putting on a performance which on a night of memorable performances was quite memorable. Though they weren't inducted until after midnight, just about everyone who entered the room starting at 7.30pm was still there.
While the show will be broadcast on vh1 on Saturday, much of the energy of the room will remain a memory shared by those who were there to see it in person. The two hour recap broadcast can hardly do, what was witnessed and felt last night much justice.
Posted by jeff at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
March 14, 2005
News from Spring 2005 VON:
To date there have been quite a number of stories published about Spring 2005 VON
Below are a selected variety of stories from both the published media and the blogshere:
Networking Pipeline: Networking Week In Review: All VoIP, All The Time
Newsfactor: VoIP Talk Getting Louder in 2005
CNET: This week in VoIP
Light Reading: VoIP Parasites Take Heart
Voxilla: Beginning of the End for the ATA?
PC World: Focus on 'Net Phone Hardware at VoIP Show
Techworld (UK): Voice on Wi-Fi is no good till it roams to cells
Keralanext.com (India) FCC Chief Warns VoIP-Backers of Rock Star Syndrome
eWeek: SBC Merger Won't Derail AT&T's Plans
Red Herring You've got VoIP
PC Magazine AOL Readies Internet Phone service
VON Daily Buzz: Sculley Joins The VoIP Market
VON Daily Buzz: Gallagher: VoIP Helps U.S. Economy
Telephony Online Update: Editor's Perspective: Rock stars, R2-D2 and Neverland
Telephony's Software Decode: Mack-inations: V-VON v-v-v-voom
Red Herring: VoIP's big party
Red Herring: A VoIP Bubble?
cNET: Net phone company dials without a license
CBS News: Web Phones, Demystified
San Jose Mecury News: Phone Calls Destined to be sent like email, as packets of data
eWeek: Port Blocking Draws Congressional Interest
IT World SPRING VON: Powell sees VOIP consensus building
Information Week: Don't Expect Telecom Reform in '05
San Jose Business Journal: FCC Chief gets warm reception at VON confab
Converge Digest: VON Keynote: Beyond the Tipping Point.
The Industry Standard: VOIP players gear up for fast-growing market
Network World Fusion: VoIP apps take center stage at VON
Network World Fusion: Fight for regulatory changes, Powell tells VoIP providers
Network World Fusion: VON: AT&T Labs shows off latest VoIP conferencing technology
Infoworld: Business VoIP services come online
geekbooks: Will AOL Become the 800-Pound Gorilla of VOIP?
Andy Abramson had quite a number of related VON Blog entries, including: Om Malik's VoN Reflections
James Seng on VON: VON Exhibits (Part I)
James Seng: VON Blogger Panel
Alec Saunders @ VON
IP Inferno: VON Panel, the Sequel
Om Malik: Vonage IPO and other VoN 2005 Reflections
Mark Evans: Om, it's not dot-VOIP yet
Jeff Pulver: Tuesday Pictures from VON
Posted by jeff at 08:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Spring 2005 VON Recap: A week that WAS!
As promised, the week of March 7th 2005 was a very big week for the world of VoIP when Spring 2005 VON took place in San Jose. There were literally hundreds of press releases issued and hundreds of related stories filed by the attending media during the week.
Last week I felt both humble and proud while VON was taking place. Having been there five years ago in 2000 when just about everyone in the tech conference space had a great year (us included) and having experienced the past five years to come back bigger and more energized than before, it sure felt great to be there. Each time I produce VON I experience something I've learned to call: VON Blur. Last week I ended up disconnecting from the virtual world and stopped checking email. 4,000+ emails later, in hindsight I regret that I missed the opportunity to catch up with some friends during VON because I didn't see their messages. Going forward, if I ended up disconnecting, I will suggest for people to send me SMS if they must reach me while VON is going on.
Tuesday, March 8th was especially memorable for me as it was the day that AOL said Hello! to the VoIP industry which was followed thirty minutes later with FCC Chairman Michael Powell saying Goodbye!
This time at VON I attended and participated in more sessions that I have done in years and in addition to my Industry Perspective on Tuesday morning, I moderated our General Session: Ten Years Back, Ten Years Forward. I was one of the panelists in our VoIP Bloggers session and sat in a number of sessions including our Peripheral Visionaries panel which in addition to the invited speakers, included a friend of mine, Monte Farber, who is a world renown psychic and was in the audience to share his take on the future.
In San Jose we experienced what can be best described as the "second wave" in the growth and depth of the IP Communications industry. The 6,000 people who were part of our community in San Jose were the largest we have ever hosted. There was a depth with regard to the kinds of companies represented and the number of people who came to visit the exhibit floor. Our conference delegate community also experienced growth and we really did end up being just about double in size of where we were in Spring 2004 and grew by about 20% from Fall 2004 VON in October.
Walking around the show floor, I couldn't help but notice that the ecosystem supporting Open Source Communications is growing and that just like how the advent of VoIP disrupted the business plans of traditional carriers during the past seven years, open source communications will have a similar effect on the legacy PBX marketplace. PBX vendors need to do more than just add IP to their roadmaps and learn how to add a S to that and talk S-IP.
I enjoyed watching a Wi-Fi VoIP ecosystem demonstration that showcased Wi-Fi/GSM roaming. This was the logical next step after seeing the powerpoint pitches describing this last October during Fall 2004 VON. I also enjoyed the demo of a new telephone form factor that was on display in one of the booths.
The Spring 2005 VON Community was 6,000 people in size representing 52 countries. While all of the delegates didn't speak English, they all did speak IP. :-)
Spring 2005 VON brought back memories of 2000 in many ways. Seeing the re-emergence of both the Industry Standard and Red Herring added to the feelings.
The pulver.com team will be on the road producting a number of events during 2005. Next stops on the "2005 pulver.com World Tour" include:
Posted by jeff at 07:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 13, 2005
pulver.com @ CTIA Wireless 2005
Tomorrow members of the pulver.com team will be flying to New Orleans to produce our “Wi-Fi VoIP Summit”, taking place on Tuesday, March 15th. The Wi-Fi VoIP Summit is one of the conferences taking place in partnership with the CTIA at CTIA Wireless 2005.
Based on the registration reports to date, I expect we will end up with a conference community similar in size to the number of people who were part of our recent Consumer VoIP Summit which took place during CES 2005.
I expect the “VoIP Roar” heard last week in San Jose during Spring 2005 VON to be continued to be heard this week in New Orleans.
Posted by jeff at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Attending tomorrow's 2005 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in NYC
Tomorrow night at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC should be a great evening of Rock and Roll when: Buddy Guy, Percy Sledge, The O'Jays, The Pretenders and U2 are all inducted into the class of 2005 of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Tomorrow night will be a great night for the family and friends of the Rock Hall class of 2005.
While Vh1 will broadcast the show next weekend, a lot of what happens at the Waldorf-Astoria stays at the Waldorf-Astoria and ends up on the editing room floor. This includes some of the musical performances and many of the words associated with each of the artist's induction.
I have been attending the Induction Ceremony since 2002 and every year the event takes on its own unique feeling and I'm sure tomorrow night will be no different.
I always find it interesting who is chosen to induct each of the honored artists. Tomorrow night, Justin Timberlake is inducting The O'Jays; Neil Young inducts The Pretenders; Rod Steward will be there to induct Percy Sledge; B.B. King together with Eric Clapton will do the honors to induct Buddy Guy and the eyes of the music world will be on Bruce Springsteen when he inducts U2.
Once again I will be there in the audience with my camera in hand with the hope of bringing back some digital memories for my blog.
Posted by jeff at 08:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
March 12, 2005
Q&A with Vonage CEO Jeff Citron in Business Week
Business Week: Vonage Puts Its Money on the Line
Includes discussion of churn, customer acquisition costs and subscriber growth
Posted by jeff at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Telephony Online: Two Voices from Spring 2005 VON
It took me a day to catch up on the 4,000 emails waiting for me since Monday when I was in San Jose.
During the process of catching up, I ran across the online newsletters of two voices from Telephony Magazine, Jason Meyers and Tim McElligott and their accounting and insights surrounding Spring 2005 VON just made me smile.
Posted by jeff at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 11, 2005
Andy on Om looking back at Spring 2005 VON
I just read Andy's blog on his Spring 2005 VON reflections.
Andy, Thank you for taking the time to recognize members of the pulver.com team. It was great to see you in San Jose and watching you work the Press Room. :-)
Posted by jeff at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Spring 2005 VON Show Daily Recap
At Spring 2005 VON we introduced our own show daily which was written and produced by Paul Kapustka.
Posted by jeff at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Fade back into Reality...
Now that I'm back home from VON, my immediate plan is to catch up with the more than 4,000 emails from this week that I haven't looked at yet...and then to start to decompress and try to catch up with life for awhile.
Posted by jeff at 08:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 10, 2005
Another jetBlue Night...
Spring 2005 VON is now history.
And what a week! I don't know of another VON event in our history that has been covered as much in the media and has had the attention of the mainstream business and consumer media.
Our little band of not-ready-for-prime-time innovators, entrepreneurs, early-adopters and renegades really seems to have grown into the most relevant industry and movement, and the world is finally and genuinely taking notice. Frankly, I'm somewhat overwhelmed, and certainly inspired to take this all to the next level. I am increasingly confident that our upcoming events to reflect this continuing momentum, and I expect Fall 2005 VON to be our biggest, most visible and most relevant event ever.
For now, it's back to New York to regroup, debrief and figure out our next steps.
Posted by jeff at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
VoIP Bloggers Spoke out @ Spring 2005 VON
Special thanks to Andy Abramson and my fellow panelists - Om Malik, Tom Keating, James Seng and
Aswath Rao for contributing to a great session at Spring 2005 VON!
Andy Abramson
Om, Tom, James, Aswath
Posted by jeff at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
The Media is at Spring 2005 VON
The Media@VON represents a tipping point of sorts for the number of reporters who have been seen in the press room at Spring 2005 VON performing interviews and filing stories. Members of the media, representing the business, consumer and trade press have all been here. Since Sunday, Spring 2005 VON has been pretty well covered by the San Jose Mercury News as well as the local NBC-TV affiliate, KRON.
Yesterday I was interviewed by both the Associated Press and by Reuters and I'm looking forward to reading their respective news accounts of Spring VON.
Posted by jeff at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 09, 2005
Tuesday Pictures from Spring 2005 VON
FCC Chairman Powell
Tuesday VON Audience
Powell Press Conference
Press Conference
"Seen with Pepper"
John Sculley and Mark Spencer
Andy Ory
Broadvoice Bus
Andy and Jeff
Susan and Andy
Tuesday General session
Posted by jeff at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Spring 2005 VON: Tuesday Recap
Wednesday morning, 6AM in San Jose. This week during VON has once again turned into one big personal blur.
Yesterday morning lived up to all of my expectations (and then some). Having Jonathan Miller, CEO of AOL at VON to announce their intentions of offering VoIP services was pretty cool to me...and the NBC-TV cameras were rolling when FCC Chairman Powell gave his 'Swan Song' to the VoIP industry.
When I spoke to the audience during my own Industry Perspective I was both humble and proud.
For this VON I've been trying to spend more time in the conference sessions and in the exhibit hall and less time in meetings.
I especially enjoyed the opportunity of moderating yesterday’s evenings General Session: Ten Years Back, Ten Years Forward which included the contributions and insights of:
Today looks to be yet another great day to be at VON and once I get thru the day, which will include being a part of our "VoIP Bloggers Panel", I am looking forward to hosting our exhibitors, speakers and conference delegates at another edition of my "All Conference Party", where Heart will be our special musical guests.
Special thanks once again to everyone who has contributed to the success of VON.
Posted by jeff at 09:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
CNET: The National Enquirer of VoIP?
I just read a story on CNET tonight which seemed to refer to a casual conversation I had during lunch today with a friend. It turns out that a reporter who I also know from CNET was at the same lunch table and picked up on the name of my friend and the company he worked for.
Turns out that my friend works at Google and at VON, this seems to be "news."
This surprises me because there were quite a number of real news stories from VON today and who I say hi to during our lunch time shouldn't be one of them. ;-(
Posted by jeff at 12:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 08, 2005
Spring 2005 VON has Started!
Spring 2005 VON opened yesterday at the San Jose Convention Center.
Faces in a Crowd
Monday's Keynote Audience
Jeffrey Citron
Jeffrey Carlisle and Bob Pepper
Posted by jeff at 09:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 07, 2005
Single IP-Based Communications Provider Seeks Multiple Partners for Long-Lasting Relationship
Me: Young, petite, good-looking, inexperienced but willing to learn.
You: Older, experienced but young at heart, looks not important but plus sizes preferred.
So the word is out -- I got me some numbers. (See CNET story, "Dialing without a License").
LibreTel, one of my companies, has received a block of 500 "Follow-Me"
numbers for IP-termination purposes. We are starting with the following number block: 1-500-VON-xxxx. This number block would be in addition to any DIDs that LibreTel already purchases as a customer of multiple carriers around the World.
As best I can tell, our acquisition and application of these numbers might represent the first grant and use of non-geographic numbers for IP purposes ever delivered to a "non-carrier". The service we hope to provide with the numbers would allow a LibreTel user to receive (but not place) calls on the user's IP phone or "softphone" from any broadband connected device. I had hoped to surprise and allocate numbers to each member of the VON community, but I haven't entered into an agreement with any originating carriers just yet so, we have the numbers, but no way for the outside world to reach us. How would you like to become the first carrier to send us traffic?
Here's a little background on how we got here. The "500" NPA was designated years ago for "Follow-Me" Services. A couple of larger long distance carriers controlled many of the numbers, but because the carriers couldn't agree on a compensation mechanism ("calling party" vs. "called party" pays), use of this NPA and the Follow-Me concept basically languished, depleting and limiting the capabilities of the North American Numbering resources. We decided it was worth taking advantage of this scarce numbering resource, and IP-technology seemed perfect to realize the vision of "Follow-Me" services. As long as we could trace the number to an IP-address, the number could readily "follow" the user to any device with a broadband connection, anywhere in the world. Because we want to offer a free termination service, we think it doesn't pose the same compensation problems that beset the long distance carriers when they considered using the 500 numbers. The 500 numbers were an effort by LibreTel to obtain numbers without having to go through an interceding telecom carrier (and having to pay a premium to a LEC for number access and PSTN access and interconnection) and without LibreTel having had to designate itself as a "telecom carrier", and all the regulatory frustrations that entails. (It turns out there are some down-sides to not becoming a carrier -- most notably, (1) not all the processes are in place to accommodate a non-traditional applicant, and (2) it's hard to find carriers who will play with the new kid.
How did we get the numbers through such a nontraditional route?:
I am not a telecom carrier. I have never claimed to be one, and have never had a desire to become one. As I've mentioned in previous blogs, it's only because of Moore's Law and the exponentially expanding power of computing that I, and other IP-technologists, can now provide voice and other communications services using the power of IP technology. But up until now, we non-carrier innovators have not really figured out how to avail ourselves of certain limited, but currently-desired communications resources -- i.e., traditional 10-digit numbers. Those of us offering VoIP services have typically had to rely on the kindness of strangers -- interceding carriers (typically the LECs to get numbers). Using carrier intermediaries has increased the cost and subjected us to the service offerings that traditional telecom carriers have chosen to offer to us. That alone, has stifled our ability to innovate. I think, we are in the process of taking the situation into our own hands. One of the first steps was being able to acquire our own number block without having to become a bona fide certificated carrier.
So here's what LibreTel did:
First, we parsed through the FCC rules and numbering guidelines and determined that it was not necessary to go through the cumbersome FCC waiver process that SBC-IS and others felt compelled to do. The bottom line is that numbers may be granted to any entity if it can demonstrate to the North American Numbering Plain Administrator that it will use the numbers for their intended purpose -- there is no explicit obligation that the entity be a "telecom carrier". Having said that, the application processes are not in place to smoothly allow a non-carrier to obtain numbers. To make a long story short, we jumped through about a dozen hoops before we satisfied all the criteria necessary to satisfy the North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA).
The administrative process took a couple of months. Now that we've done it once, however, I think it becomes much more routine, and I think we could get that down to a few days or a couple of weeks (not the 6+ months it took SBC Internet Services subsidiary to go through an FCC waiver process for numbers).
So, now we've got the numbers and we're trying to activate them. It turns out that this is a more daunting task than I first realized, particularly if we want to maximize the functionality and reach of our numbers. In order to activate the service, we now need to enter into agreements with originating carriers (so that we don't have to populate the Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG) or the SMS database. Our attitude at this point is that we do not want to subject ourselves to the insanity that currently pervades the wireline intercarrier compensation regime.
So how do originating carriers know how to direct traffic to one of our IP numbers if we do not populate our numbers in a broadly accessed database such as the LERG or SMS? Good question without an easy answer. It turns out we have to enter into specific agreements with would-be originating carriers who will not attempt to exact usurious access charges for the "privilege" of allowing their customers to contact our members. That means, for the near term future, our numbers will have limited reach, depending how many customers are on the networks of the carriers willing to point traffic to LibreTel.
While we would welcome specific interconnects with the wireline PSTN, we think we'll get better response from the IP and wireless communities, both of which seem to acknowledge a desire to get as much use, as many services, and as many minutes as possible onto their networks. We think it would be very cool for both the wireless and IP-based communications industry if we had an initial understanding with at least one wireless carrier, pursuant to which calls could be placed by any customer of the wireless carrier to a holder of one of our 500 numbers. My thinking is that it would send a strong message to regulators and the wireline industry that we will not tolerate their absurd perpetuation of, and efforts to drag us into, an intercarrier comp regime that attempts to gouge the rest of us in the communications industry. It would also be a net boon to the wireless carrier that would be able to increase the number of minutes for which its customers might use their mobile phones and allow for a service that the wireline carriers cannot provide. It would also increase the value of our respective networks by making our services more ubiquitous (ala the n-squared phenomena).
I've often wondered why it is that the wireline PSTN is so superior and access to it so sacrosanct that wireless carriers feel they may gouge any other would-be provider that wants to connect to its network and customers. Frankly, the wireline PSTN industry risks marginalizing itself, when it becomes just one more off ramp (with limited functionality) on the IP network of networks. Just because they had the lion's share of the customers and minutes (and revenue) yesterday, does not mean they will have all that tomorrow. Perhaps some day they would be willing to pay the IP community for access to our ever-expanding member base. If so, perhaps we could freely negotiate interconnection in a peering-like relationship, without one party being able to wield unfair bargaining power simply because it controls most of the users. If, some day, we have the bigger or more desirable sandbox, I think that we would have to acknowledge that we could not be allowed to exact unfair access rates to allow the less powerful to reach our customers. Remember the Golden Rule?
In any event, we seek interconnection arrangements with any originating carriers willing to terminate to the members of our IP-based communications community.
Posted by jeff at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Do you want to be a Rock and Roll star? Join the "VON Bandies" @ Fall 2005 VON!
As we get ready for Spring VON, we are already planning new and creative ways to keep add to the fun of future VON events.
Alan Weinkrantz, who's PR firm handles special PR projects for pulver.com, is heading an initiative to start a rock'n roll / blues band that would make its debut at Fall VON in Boston. A drummer himself, he is looking for guitarists, singers, song writers, piano and harmonica players.
If you are interested in having a few minutes of fame at Fall 2005 VON, contact Alan via email: alan@weinkrantz.com. Alan is holding a planning meeting on Tuesday night, March 8 at 6:45 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose.
Posted by jeff at 09:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sunrise in San Jose...
San Jose @ Sunrise.
Spring 2005 VON is finally here!
On-site registration for Spring 2005 VON opens in 75 minutes followed by the commencement of our pre-conference workshops an hour later.
This afternoon the first keynotes of Spring VON will be given followed by the opening of our exhibit hall and Welcome Reception.
Today ends with our FCC Town Hall Meeting hosted by: Jeffrey Carlisle, Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau and Robert Pepper, Chief of Policy Development. Since the introduction of the FCC Town Hall Meeting a few years ago, this session has provided a direct dialog between members of industry and the FCC and is a great venue to have questions answered and a great place to get an update on what is happening at the FCC.
Posted by jeff at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 06, 2005
Spring 2005 "VON Blur" Starts Today
Now that the pulver.com VON team is in San Jose and we have established our presence on-site at the San Jose Convention Center, I'm about to start the first of my scheduled meetings for the day. By some point in time on Tuesday, all of these meeting will have started to blend together and the net effect is an experience which I've learned to call "VON Blur."
Being part of the VON Community requires oneself to balance between the conference sessions, social interactions / meetings and walking thru spending time in the exhibit hall as well as to be available for the ad-hoc meetings which just happen. I will try to keep VON.Communicator running during the day for people who are looking for help making a virtual introduction or two.
This week, while I'm on-site, I already expect that I will have a real hard time balancing between keeping with my scheduled meetings, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I've given up staying on top of email this week - especially since I expect to receive over 1,000 emails during the day and while I may have enough time at night to scan them, I won't have enough time to answer them the way I would normally want to.
At the moment I'm focused on my Industry Perspective for Tuesday morning.
My hope is everyone who will be here in San Jose this week for VON will enjoy the show and able to best take advantage of VON by applying the styles they feel help them multitask the best.
Posted by jeff at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Looking forward to the VoIP Bloggers Panel @ VON on Wednesday
Ever since the idea first surfaced, I've been looking forward to being a part of the VoIP Bloggers Panel @ Spring 2005 VON.
With Andy Abramson moderating, I expect this will be one of the more lively sessions at Spring VON.
Looks like Tom Keating is also looking forward to being a part of this session. :-)
Posted by jeff at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Spring 2005 VON: In the News Today
Posted by jeff at 11:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 05, 2005
Poker Lesson
Well, I just got knocked out of the World Poker Tour "Shoot the Stars" Tournament at the Bay 101 Poker Club in San Jose. (BTW, it was only a coincidence that this Tournament occured a day before Spring VON and only 3 miles away.).
In any event, I slowed played pocket Kings (pretty close to the best starting hand). Because I didn't raise, the Big Blind stayed to see the flop. The flop comes 3, 7, J. I go all in with a pair of over cards. Wouldn't you know it, the Big Blind was 7-3 off-suit.
So, what's the lesson? "If you've got a monster hand, sometimes it's best not to slow play it." Is there a lesson to be translated into the world of IP? Maybe. Sometimes I think we should let the world know as soon as possible what we are capable of and not merely pretend to be another way of delivering what many have been doing, just replacement/substitute voice services.
Carpe Diem! Sieze the Day!...and the hand. :-)
(posted while eating a consolation lunch at McCormick & Schmick's using EvDO in San Jose.)
Posted by jeff at 06:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Getting ready for the World Poker Tour "Shooting Star" Tournament
In a few minutes I will be leaving for the "Shooting Star" Tournament taking place at Bay 101. Looking at the list of people who have signed on to be part of their "Shooting Stars", there will be quite a few members of the professional poker community at the event today.
Since my friend Phil Hellmuth was the person who helped get me into this event, it will be real interesting for me if he is one of the people who I end up going one-on-one against. :-)
Posted by jeff at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Spring 2005 VON News Blog
For Spring 2005 VON, I wanted to provide a RSS feed for the press releases and
published news stories associated with Spring VON.
The result is our new "experimental" Spring 2005 VON News Blog.
Posted by jeff at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
VON Team Arrived in San Jose
The pulver.com VON team arrived in San Jose a few hours ago and they have settled into their respective conference hotels.
Tomorrow morning Spring 2005 VON will start to happen as our exhibitors will commence their booth setup.
I hope to spend the better part of tomorrow at Bay 101 in my first World Poker Tour event.
Posted by jeff at 03:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 04, 2005
Red Herring on the Spring 2005 VON Buzz...
Red Herring: VoIP's big party
Red Herring has taken notice of Spring 2005 VON.
(posted @ JFK at jetBlue Terminal 6)
Posted by jeff at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Getting ready for Spring 2005 VON!
Spring 2005 VON is now just days away and the excitement and buzz around Spring 2005 VON just continues to grow.
Just yesterday I spoke with reporters from: CNet, Boston Globe, New York Times, Investor Business Daily and San Jose Merc about Spring 2005 VON, the buzz and the business of VoIP.
When Spring 2005 VON happens next week in San Jose, the city of San Jose will be buzzing about VoIP and IP Communications. I've heard that outside of our own room blocks, most (if not all) of the downtown hotels are sold-out while VON is in town. The good news is that there are plenty of hotel rooms available in nearby towns, all within just a few miles of San Jose.
With the 240 exhibitors and the community of more than 6,000 expected, Spring 2005 VON is expected to be our biggest event..ever.
With this in mind, I thought the time was right to give a virtual 'shout out' to: the entire pulver.com team for their contributions to the success of our event. These are the people responsible for "connecting-the-dots" and making sure that everything at VON just works. From "community development" to event operations to registration to content and PR Dept, to accounting to graphics to speaker coordinators to our sales team, marketing team, IT Dept, A/V team, and our vendors, producing VON is a team effort. I am looking forward to being a part of VON at one of our finest moments.
I should take a moment and thank my family for giving me the time needed to help make this happen.
Special thanks also to the international VoIP community for believing in us and making VON the tradeshow for the VoIP Industry. Special thanks also to our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, analysts, press and the entire community of people who will be joining us in San Jose.
Many of us from pulver.com will be flying out later today on jetBlue and will be arriving in San Jose tonight. While the team gets ready for VON at the San Jose Convention Center tomorrow, I will be a few miles away playing at Bay 101. It seems that everyone at pulver.com preferred this option.
Safe travels to San Jose!
Posted by jeff at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Reminder: "Early Bird" Pricing for Voice on the Net Canada 2005 Ends Today!
Now in our second year, Voice on the Net Canada 2005 is the trade show for the Canadian VoIP Industry. Voice on the Net Canada 2005 will be taking place April 19-21st at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Voice on the Net Canada already has over 30 exhibitors and a world class lineup of speakers confirmed.
If you are planning on being a part of Voice on the Net Canada 2005, and have not yet registered, if you would like to save up to $500 (CAD), please consider registering today.
Posted by jeff at 05:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
pulver.com's Wi-Fi VoIP Summit @ CTIA
With all of the excitement leading up to Spring 2005 VON, it is easy to overlook the fact that pulver.com will be producing our own Wi-Fi VoIP Summit at CTIA 2005 in New Orleans on March 15th.
I met Tyler Van Houwelingen, CEO / Founder, Ottawa Wireless this past weekend while on Amelia Island and asked him to join our summit. I'm glad he said "yes" as Tyler has a strong compelling story to tell. Our schedule provides a great overview of the issues effecting the Wi-Fi VoIP space at this time.
We are looking at producing our first conference with the CTIA at CTIA Wireless 2005.
Posted by jeff at 04:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 03, 2005
FCC Enforces "Net Freedom"
At Fall 2004 VON, Chairman Powell signaled that the FCC would not tolerate activity designed to interfere with a consumer's "Net Freedom" and ability to control her own communications and Internet experience. Today, in a Consent Decree issued by the Enforcement Bureau, the Commission, in fact, seems to have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to Net Freedom. I suspect carriers and others that might control a user's access to the Internet will now think twice before blocking ports needed for VoIP and other IP-based applications, or otherwise interfering with the user's Internet experience.
Last month, I blogged my wish list for Chairman Powell's Swan Song and Legacy. In that blog, I asked that the Chairman to tie up a few loose ends in order to send the IP-based communications industry out into the world with the tools and rules (or absence of rules, if you will) necessary to make the industry self-sustaining. First and foremost, I asked the Chairman to give meaning to the concept of "Net Freedom" that he enunciated at Fall VON. Today, I think he has taken an essential step towards giving meaning to "Net Freedom" and empowering consumers to control their own communications experience.
Chairman Powell has pointed to IP, the Internet and broadband as the impetus for much of his deregulatory policy. He has also pointed to the ability of the simple net neutrality principles as the vehicle to allow for further deregulation. I, however, have questioned whether it is fair to point to net freedom as the enabler of deregulation, then deregulate and never implement the net neutrality principles. That would be an unfair bait and switch on consumers and IP innovators. The deregulated world without meaningful net freedoms is a world in which consumers will be subjected to the unilateral judgment of unregulated monopolists.
Chairman Powell has done much to move the communications industry to a less regulated model, while simultaneously attempting to ensure a sustainable competitive marketplace, an environment that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, and a regulatory structure that provides for parity across platforms and encourages deployment of more robust, IP-capable, broadband networks. This is an insanely delicate tight-rope walk. I think Chairman Powell has masterfully negotiated the course, but it was essential for him to solidify his vision and the path before he stepped down.
Michael Powell has demonstrated, during his tenure at the FCC, that he understands the needs of communications innovators and entrepreneurs. He has tried to create a regulatory environment that will simultaneously promote innovations and competition for new communications applications and services and allow for broadband deployment and network upgrades to support new technology and services. We hope that his successor will share his wisdom and vision to further enable America to lead the way in revolutionizing the way people communicate.
With Chairman Powell's announced departure from the FCC, this Consent Decree serves as the next piece needed and the Swan Song we were hoping might issue from the FCC before Chairman Powell steps down.
See also: Chairman Powell's Statement on the Consent Decree.
Posted by jeff at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Drop by Bay 101 on Saturday @ 11 AM to watch the World Poker Tour "Shooting Star" Tournament
I recently was offered a great way to relax leading up to Spring 2005 VON.
On Saturday morning in San Jose, I will be playing in my first "World Poker Tour" tournament when I take a seat at their "WSOP Shooting Star" event. In this Texas Hold'em game, all of the players are given a special incentive to 'take down' all of the 15 designated 'stars' with the payment of a bounty.
While I am playing Bay 101 on Saturday not only do I hope to be able to relax a little, but to also use the experience as a warm-up for my entry into the 2005 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas later this year.
My friend Phil Hellmuth will be playing in this tournament, together with quite a number of stars from the Poker Tour.
I am only able to be playing in the game on Saturday because Phil helped get me a seat. Phil, Thank you!
If you enjoy watching Texas Hold'em, please drop by Bay101 and root for your favorite poker stars and friend(s) from the world of VoIP.
Posted by jeff at 06:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 02, 2005
Coming Down to the Wire: Level 3 Forbearance Petition on the Application of Access Charges to IP-to-PSTN traffic:
Late last year I blogged my predictions for 2005. Number 1 on my list was that 2005 would be the year VoIP in the USA crosses the "early-adopter chasm." The FCC has before it, a vehicle that will help us continue rapidly down the road to the day that all American consumers have access to the innovative features that VoIP promises. Unfortunately, the FCC is dangerously close to slamming the door on the visionaries and innovators who have driven the VoIP industry forward. The FCC needs to hear from you....NOW. On or before March 22, the FCC is required by law to act on a request filed by Level 3. If the FCC grants Level 3's request, VoIP providers will continue to have the same access to the PSTN at the same cost-based rates that they have always had under the ESP exemption. If the FCC denies Level 3's request, VoIP providers, and worse, their customers, will be forced by incumbent carriers to pay significantly higher rates. These rates, known to the carrier world as access charges, not only cover the cost of providing access to the local network, but also include significant subsidies.
So why should the FCC permit incumbent LECs to impose these subsidy-laden rates on IP-PSTN traffic? Isn't that what the universal service fund was created for? The entire communications industry is in agreement that the current system of carrier-to-carrier compensation is broken. We are all looking for a rational solution to comprehensive compensation reform. There is no logical reason to move IP-PSTN traffic from a system of cost-based access (based on the ESP exemption) to a system of access charges, only to turn around and reform this broken system back to something more reflective of cost --- something similar to reciprocal compensation payments. Moreover, while some opposing the petition have claimed that the request by Level 3 is simply a scam to reduce their own access costs while continuing to charge access for the very same traffic when it terminates on the Level 3 network, Level 3 has publicly stated, on multiple occasions that this argument is simply without merit. In Level 3's words: "Level 3 will collect reciprocal compensation for IP-PSTN traffic it terminates, and it will pay reciprocal compensation for IP-PSTN traffic it originates. It will not pay or collect access charges for any IP-PSTN traffic." This symmetry rule is critical to creating and maintaining a level playing field. The Commission should ensure that ILECs as well as all similarly situated CLECs are prohibited from unilaterally changing the rules and imposing access charges on IP-PSTN traffic.
I must confess that I had some misgivings about the Level 3 Petition when I thought there was a way in which Level 3 could use a grant of the Petition as a vehicle to execute an arbitrage play -- pay lower recip comp rates to LECs while charging higher access rates to other interconnecting carriers. I have been assured that Level 3 will not do so. If Level 3 finds a way to turn around and charge access for the same service for which it only pays recip comp, I would equally challenge such hypocrisy.
The bottom line is that the intercarrier comp regime is so screwed up, anything that forces all sides to sit down to negotiate a more sensible regime, such as bill-and-keep or peering-type arrangements, is a good thing in my mind. All I know is that, if grant of the Level 3 Petition brings us any closer to resolution or, at least, does not drag the IP Industry into the regulatory quagmire, it would be a good thing.
But you must act before March 22nd. Explain to the FCC Commissioners how an increase in cost, caused by the imposition of economically irrational fees designed for the circuit-switched, geographically limited world, discourages investment, deployment, and consumer up-take. This debate should be about access of the American consumer to VoIP services -- those consumers who are just beginning to accept what we early adopters have always known -- that VoIP gives us ultimate control over our communications experience. And it is you, the visionaries and innovators who will make these services a reality for the American consumer.
So how can you make a difference in this debate? Send an email:
Chairman Michael K. Powell: Michael.Powell@fcc.gov;
Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy: Kathleen.Abernathy@fcc.gov;
Commissioner Kevin J.Martin: KJMWEB@fcc.gov;
Commissioner Michael J. Copps: Michael.Copps@fcc.gov;
Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein: Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov;
Pick up your SIP phone, or file a public comment (try the IP services proceeding Internet Enabled Services including Voice over IP - Docket 04-36. The FCC does not have an "easy" comment capability for the Level 3 proceeding). Tell the FCC Commissioners that granting the Level 3 request and affirming that reciprocal compensation, not access charges, apply to IP-PSTN traffic is the only way to maintain the consistent, cost-based compensation regime that has been in place for VoIP providers from the beginning.
Don't let the FCC squeeze out the second wave of consumer adoption before the excitement really begins!
Posted by jeff at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
"So much to do and only So Many Hours in a Day..."
This morning I'm waking up to the lyrics of Billy Joel's song "Vienna" playing in my mind. Some of his lyrics are resonating with me at the moment:
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do and
Only so many hours in a day
...
You've got your passion, you've got your pride
but don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?
Slow down, you crazy child
and take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile
it's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize,..Vienna waits for you?
..."
In some ways this song represents a reason why I always try to share some fun at our VON events.
There are a lot of things going on inside the world of pulver.com these days...and they all seem to be converging together next week when I'm in San Jose for Spring 2005 VON.
Nobody it seems ever needs an excuse to be serious and get work done - myself included. And it is real easy to get lost in your own work. It happens all of the time. (Maybe this is why I've already been up since 5 something working on my presentation @ VON next week.)
At the moment I'm trying to balance myself between doing whatever is needed to contribute to the success of Spring 2005 VON and dealing with all of the other things that are coming at me from multiple directions. While I'm trying real hard at the moment not drop too many personal packets, it is hard not to.
What I've noticed it that it does take some special effort at times to suggest to others to take a moment and remember to relax and just have some fun. Time is one of those things which just goes away and that you just can't get back so why not remember to enjoy things along the way?
I'm going to give this a try. I need to myself. ;-)
Posted by jeff at 07:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
March 01, 2005
pulver.com Washington DC Policy Summit: May 4th
pulver.com will be producing: "Peripheral Visionaries' VoIP Policy Summit -- Looking at VoIP From All Sides to Find Our Common Ground" on May 4th in Washington, D.C.
Jonathan Askin, Wartime Consigliere, pulver.com will be the host.
Posted by jeff at 09:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Bob Pepper and Michelle Carey...
...on their way back to Washington, D.C. from the Emerging Issues Policy Forum on Amelia Island.
Bob Pepper and Michelle Carey, FCC
Posted by jeff at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
The Launch of VON.Communicator!
Later today, I will be introducing our own 'social networking tool' to help accelerate the person-to-person, business-to-business networking that our VON events are famous for.
We have developed a special new Windows XP application called: VON.Communicator which will offer our conference delegates the chance to communicate with each other before and during Spring 2005 VON. This application offers: IM, VoIP and a shared community buddy list.
(posted using EvDO onboard flight CO 1004 to Newark)
Posted by jeff at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Introducing: IP-4-IT - A New Event to Focus on Challenges and Opportunities of Enterprise-class IP Communications
pulver.com, CMP Media and TIA Band Together to Produce: IP-4-IT
I've been working the vision for a new Enterprise event which focused on effects of the advent of IP in the Enterprise and the resulting challenges and opportunities this reprsents in Enterprise-class IP Communications for quite some time.
I'm happy to announce today that pulver.com, together with both CMP Media LLC and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) will be jointly producing a new tradeshow that addresses the unique challenges and opportunities faced by Enterprise IT decision makers in their deployment of IP-enabled networks, applications and solutions. IP-4-IT, scheduled to take place November 14-16 in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel and Convention Center, is expected to attract an international audience of over 3,000 attendees, as well as 125+ exhibitors of IP-related products and services.
The IP-4-IT tradeshow will be unique in its mission, which is to expand the reach of IP Communications into the Enterprise. IP is not just voice, but a new infrastructure that offers truly converged communication and streamlined business processes.
I am looking forward to working with both TIA and CMP and turning the vision of this event into reality. :-)
For more informaton regarding IP-4-IT, please visit www.ip4it.com or contact: Gene Sanders at 703-907-7981; gsanders@tiaonline.org or Nancy Largay 631-961-8996; nlargay@pulver.com for exhibitor sales.
Posted by jeff at 08:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sunrise on Amelia Island
It turns out the driving rain and winds on Sunday was the "perfect weather" to start the Emerging Issues Policy Forum meeting this year, since it ensured that everyone would be in the meeting and not outside on either the golf course or beach.
By some strange coincidence, as the event progressed, so did the quality of the weather outside so when we were ready for a break yesterday afternoon, the weather cooperated and added to the relaxed setting for this event.
It looks like today will finally be a beautiful day here on Amelia Island, and no coincidence, later this morning I will be leaving for the airport for my return flight home.
I've really enjoyed being a part of the Emerging Issues Policy Forum community this year and hope that I'm invited back for the event next year.
Sunrise
Posted by jeff at 07:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)