Posted on 11/24/2003 11:23:26 AM PST by big bad easter bunny
Many of the recent changes by the FCC have scared the living daylights out of the big telephonic companies, not have they just emerged from the huge telecom development spree but what they did to compete may be there demise. As the frenzy was to build huge pipelines for every one to use, it is this over built pipeline that voice over IP companies are now using to bury the old pterodactyls. Emerging voice over IP companies like Vonage, Packet8 to name a few are causing grief for the old standard bearers from the likes of Ma-bell. Voice over IP (VoIP) allows the human voice and fax information to travel over a packet data network concurrently with traditional data packets. Now these new companies, using a little box, can offer every thing your local and long distance companies were offering you but at never before seen prices.
VoIP companies offer all the same features as well, call waiting, caller ID etc which are the real money makers for the big telephonic companies. The big guys will have a very hard time competing with these folks because they have their past on their back. They have huge bureaucracies, millions of pensions and the ownership of a dying technology. As it now stands the average cost of broadband is $35 and you can get unlimited calling in the US and Canada for about the same. If you are a company making $1400 worth of phone calls per month that is a huge savings. Because of FCC’s new policies you can keep your existing phone number, especially your cellular. Even though the large carriers sued to prevent such portability of ones own phone number. The FCC feels the phone number belongs to you! Another dagger into the giant’s heart!
In some cases the FCC has held back licensing some technology because of the devastating effects it will have on some industries. Although Chairman Powell seems to be embracing the emerging technology on the side of the consumers, there are plenty of lobbyists churning out their spin to do all they can to slow it down. “The FCC's strategic goal for spectrum is to encourage the highest and best use of spectrum domestically and internationally in order to encourage the growth and rapid deployment of innovative and efficient communications technologies and services.” Soon WiFi companies may be able to provide it all, phone, Internet and your TV including pay per view and Video on demand.
Campuses and public companies are setting up free wireless in all sorts of places referred to as hot spots ( http://www.beamhere.com/hotspot_locations/ ) it won’t be long before broadband wireless reaches most places where humans roam. When this occurs all your capabilities can go with you. Using voice over IP and a wireless connection you will be able to make a phone call, watch a pay per view video and go online and have a pizza delivered to you all at a park bench.
The technology is very exciting in third world countries that have almost no bandwidth to speak of, they can now leap frog the 14k, 28k, 56k modem speeds go strait to broadband at very low costs and not a huge investment for the provider. There is already wireless in Rosarita and Encenada, Mexico. All one has to do is plug in a Linksys wireless device and they are online. To a recent visit to Mexico I was also able to go wireless at my hotel room and at a cyber café’ in San Felipe’ a small fishing village and resort town on the Sea of Cortez. Some airlines are also offering wireless, which means it won’t be long until you can get what ever you want, video on demand, make a VoIP call all from your plane seat.
You might want to take a second look at your our stock portfolio.
A little history:
1892: AT&T reaches its initial goal, opening a long distance line connecting New York and Chicago. The circuit could handle only one call at a time. The price was $9 for the first five minutes.
1919: AT&T installs the first dial telephones in the Bell System, in Norfolk VA. The last manual telephones in the system were not converted to dial until 1978.
1927: AT&T begins transatlantic telephone service, initially between the US and London. The conversations crossed the Atlantic via radio. The initial capacity is 1 call at a time, at a cost of $75 for the first three minutes. (What cost $.75 in 1927 would cost $7.35 in 2002.)
1934: AT&T inaugurates transpacific telephone service, initially between the US and Japan. Calls travel across the Pacific via radio. The initial capacity is one call at a time at a cost of $39 for the first three minutes. (What cost $39 in 1934 would cost $521.53 in 2002.) Vonage now offers Tokyo for 6 cents per minute.
1984: On January 1 the Bell System ceases to exist. In its place are seven Regional Bell Operating Companies and a new AT&T that retains its long distance telephone, manufacturing, and research and development operations.
Written By Chef John Guinivere President Cheflive Inc.
Don't eat the green onions. ( remark posted partly out of envy (;>) )
But they didn't offer phone # portability, at least a few months ago. Maybe an upgrade might become available??? For now, I'm holding the old line just to keep the #, at minimum service rates. Still cheaper than the pots long distance rates . . .
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