A week from today, I’m headed out to Las Vegas for CES.  Next month, I’ll be [...]]]>

YES, there hasn’t been a lot of posting on this site recently. Most of my blog time is going into HD Voice News (www.hdvoicenews.com).   And there’s an update on the HD Voice News report due for 2012.

A week from today, I’m headed out to Las Vegas for CES.  Next month, I’ll be at IT EXPO East in Miami.

If you are interested in finding more of my recent writing, you can check out:

I strongly recommend TMC’s media day on Monday. Briefings starts at noon at the Austin Convention Center; contact TMC to schedule a briefing time.

Location updates during that period will be posted on [...]]]>

I’m going to be running around at IT EXPO West 2011 in Austin, Texas, from September 12 through September 14.

I strongly recommend TMC’s media day on Monday. Briefings starts at noon at the Austin Convention Center; contact TMC to schedule a briefing time.

Location updates during that period will be posted on Twitter at DougonIPComm.

Colibra’s products are deployed by operators worldwide – no hint as to how many customers it has in the press release – to deliver [...]]]>

And the buying continues. Metaswitch Networks has bought Colibria.   Metaswitch gets what it describes as the “leading independent provider” of enhanced instant messaging, presence, and network address book solutions.

Colibra’s products are deployed by operators worldwide – no hint as to how many customers it has in the press release – to deliver advanced messaging and content sharing capabilities.  Its products are IMS and RCS/RCS-e compliant.

This week’s announcement is being positioned as a further emphasis of the whole “Metaswitch is ready to help you with over-the-top competitors” message to carriers and is also linked to Metaswitch’s launch of Thrutu(SM) service.   Thrutu is available as a branded platform for operators, allowing mobile users to exchange/share content during a call. 

As usual, no announcement of terms between Norway-based Colibra and Metaswitch; both are privately-held companies.

Net-net, Metaswitch is continuing to build up a portfolio of mobile and client-based apps between acquisitions and third-party cooperation with folks like CounterPath.

I’m hoping for a wrap within the next week to 10 days, which means that business-as-usual would happen around March 1 or so…

Stay tuned.

The Cox Managed IP PBX+ service has launched in Oklahoma and Las Vegas.  Small business [...]]]>

Cox Business (www.cox.com), looking to add more green to last year’s billion dollar plus number, has announced it is the first MSO to get Cisco Managed Services certification and will be adding managed equipment to its voice services options.

The Cox Managed IP PBX+ service has launched in Oklahoma and Las Vegas.  Small business customers get a full system that is managed end-to-end, including service and gear.  Businesses can share features between up to five networked locations, including four-digit dialing, without long distance charge; there’s also a PC-integrated tool bar and a soft phone for remote employees.

Targeted at small and medium businesses with less than 100 employees, Cox Business plans to extend the Managed IP PBX+ service to additional markets it serves in 2011. No word if the offering supports HD voice out of the box.

Cox also underlines that it “expects” to launch SIP trunking in 2011, so that’s Yet Another Service the company plans to offer businesses.

On top of that, multiple snow days has thrown my schedule for a big loop.

However, next week is ITEXPO (or is it IT [...]]]>

I had planned to have my HD voice report done by the end of January, but I was seriously sick (probably the flu) coming back from CES 2011. 

On top of that, multiple snow days has thrown my schedule for a big loop.

However, next week is ITEXPO (or is it IT EXPO? whatever) East, in warm, sunny Miami. I’ll be there from the afternoon/evening Monday, January 31 through the morning of February 4. 

The biggie for many people who want to rub elbows will be on Tuesday, February 1, ITEXPO/TMC’s editor’s day.  I’ll also be moderating two sessions, one on mobile video on Wednesday afternoon and a VoIP peering session on Friday morning.

Customers can now listen/manage voice mail, view received faxes from a phone, run Call Logs on a call extension, block calls, quickly connect to a conference bridge, and make calls from [...]]]>

Phone.com keeps on adding on features and hits for the SMB crowd.  The company has added Mobile Office for BlackBerry to its services.

Customers can now listen/manage voice mail, view received faxes from a phone, run Call Logs on a call extension, block calls, quickly connect to a conference bridge, and make calls from a Phone.com virtual office number with the number popping up on the inbound caller ID.

Best of all, the BlackBerry app is free to download and available with all Phone.com plans.

After I and about 30-50 other press people were turned away because they room had been packed to the [...]]]>

Las Vegas – I tried to get into the Cisco press conference today.  Should have known something was wrong when they stared handing out “Stand-by” tickets and had sign-holders for “Confirmed” and “Stand-by” lines.

After I and about 30-50 other press people were turned away because they room had been packed to the gills with standing people, some Cisco PR droid made the suggestion that “You can watch the press conference live on the web.”

Um, Droid, if I wanted to watch it on the web, I wouldn’t have arrived 20-30 minutes early to get a stand-by ticket and stand in line. Or even put this on my “to do” list of conferences to view today.

And say, just FYI, to all the Cisco PR people the next time you suggest something that inane– The Wi-FI in the press room is crap and the media is falling out of the runty little room into the hallways, so if its’ a choice between burning battery on watching the webcast or flaming you, I’ll pick door #2.

You couldn’t have gotten a bigger room, Cisco?

I mean, if you had to print “Confirmed” and “Standby” tickets and made up signs, there’s this implication that you knew you would have a lotta lotta people, so, why not get a bigger room?

(And a Big Shout Out PS to Gary Shapiro, head of the CEA, who is plugging his new book, The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream.  Hopefully, Mr. Shapiro and CEA could apply some innovation to the nightmare of CES “Press Day” press conferences – BIGGER ROOMS, HELLO – and the crappy Wi-Fi and generally treating the press like a bunch of cattle, because I’m not real interested in buying his book from Barnes & Noble at the moment).

I think you could call this a big #Fail day all around.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to see if I want to roll the dice on getting crammed into a too-small room for Samsung’s press conference at 2 PM – wasting only 30 minutes in line if I make it or get turned away – or proceeding directly to stand 90 minutes in line for the 3 PM Panasonic press conference. 

And people don’t understand why I keep getting a greater hate for CES.

I’m getting into Las Vegas for CES on the morning of January 4 and leaving/running away screaming on the evening of Friday, January 7. There’s at least two days where I’ll [...]]]>

Yes, this post is for you, Mr. “I would like to meet with Doug, but haven’t gotten around to it yet” PR person.

I’m getting into Las Vegas for CES on the morning of January 4 and leaving/running away screaming on the evening of Friday, January 7. There’s at least two days where I’ll (almost literally) going from dawn until dusk and beyond into the evening.

Suggestions to review before you contacting me via email(moo@vegascommando.com) for a CES meeting –

1) I’ll be at all the major CES media table top events, including–

CES Unveiled – Tuesday, January 4, 4-7 PM at the Venetian

Digital Experience – Wednesday, January 5, 7-10 PM at Caesars Palace

Lunch at Piero’s – Thursday, January 6, 11:30-12:30 PM at the Italian place across the street from LVCC

ShowStoppers – Thursday, January 6, 7-10 PM, The Wynn

If you have a presence at one of these event – and I’ll personally vouch for Show Stoppers and Lunch at Piero’s: BOTH organizers have been class acts over the years, even if Pat wants to me to march through the Piero exhibits before I hit the buffet line – I can arrange a quick meeting.

2) Limited opportunities to meet between 11 AM and 1 PM on Wednesday, January 5, around the Venetian/Sands Convention Center.

Wednesday is press day and I expect there will be a LOT of mobile HD voice/HD voice announcements during the day. 

3) Thursday, January 6.  Forget it.  Schedule is booked from approximately 7 AM through 10 PM.

Try to catch me at Piero’s or ShowStoppers if you have a tabletop at either of those events.  Early in the day is always better.

4) Friday, January 7 – Some opportunities exist.  Please contact ASAP

Friday will most likely be my catch-up day and I’m willing to extend out to 7-8 PM and potentially later, just so long as I make it to the airport on time.

6) If your client is not close to the LVCC in a suite (say, the Hilton, eh?), forgetaboutit….

Seriously. I can’t spend an hour commute between the show floor on Jan 6 and 7 during normal business hours. Can’t. Unless Stevie Nicks is personally signing autographs when I get there and she will give me a bootleg copy of the new album she’s working on.