Yesterday Cisco announced its new Carrier Routing System-3 core routing product (CRS-3) that can deliver up to 322 terabytes per second of capacity. This is incredible capacity. It is said to be enough to download the entire Library of Congress in less than a second, any movie ever made in less than 4 minutes and allow for every person in America to stream a movie simultaneously. The router is targeting carriers with IP telephony as a priority such as Broadvox.

According to John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, "When it comes to mobile devices, I want to get any video, anytime and be able to share that on any device in your living room."  I hope that he meant "his living room", but I am not writing to quibble over that.

No, shortly after reading this yesterday, my neighborhood experienced a power outage of around three hours. The only things working were the battery powered alarm system, an alarm clock, two laptops and, of course, the one analog phone we keep upstairs. The Internet was no longer available. I could not check email, stream a movie, or read every book in the Library of Congress. It made me realize that if these marvelous things are going to replace all of the mundane such as reading a newspaper or a book, or shopping within a brick and mortar confine, then we need to address our electrical infrastructure and house designs.

An often-stated problem with IP Communications has been the loss of power. As it now supports our data delivery, voice communications and entertainment activity, moving to a world of 24/7 within our homes is becoming a reality. While connecting homes to multiple grids may prove to be cost prohibitive, providing battery backup as a basic component of the house should be strongly considered. Just as within a data center or switch room, certain outlets should be supported by batteries while other remain AC only. Delivering on the promise of Anytime will require this approach to new house designs and construction.

By the way, I spent my time reading the newspaper and then as darkness fell, a new book. It made for a quiet and pleasant evening.

When I was with Ericsson, I had the opportunity to travel several times to Sweden. In addition to enjoying the museums, waterways and people, there was the food. One day I was invited to a chef's home for dinner and he made a very common Swedish dish called Pytt i Panna (pronounced "pity pahna"). The purpose of the dish is to use up left over roasted meats and potatoes. It is usually made in a single pan and served as a hash. However, the chef made the dish by keeping the three ingredients (beef, potatoes and onions) separate and allowing the diner to mix them. It was an interesting upgrade to a comfort dish. I came back from Sweden determined to copy and then improve upon the dish. My version adds dill, thyme and tarragon, which boost the flavor of the dish greatly. I often make it by cubing a strip steak or using the remains of a rib roast. I prepared the dish on Sunday after not having it in well over a year. It is a classic, simple to make and great tasting meal. My recipe of the week is Pytt i Panna. Enjoy!

VARs are a Trusted Source

Attending Channel Partners reminds me of why the Broadvox Partner Program is focused on VARs, interconnects and dealers. Installing SIP Trunking is not the same as selling broadband or Internet services. Making the correct decision as to whether to purchase an IP PBX or go with a hosted service can often exceed the expertise of a SMB client. It is expected that medium size business may use a consultant to determine the correct course of action but small businesses seldom believe they can afford IT consultants. Therefore, they look towards the VARs to examine their business needs and make proper recommendations.   The increased need for SMBs to utilize external expertise when upgrading or replacing communications systems was documented by The Brookside Group LLC. The 2008 State of the Market Study noted that SMBs now made up 54 percent of consultants' clients versus 46 percent of enterprises. This represented a significant growth in the number of SMBs seeking assistance.  However, it was consistent with Broadvox's understanding of the real and perceived complexity in transitioning to an IP communications infrastructure. Determining which path, hosted or premise-based, is only the first hurdle. The second is selecting a hosted provider or OEM platform and the path to either passes feature selection, support requirements, cost and future applicability.

Determining the right IP communications solution is not for fools.

I have been writing this blog for over a year and have always found something interesting to share with you. Today does not seem to be one of those days. There is general news to be sure. Genband's acquisition of Nortel's VoIP business is of interest. Sonus, having a better than expected quarter, is also newsworthy. Moreover, both of the companies are suppliers to Broadvox. However, the subjects do not seem engaging.

I also considered doing a review of Channel Partners in Las Vegas. After all, the event was well attended, had a very good showing of exhibitors and there were some interesting new products and announcements. The growing number of companies offering hosted solutions intrigued me.  I, also, found the new Panasonic KX-TGP550 SIP IP Wireless DECT Phones interesting enough to request a pair for our test labs. They may prove to be a very good fit for small businesses and remote offices.

Perhaps the most expected news of the day was AT&T interest in discontinuing the delivery of white pages to residences. Given the use of the internet for access to numbers and automatic storage of numbers with mobile technology, the White pages are going the way of the pay phone and dodo bird. AT&T stopped delivering the book unless asked to do so and less than 1% of effected readers called for a free copy.

I thought I had a note worthy subject when I read an article that stated SIP Trunking was an enterprise play. I could only wonder how the writer arrived at that conclusion. Small businesses are buying Sip Trunks at a very rapid rate. Most of the SIP Trunking sales made everyday are to a small business. Open source platforms and all-in-one products that support VoIP and SIP have made the transition to IP communication s for SMBs simple and very rewarding.

Finally, I have learned that if I don't get this written before 10:00 in the morning the number of interruptions grows exponentially. I will conclude by welcoming SoftSyl and Interact Incorporated to our continually growing list of OEM Partners. Welcome and Good Selling!

See you on Monday...

The initial focus of this series explained that most of the allocated telecom stimulus money has not been awarded and only a small fraction of it spent. The next consideration is what will the impact be on our IP community? This is a major concern as we work to address job losses by some our major OEMs, network providers and carriers. Additionally, both the expansion of broadband and improvements in speed will result in general economic activity for the businesses that benefit from the infrastructure growth. The $7.2 billion allocated as part of the Stimulus Bill is not intended to fund all of the construction projects envisioned. Rather it is to fund some of the less profitable projects to improve access in rural and underserved areas. While the Jobs for America study emphasizes this point, its analysis covers all forecasted broadband improvement for the next three years.

The job creation resulting from a program to expand broadband speeds nationally is impressive. The Milken Institute study concludes that a $55 billion investment in construction and telecommunications services will result in 293,000 construction and telecom related jobs. The ripple effect again follows a common ratio of 3:1 or slightly more than 1 million jobs and $44 billion in earnings. Although, the country has lost between 7-8 million jobs since the recession began, the potential addition of 1 million jobs because of activity in a single vertical is very much appreciated.

I only took issue with one comment in the study. Too often, we think of the Internet as providing the primary tool to allow businesses to compete globally. Broadvox's business is to provide SIP/VoIP communications and Internet access.  SMBs want that capability and access to compete in their local communities first, nationally second and globally third. When I need an electrician or plumber, I begin with the Internet to identify qualified local trades people. Broadband expansion also results in lower sales acquisition costs and improved productivity. Businesses then have additional capital for investments and employment. SMBs provide the majority of jobs in their local communities and most are focused on serving that local community. Having worked for several Fortune 500 companies, I understand the need to think globally. However, the true contribution of SMBs should not be understated or under appreciated.

However, I digress. It is important for the IP community to understand and promote the continued expansion of broadband for job creation and as an accelerant for economic activity.

Some weekends are tougher to come up with something new to eat. This was one of those weekends. Initially, I considered cooking duck or rabbit but switched to roast beef and turkey wings. I cooked the roast beef because in general I deal with steaks or braised beef. Roasting a simple cut though is a time-honored method and the result is a very different flavor and texture. IT was very good along with homemade gravy. I'll share that another time. The other main dish was turkey drumettes glazed with honey and curry. Excellent! I hated leaving home to go to Channel Partners with that in the refrigerator. However, I noted that I have not shared many side dishes so today the recipes of the week are Braised Field Greens and Baked Potato. The field greens can be mustard, kale, collard or Swiss chard. The potatoes are best if they are russet. Simple recipes but very good eating. Enjoy!

By the Numbers

In an effort to change the tone regarding the success or failure of the stimulus money set aside for telecom, I decided to look at jobs forecasted by non-administrative sources. I believe we can all agree that the Obama administration would forecast over optimistic jobs numbers resulting from the expansion of broadband. Therefore, I reviewed a study released in January of this year by the Milken Institute, a self-described independent think tank. While I will review their research as it pertains to telecommunications, the entire report, Jobs for America is available.

According to the study, for every $1 billion investment in broadband, more than 19,000 jobs are created across all sectors. The ripple effect for related to those jobs follows a well tested three to one ration. Each dollar generates three dollars in economic activity and each job affects the either the maintenance or creation of three other jobs. Therefore, if we apply these numbers and expectations to the $7.2 billion allocated to expanding broadband in rural and underserved areas, 136,800 jobs will be created or saved with an economic impact on communities of over $21 billion.

More on this on Wednesday...