Telecommunications (International Edition) articles from May 2004

Telecommunications (International Edition) archives from May 2004

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.(Commentary)(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... In these days of pitch-by-soundbite, we are all quite susceptible to the outrageous--but difficult to prove--'fact' A small fraction of a very big number is usually a pretty big number itself. This less than revolutionary mathematical...

Europe; PoC: there may be trouble ahead.(Global News Analysis)(push-to-talk over cellular)
May 1, 2004... Mobile operators in Europe should not see push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) as an easy money-spinner. Concerns over ease-of-use (latency), standardisation, handset availability, pricing strategies and impact on the network--combined with...

Europe: mega prices for megabytes?(Global News Analysis)(mobile services)
May 1, 2004... Are mobile operators in Europe doing enough on data pricing to attract business customers onto their networks? From the perspective of the INTUG--International Telecommunications Users Group--they have got a long way to go. "The mobile data...

Global: not in a fix with fixed, argues AT & T.(Global News Analysis)(American Telephone & Telegraph Corp.)
May 1, 2004... Fixed-line telecom services do not offer easy revenue pickings, but AT & T is confident that it can make a living in the segment--by functioning as a "network integrator". "We begin with our competency around networking. We solve problems where...

Jazztel plays to the business customer: there will be consolidation in the Spanish fixed-line market, says CEO, Roberto de Diego Arozamena.(View from the Top)
May 1, 2004... Jazztel was one of many alternative fixed-line operators launched during the boom, though it differed from most in building out not only a backbone, but also extensive last mile connectivity. As of the end of 2003, the company had around 2,710...

Three strikes or you're out: cable operators need to deliver on 'triple play' if they are to compete with telcos.(Accessing the Network)
May 1, 2004... The days of monopoly service provision in European telecom are gone. Though a number of alternative operators would object to the argument that the monopolies are dead, consumers have certainly seen great benefits from a steep fall in voice...

The ethernet conundrum: ethernet's strengths in the LAN are high-capacity, low cost, reliability and ease-of-use. Maintaining those attributes across the MAN/WAN--cost-efficiently--is a key challenge confronting carriers.(Accessing the Network)(Local Area Network, Metropolitan Area Network, Wide Area Network)
May 1, 2004... If only SONET/SDH networks were a bit more like screwdrivers (all should become clear). Why? Well, as you would expect, screwdrivers do the job they were designed for brilliantly. But, as an unexpected bonus, they do another job they weren't...

Not so passive, now: passive optical networks (PONs) are about to go mainstream, argues PON Forum.(Accessing the Network)
May 1, 2004... Passive optical networks (PONs) have been touted for years as an economical means of delivering on the promise of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH), fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) and fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC). Yet, some would argue, the technology has...

The BPO opportunity: hosted 'total service' solutions offer benefits to both enterprises and network operators.(Industry & Market Update)(Business Process Outsourcing)
May 1, 2004... Business process outsourcing (or BPO) will, without doubt, be one of the major themes talked about in business during 2004. BPO is driven by fundamental changes in the international business environment in the last decade; most European...

VC funding is naturally selective: venture capitalists focus on the fittest.(Industry & Market Update)
May 1, 2004... There is, supposedly, an inherent balance in the VC market, a bit like the ecological balance seen in nature. Observers argue that not only are VCs and the start-ups they fund part of an ecosystem, it is one that is becoming increasingly...