One of the worst things that a product or service can do is to become a "household name". It diminishes the brand and often opens the door to alternatives. Kleenex is an example. No one asks for a tissue. They ask for a Kleenex no matter who makes it. TiVo is another. For better or worse, TiVo has created an "industry" and a "verb". But, they have not exactly made the most money from "time shifting".

However, it seems that more and more cablecos are moving toward the TiVo interface in their set-top boxes and thus enriching TiVo's coffers. Jeff Baumgartner details where Comcast and Cox are with their TiVo efforts.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, TiVo, Comcast, Cox, time shifting

My favorite burrito supplier has the option of a "naked" burrito. Saving people the trouble of removing the some of the carbs from their burrito strikes a cord with many consumers ( we won't go into what the queso, sour cream and cheese do for your heart... we'll just focus on the carbs.... )

It appears that telecoms are starting to understand that not all consumers want or need a landline to go with their DSL. Swisscom and other European providers have started offering "naked" DSL-based bundles. This might not be "hot news" in the US where Qwest will sell me anything I want as long as I pay enough for it. But, it shows that the products and services that telecoms offer need to be flexible to match what consumers want not just what the provider wants to provide ( see all quad-play providers ).

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Swisscom, Bundles, DSL

Discretion is the better part of valor

I like that quote when it comes to the fundamentals of business. In fact, many people have considered my approach to business to be a little conservative... or contrarian. I liked the "bricks and mortar" of Barnes and Noble over Amazon during the Internet Boom. I appreciate the investment style of Warren Buffet rather than Bill Gates. Also, I like to build a business slowly and surely rather than based on the "hockey stick".

It appears that I have found a kindred spirit here in Colorado. Andy Vuong details the growth strategies of Time Warner Telecom. Sure and steady - Time Warner Telecom avoided many of the pitfalls of their brethren who believed in the "build it and they will come" mentality.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Andy Vuong, Time Warner Telecom

Since it has been about a month since I have opined about Google and the upcoming FCC auction, I am probably in violation of some statute... However, if Richard Koman's analysis of Google is correct, they might soon be looking at the business end of the Justice Department's Antitrust division.

In attempting to be "the link" to the Internet, Google may find itself in the same position that AT&T ( ... no not that one, the original... ) was in the 1970s and 1980s. While Google claims a "no harm" policy, I doubt that the telecoms that they hope to trivialize will sit around and wait for that to happen. Verizon's legal strategy against Vonage might be a precursor of how the telecoms might take on Google. Not really "toe-to-toe", but rather a "hit 'em where it hurts" approach.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, Richard Koman, Google, FCC, Verizon, Vonage

For many years, the deaths of the following have been predicted:

• the VCR
• the mainframe
• soccer.... ;)
• and.... text messages

Mobile email and data services were supposed to squeeze out text messages of the voice, SMS and data trio. However, it appears that the SMS is one of the cash cows of telecom no matter how un-cool it is to "just" send text… ( or how hard cingular tries to disable my sms service when I call about my service… :( )

James Quintana Pearce reports on how Sprint is raising their per SMS charge scheme and how much of the US based wireless telecom market may follow.

Technorati Tags: Telecommunications, Telecom, SMS, text message, James Quintana Pearce, Sprint