Monday, March 30, 2009

A Friendly Face on Your Business Card

Ever work, work, work, smile, laugh, work, work, work, and still need a small pat on the back? Like it's okay to be happy and have fun while working. It doesn't mean you're not working... a lovely friend of mine in Latin America, who is just completing his company's Asterisk PBX implementation to provide voip services, sent me this message today on Facebook:

"Hi Suzanne,
I hope you are doing great, and that business is going good as well. I just want to let you know that I have not forget about your request of writing something in Spanish to post on your blogs about what my company is doing. We are still working on the Asterisk,’s implementation for our company. Therefore, as soon we finish the project I will definitely let you know and I will write about our experiences in Spanish, so we can share them with the Latino community via your blog and your TMCNET channel.

In other order of ideas, thanks for the business card idea of putting your picture on it, because it really works. People respond better when they see a friendly face on the card, because they tend to remember you easily. You are the best networking person I ever meet; I believe you should write a book about how to approach people in business or something.

I’m so glad that I got to know you, because you are one of the more interesting persons I ever meet.

Take care, and I will keep you posted."


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

It's a Wonderful World at CTIA... the Parties, and You're Invited

CTIA kicks off next week in Las Vegas. You've got the inspiring conference sessions, innnovative exhibitors, and great parties and meetups. DIDX Dinner Party is at everyone's favorite Gordon Biersch less than a mile from the conference Apr 1, 7:30 - 9 PM. Just RSVP now.

Qik will be hosting a Tweet Up on Wednesday, April 1, from 7-10 pm. The location is at the Las Vegas Hilton, the Pool Area on the Third Floor. The Hilton is connected to the North Hall of the Convention Center.

(Speaking of Qik, I'm in San Francisco this past week and was able to Qik live video stream the Oakland-East Bay Gay Men's Chorus who performed for RRCA Convention 2009 last night. Listen and watch in my Qik channel on the right side of this blog. I love "It's a Wonderful World.")

You can sign up for the Qik Meetup and get more information at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=69119667494. If you are not on Facebook, feel free to post in the comments section if you are interested in attending either Qik or DIDX networking events during CTIA.

Vantage Communications' Rob Adler also shared the great networking events list during CTIA via Mobileslate: http://www.mobileslate.com/blog/2009-ctia-spring-networking-events/

Monday, March 23, 2009

SUPERCOMM is Oct 21-23, 2009, Mark the Calendar

There's a busy IP communications-related spring 2009 show season, so SUPERCOMM moves the date from June to October 2009 in Chicago at the McCormick Center. Better than ever Oct 21-23, 2009! More than wireless, more than network... it's the world of broadband technology on display. See http://www.supercomm2009.com/.

Read the recent interview of Ron Matthews, event director and vice president of Reed Exhibitions, by Dan O'Shea of Fierce Telecom at http://www.fiercetelecom.com/story/some-supercomm-questions-answered/2009-03-23.

Check out more IP communications-related events on http://www.didx.net/events. We will revise SUPERCOMM 2009 info soon. DIDX provides the wholesale DID/DDI marketplace to 12,000+ providers and serves as a media channel and partner to several dozen events each year.

Come meet with DIDX at booth 6467 at CTIA Wireless next Apr 1-3, 2009. Don't miss the DIDX dinner party at Gordon Biersch in Las Vegas. RSVP on the Facebook event listing. CTIA Wireless will bring you together with 1200 exhibitors and 40,000 attendees from 120 countries in a trillion dollar marketplace.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

CLEC or CFMS? A Place for Both

We get this request several dozen times per day on DIDX email inquiries: How do I start a CLEC?

A few places to start researching:

http://blog.tmcnet.com/on-rads-radar/2009/03/clec-therapy-iii.html... I've met and worked with Peter R. at conferences several times. He's professional, honest, and smart.

http://www.fcc.gov/wcb/ppd/ComplianceManualCLEC.doc

http://www.robotics.net/papers/clechowto.html

https://clec.att.com/clec/shell.cfm?section=2163

http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/How+to+start+a+Clec

It's quite a complicated process, and if are more of an entrepreneur than one to do things the way everyone does, try http://www.supertec.com/cfms. Call forward management will enable you to empower your clients to have local phone numbers in any of 54 countries. You can allow them to ring their DIDs (local phone numbers) to instant messengers, SIP, IAX2, PSTN and more. (CFMS does not come with its own SIP registration server, but it does come with API connection to DIDX, Carrierx (only for Super Technologies' wholesale hosted and rebranded business clients,) Paypal, Moneybookers, Google Checkout, Linkpoint Central... and tools to block for fraud, add how to videos, integrate to Facebook, and much more.

Email sales@supertec.com, attention: Paul Deane and Suzanne Bowen with your name, phone number and instant messenger IDs, for more information.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Puleng Helps the Sociopaths to Responsibility with DID/DDI

Yesterday I listened to the business plan of a young lady from South Africa who just joined www.didx.net. She asked me just to refer to her as Puleng.

So Puleng provides services to mental institutions and psychiatric hospitals around the globe. She plans to add the opportunity for her clients both the patients and their families and the medical staff with local international phone numbers to stay in touch easier such as among hospitals and patient to family.

I asked her what led her to this particular market niche. Puleng said, "My ex-boss was a socio-path."

"What was she like?" I asked.

She replied, "He, not she. Lesedi was also my boyfriend (extramarital affair.) He was devastating to us all. Every step we took forward for the company, he caused it to fall back three. The same with our relationship. I'm not with Lesedi anymore, but I still want to help the mentally ill to get better."

Then Puleng copied this text to me to help me understand a sociopath. The gist of her message to me was that sociopaths do not think they are sociopaths and always think they are having to fight "something" or "someone" who is against them when it would be better if they just took responsibility for their own actions and understand the relationship between their actions and the results that those actions incur.

* Grandiose sense of self-worth
* Superficial charm
* Reckless disregard for the safety of self or others
* Impulse control problems
* Irresponsibility
* Inability to tolerate boredom
* Pathological narcissism
* Pathological lying
* Shallow affect
* Deceitfulness/manipulativeness
* Lack of empathy
* Lack of remorse, indifferent to or rationalizes having hurt or mistreated others
* A sense of extreme entitlement
* Lack of or diminished levels of anxiety/nervousness and other emotions
* Promiscuous sexual behavior, sexually deviant lifestyle
* Poor judgment, failure to learn from experience
* Lack of personal insight
* Failure to follow any life plan
* Abuse of drugs including alcohol
* Inability to distinguish right from wrong

Puleng, I know you are reading my blog. Thank you for sharing your story, and remember, we're here to help you with what I think is a good cause: helping one person at a time toss entitlement and start taking responsibility, whether mentally ill or not.

Tomorrow, Puleng, you can call my South Africa phone number and it will ring my Skype or Gizmo softphone. Would you like to do a teleconference between me and an incumbent telecom who just joined DIDX to sell numbers, Puleng? I think they would be interested to hear from you as one example of the great innovation among members of DIDX.

DIDX is really nobody but the powerful suppliers and innovative entrepreneurial buyers that we serve are the creme de la creme.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Sharing CFMS with a Few Dozen Entrepreneurs

I haven't been blogging nor running much on SuperTec blogs nor my TMCNET blog in the last week because of a four letter acronym CFMS.

We (Super Technologies, Inc.) are in the middle of helping a few dozen new businesses start up with Call Forward Management System. It's quite hectic and enjoyable. DIDX members are often some of the most fascinating entrepreneurs. They are not necessarily from within the IP communications industry. They are often outside of it and see the potential of layering local international phone numbers for what feels like 50 million different reasons. Virtualphoneline is a general example.

I spoke with Jim Van Meggelen yesterday because I needed some inspiration and I want to set up a podcast interview with him soon, and while talking, we agreed that these are the movers and shakers, these entrepreneurs who serve a special market niche in ways that you and I never thought of before.

They choose the CFMS business we offer because it comes with what they have been trying to do manually (which wastes a lot of valuable time) for a few months or even years: sign up, sales, billing, ticketing communications system, fraud prevention tools; reports for call details, sales, past due; ring to options such as Google Talk, MSN instant messenger, PSTN, SIP, IAX2, FWD, Truphone, and the list goes on.

In about 61 minutes, I start the first of 12 CFMS tours, and I can't wait to hear these ladies and gentlemen's business plans which will include using CFMS.

(As an aside, like as if this blog is a diary, I have gained 15 pounds in the past 12 months of travel, sitting at a computer, a reduction of running from 2007 ... 50 miles per week to 2-6 miles per week. It's amazing. I need to get back into running for my physical and emotional health.)

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Snom at VoiceCon 2009 in Orlando

We met SNOM in person the first time at GITEX in Dubai 2009. What a treat! I hope that many of you will meet them and do business with the bright, friendly SNOM team at VoiceCon coming up.

Snom would like to invite you to their booth# 1041 and evaluate their first SIP based Meeting Point conference phone. Like their snom 3xx and 8xx series VoIP phones, it is interoperable with all the major SIP based ‘IP PBXs’, and Microsoft OCS 2007 R2.

The VoiceCon Exhibition runs March 30 - April 1 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Fl. and the hours are:

+ Monday March 30: 3:00pm - 7:00pm
+ Tuesday March 31: 11:30am - 6:00pm
+ Wednesday April 1: 11:30am - 5:00pm

They look forward to seeing you at VoiceCon Orlando 2009.

(Corrections made per comment, much appreciated by dclark3230... Don of the snom team.)

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Paul Levy Revolutionary Decision in Cutting Cost

Steve Cayona, my Super Technologies' colleague for the past 4 years sent me this article. He's the one who last year, had a brain tumor removed, survived that, and then was told, "You have lung cancer." Lots treatment, then in remission and today, the doctors told him you will need to start a new round of chemotherapy. My eyes are watering and my throat is tight as I read this article that Steve sent me at http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/12/a_head_with_a_heart/?s_campaign=yahoo.

Paul Levy is radical, revolutionary and right. He is the kind of person I want to be and try to be. Thanks, Paul Levy, for another great mentor from afar.


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sheldon Payne Deserves a Fan Club: Children's View

I don't have a fan club, and I wouldn't qualify to have one, but ... here is guy who does!

Our very own Sheldon Payne (Asst. Project Director, 21st CCLC for http://www.linkingarms.org) has launched an online version of his publication, Children's View
http://www.childrensview.net!

Please visit the site...many of the students who http://www.linkingarms.org serve who O. J. Semmes, Spencer Bibbs, and Montclair elementaries are featured throughout the website.

... BTW, we need to borrow laptops for the Linking Arms telethon. Please read here http://suzanne.supertec.com/2009/03/need-laptops-mar-19-and-apr-3-4-for.html.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time. Help! Are you in the Pensacola area? Please call 1 850 479 1473 and ask for Suzanne, Paul or Steve. Also you can call the contact phone numbers on Linking Arms page.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Free PC to PC voIP... remember BuddyPhone and Vocaltec?

Nice list of free pc to pc voip applications posted in July 2006 for those who are just starting to checking out alternatives to POTS (plain old telephone service) or who just plain forgot about somet of these at http://lists.econsultant.com/top-10-pc-to-pc-voip-services.html.

Skype, GoogleTalk, Gizmo Project, Ekiga, Yahoo IM, Windows Live IM, ICQ, Netmeeting, tglo, Babble (UK)... plus more ... BuddyTalk (remember BuddyPhone in the late 90's?), ineen, NetEasyPhone... are on the list, but I think you and I would like to add a few more such as ZoiPPE...

Uh, sorry, I have to get offline to go work out at the 24/7 gym and dig into paperwork at the Super Technologies, Inc. office in Pensacola, FL. Share the news of others with your friends and in comments here or on my Plaxo Pulse, Facebook, or Linkedin areas.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Round Two: Boxee vs Hulu

Just got this news while talking with my fiddler/violin/Pensacola Symphony playing friend Francis trying Ekiga an open source voip application formerly known as GnomeMeeting. Watch the boxing excitement in the ring with Boxee and Hulu duking it out. Hulu... still keeping its "internet TV" fists closed. Currently only USA viewers can watch Hulu online. Boxee used an RSS feeder to include worldwide viewers, but last Friday, Hulu blocked Boxee again!

But keep in mind, Victory is achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable to get up before the referee counts to ten seconds (a Knockout, or KO) or if the opponent is deemed too injured to continue (a Technical Knockout, or TKO).

Read on at http://tech.yahoo.com/news/zd/20090306/tc_zd/237851.


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Need laptops Mar. 19 and Apr 3-4 for Local LinkingArms Telethon

Need laptops on Mar 19 for test run and also April 3-4 for last test and actual telethon. Please help. (I'm loaning 2, an Asus and a Toshiba. Wish I had more to loan.)

Anyone in Pensacola area or elsewhere ... have laptops with wireless capability for use at the http://www.linkingarms.org telethon at the Pensacola Improv Center on April 4 Saturday? We need to test with each for incoming calls also from contributors calling in to donate money on Mar 19 also. That is the test-run day. Please call 1850 607 6608 or 1850 479 1473 to help. Ask for Kenny or Paul.

Your name and/or company name will be included in a press release submitted to TMCNET, Pensacola News Journal, and Independent News about the success of the telethon along with TeamForrest.com's IP PBX, DIDX.net for phone numbers, Cox Communications for Internet, WRNE for radio advertising, Comtel Networks, Pensacola Improv Center for location, Skype.com for headsets, Digium.com for some guidance ... names Fred Posner, Paul Deane, Steve Cayona, Max Glucksmann (DIDX API consultant and integrator), Alan Pesatty, etc.

Linking Arms, Inc.
is a local nonprofit organization that assists kids who are failing and in trouble at schools and their caretakers to be productive part of their community, to have homework help and involvement in family and fitness-oriented activities. It's local!!!

Please help. It's tough nowadays for many of us. Let's work together to make good things to happen.

To Record or Not to Record: Now No Question

2.12. CP07/0 "proposes that firms be required to record telephone lines used for voice conversations that involve receiving client orders and negotiating agreeing, and arranging transactions across the equity, bond, financial commodity and derivatives markets."

An alternative to curb fraud in regards to marketing, it's pretty controversial and worth debating. How will this affect businesses in marketing? This suggests new and extra costs for small businesses already fighting recession in different areas, but with an innovative, entrepreneurial and practical service or product. Especially in the telecommunications industry we are taxed to pieces. I blogged not long ago on one of my blogs about 25% in taxes and fees added on to a $200 origination services bill. Are these policies of call recording of marketing practices being considered in the Americas and elsewhere?

Switch now to http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pubs/policy/ps08_01.pdf.

This addresses outsourcing to keep the compliance neutral, making sure recordings are not manipulated or altered. And what 'reasonable steps' for compliance? What about a backup at disaster recovery sites? Again, cost! Mobile phone marketing is proposed to be included. Difficult. For now, the proposal does not cover mobile phones until further study of how to do so. Records must be kept three years.

Want to know more? Copies of this Policy Statement are available to download from our website –www.fsa.gov.uk. Alternatively, paper copies can be obtained by calling the FSA order line: 0845 608 2372.

Paul Deane, our new EMEA director for DIDX, drew my attention to this pertinent information.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Tim May at Astricon 2008: mini history lesson in telephony



Tim May with Etone Connect. He's a telephony historian, or at least, that is how I defined him. We met him at Astricon 2008. He became interested in Internet telephony in the early 90s (same as me, but for me, it was to help me teach English to middle schoolers). In 1997, they provided a voip calling card for retailers. They created a voiceover at 2 cents/minute and their first order was over $1 million.

They are a SIP trunking provider and wholesale telephony now. He remembers going to all the free Cisco training classes. Listen to the complete interview and check http://www.EtoneConnect.com.

(Our company Super Technologies, Inc. is a media partner or sponsor for several global conferences via its DIDX (DIDXchange) media channels. To name a few: http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/did-ddi/, http://www.didx.net/events/, http://www.youtube.com/user/supertecvideos, Facebook groups and event areas, Linkedin event areas, as you well know, the list goes on an on. We serve over 12,000 IP-communications entities that range from competitive local exchange carriers and mobile operators to entrepreneurial mobile voip application providers and IP-PBX providers at www.didx.net to buy and sell USA and international phone numbers over SIP and IAX2.)

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Song, Music, Nothing to do with VoIP

Read

Jai Ho Lyrics

here.


We like to dance to this. Have you listened and jammed to Bhangra? Gouri is just another word for gringo. So what? Acha... you don't say. Tikay ... okay. Mira naam Michael Bowen heh. Apki naam? My name is Michael Bowen. What is yours?

See Slumdog Millionaire if you like to learn foreign languages, to dance, to sing, and realize how very alike we all really are.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Oh the joy of books! Kindle + Iphone and soon more cell phones

Just finished a discussion with some of Facebook's group women in VoIP about the new features of Amazon's Kindle one of them had bought. Kindle books are available on a range of cell phones now. See the Kindle for iPhone.

The Kindle is available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154JDAI and more than likely on eBAY, Ubid, and Craigslit. Read the URL that Jessica just sent me at http://4gtrends.com/?p=443.

On my wish list:
The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
Secrets of Mental Math: The Mathemagician's Guide to Lightning Calculation and Amazing Math Tricks
Matter by Ian Banks
I'd love to list more, but time for my next teleconference.

Moshe, Thanks for Being a Bit Controversial

It's refreshing.

On Moshe Maeir's blog ... and let me take it further... despite one's success in business, one's participation in excellent nonprofit projects in both hemispheres*, and one's contributions to a global telecommunications industry, the "terror factor" may keep the best of the best out. We didn't make it to CeBIT this year...

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

4G Trends' Predictions for Mobile Transactions in 2009

Seminar: 4G Trends' Predictions for Mobile Transactions in 2009
Date: March 5, 2009
Time: 11:00 AM EST
Duration: One Information Packed Hour.
COST: FREE.

Register at http://4gtrends.com/?p=113

Telebriefing Summary
The rollout of mobile transactions services throughout the world is highly dependent upon the penetration of financial services and the mobile phone throughout the world. The progress made in 2008 in conjunction with the global economic crisis will improve the availability of services but there will be no monetization of services until 2010. This webinar will highlight the challenges still to overcome (business model, distribution channel, value chain, technology, etc…) before commercial rollout and adoption of these services can begin.

Our Featured Speaker:
Jon Paisner

Senior Analyst Anywhere Network
Yankee Group

Jon Paisner is a senior analyst in Yankee Group’s Anywhere Network research group with expertise in network software systems, mobile transactions, and network intelligence. His research focuses on the competitive landscape, market segmentation strategies and emerging technologies within these spaces.

This is sponsored by 4G World Conference and Expo 2009 at http://4gworld.com/. DIDX is a media partner for 4GWorld. We value global events where IP communications companies and their suppliers and clients can mix and do business.

Sunday, March 01, 2009

CTIA Wireless 2009, Already 40,000 Registered

Yes, DIDX (DIDXchange) is not just a direct inward dialing marketplace, but it is also a media partner for several dozen of the best conferences on Earth such as CTIA.

Come meet us and 39,995 others at CTIA Wireless 2009. Five us will be there at booth 6467 and as a media partner via our DID/DDI media channel on http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/did-ddi/ where we will stream live video!

You'll meet members of DIDX who can assist you to understand how to leverage international DID (direct inward dialing phone number) for your innovative wholesale services: Valdi Tchakalsky of Speechphone, Earl Jackson of Emanhi VoIP and Video, Paul Deane our new DIDX EMEA Director, and Max Glucksmann who can speak Spanish fluently with you if needed (entrepeneur and DIDX consultant and integrator).

See pictures and videos from last year on Picasa, Youtube and more Youtube, Qik and Facebook. Sign up to attend CTIA Wireless April 1-04, 2009 at http://www.ctiawireless.com and join us at the DIDX party too.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Hear the Telecom Reality in Shona in Zimbabwe



Some great Zimbabwe Online guys and Danny Ngai of Jaxtr discuss telecommunications situation in Zimbabwe in English and in a common Zimbabwean language Shona at ISPCON 2008 in San Jose.


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.