Letter from the Editor: September 2015

By: Tim Young

“Information is Not knowledge.
Knowledge is Not wisdom.”
- Frank Zappa, “Packard Goose,” Joe’s Garage, Act III

This quote - or at least the first part - is frequently attributed to Albert Einstein. However, I couldn’t find any concrete confirmation that Einstein ever said it, and that poor, dear man gets so many dubious quotes pinned on him. I hope that somewhere, on some ethereal plane, Einstein, Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Ben Franklin and maybe Socrates are just sitting around playing a game of “did you say that?”

So imagine my delight when I COULD confirm that those words were uttered by legendary weirdo Frank Zappa. The entire process of tracking down a half-remembered quote, finding a reliable source, and attempting to understand the context in which it was written emphasized the very point that the quote is trying to make: just because you have access to raw information doesn’t mean that you understand that information. And information you don’t understand is fairly useless, right?

That’s the heart of the Big Data conundrum: you have an extraordinary volume of information, but that information is practically useless unless you can find a way to put it to work. In the least philosophical of ways, carriers are trying to turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom.

In this issue of Pipeline, we explore the topics of Big Data and data analytics. We examine how a robust Big Data strategy can help improve network performance, the customer experience, and overall awareness of external threats and revenue leaks. We also look at how analytics can help find hidden revenue, optimize services, and create opportunities for real-time marketing. We discuss the challenges of Big Data, from regulatory compliance to infrastructure to an increased workforce. We talk about the special demands that video places on data analysis, the data management needs of the Internet of Things, and where data goes when it “dies.” In addition, DigitalRoute discusses the role of mediation in data management; we hold a Q&A with Guavus; and bring you thoughts from Apptium on building a data-driven culture.

We bring you all this plus the very latest in news and opinion affecting the integrated communications and entertainment (ICE) technology world.

Enjoy, and we hope you find information, knowledge, and wisdom here at Pipeline.

Best,

Tim Young
Editor-in-Chief