Newswatch

The logical follow-up question: With decentralized micro-power generation and web-based energy control, will Energy as Service (EaaS) becomes a viable telecom revenue stream?

It wasn't just power plants that received the virtualization treatment this month. Telus virtualized the private cloud, with a unique enterprise-class cloud offering delivers 24x7 remote access and management designed specifically for business needs. Virtual power, virtual clouds, what's next, virtual over-the-top voice service?

In reality, that's not so far off. Once the kinks are ironed out (and it may be another year or more), large-scale VoLTE deployments will offer the same packet-based voice service that billions of users already enjoy from OTT services, but with some unique advantages that only carriers and package layering can provide. In the meantime, Sprint leveraged a piece of its Nextel heritage to outmaneuver OTT apps for international voice with International Push To Talk. As we uncover increasingly intrusive data monitoring tactics, is push-to-talk traffic monitored by governments in the same way voice conversations are? Inquiring minds want to know....

This month saw some innovative partnerships as well. Orange and Microsoft announced Orange TV for XBOX 360 with Kinect, Telefonica and Avea went in on M2M, and in Russia, SevOne and Rostelecom joined hands to provide election transparency. In the U.S., Comcast consummated its relationship with TiVo by integrating Xfinity On-Demand content into TiVo Premiere on the west coast. 

One of the biggest partnership stories came from Verizon and Comcast. For years, we've covered the two companies as opposing teams on the cableco versus telco battlefield. Times have changed. Now the two CSPs are engaging in a cooperative marketing strategy. Expanding from their honeymoon in San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland, Comcast is offering Verizon Wireless service in six new markets, including Chicago, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis. Since Comcast also offers free text messaging to Xfinity Voice customers, will Verizon SMS revenues take a hit in these markets?

Earnings Reports

As first quarter earnings reports rolled in last month, two trends emerged. First, operator revenue growth is tied to the mobile data boom. And second, Chinese network equipment manufacturers have delivered some damaging blows to incumbent market leaders.