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U.S. Lags Europe, Asia in Mobile Media Application Delivery: Conversif

Asterisk

November 30, 2009

U.S. Lags Europe, Asia in Mobile Media Application Delivery: Conversif

By Michael Dinan
TMCnet Editor

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The United States is behind in mobile media application delivery and deployment compared to Europe and Asia, the head of a Panama City, Fla.-based provider of telco-grade voice and video solutions for the carrier and ISP markets told TMCnet in an interview.

 
According to Mike Ross, CEO of Conversif, there is growing demand for delivering more content to the mobile device.
 
“The nearly 100,000 applications for the iPhone indicate the market is hungry and increased supply will only increase demand,” Ross told TMC CEO Rich Tehrani (News - Alert) in an interview, printed in full below.
 
Ross, who is speaking during ITEXPO East 2010 in a session titled “Building Voice Apps - The Developer Perspective,” also said that although there’s a lot of hype about the benefits of HD VoIP, “it isn’t something that every business can relate to as a problem that needs fixing, much less use as a reason for changing out their technology.”
 
The CEO also had some interesting thoughts on President Barack Obama’s late-night habits and the possibility that Nokia would adopt Google’s open source Android (News - Alert) platform.
 
Their exchange follows.
 
Rich Tehrani: Smartphones continue to rise, find their ways into offices and homes alike. Who will dominate that market and why?
 
Mike Ross (pictured left): Google is on the way to domination with their Android hardware partners, Motorola, Samsug, HTC, LG and others to catch up and surpass the IPhone. Their distribution through Verizon, Sprint (News - Alert) and T-Mobile should offer a wider channel than the iPhone. PC manufacturers like Acer have announced Android plans and so have Dell and HP. I don’t think Google’s momentum will stop.
 
RT: We hear more and more about high-definition voice features in IP communications products and services. What is going to drive wideband audio and HD VoIP into the mainstream market? How long will it take?
 
MR: Although there is a lot of hype about the benefits of HD VoIP, it isn’t something that every business can relate to as a problem that needs fixing, much less use as a reason for changing out their technology. The IP phone manufacturers have done a good job at improving the quality of the VoIP audio using standard codecs by suppressing noise and echo and boosting gain without distortion. I think HDVoIP will evolve the way fax technology did – very slowly and will probably take at least 10 years be a true requirement. All most people want now is to hear the other party loud and clear without distortion and the old technology pretty much does that.
 
RT: What’s the most innovative product that’s going to hit the market in 2010, from a company other than your own?
 
MR: I think the hit in 2010 it will be Google Chrome OS devices. The “new” netbooks with Chrome OS will be instant on, faster Web response, and super cheap because of their simplicity. Let’s see... does the ring of better, faster, cheaper sound familiar?
 
RT: We entered 2009 in a recession and now we’re seeing signs of the economy picking up. How did the slow economy affect demand for your products and services and what are you anticipating in 2010?
                                 
MR: It required that I reposition my products and services from the enterprise to the cloud in an accelerated way and reduce the barriers to entry. Small businesses which make up almost half of the telephony endpoints have gone more mobile and are concentrating on simple cheap reliable, virtual options for their technology decisions which are best serviced from the cloud computing model and converged communications.
 
RT: President Barack Obama has been in office for nearly a year. What has surprised you, whether a pleasant surprise or disappointment, about his presidency, policies and administration?
 
MR: No real surprises. I did expect the President’s party in Congress to blindly support him, and it seams they haven’t given him “Carte Blanche” to drive his agenda. I wish he would not spend so much time on late night television since I go to bed early. :-)
 
RT: If you were president of the United States, what tech-friendly policies would you enact?
 
MR: Initiate a nation wide “Hot Spot” program to help underwrite the deployment of free hot spots everywhere. (Taco Bell and McDonald’s get crowed at times.) Japan has rolled out a 4G network sponsored by their Government. European Countries seam to be doing the same thing, The United States is falling way behind and I think the government could stimulate the effort.
 
RT: What are some of the areas of market growth in the next few years?
 
MR: The United States is behind in mobile media application delivery and deployment compared to Europe and Asia. I think there is a pent up demand for delivering more content to the mobile device. The nearly 100,000 applications for the iPhone indicate the market is hungry and increased supply will only increase demand.
 
RT: I understand you are speaking during ITEXPO East 2010 in Miami, to be held Jan. 20 to 22. Talk to us about your session or sessions. Who should attend and why?
 
MR: My Session: “Building Voice Apps - The Developer’s Perspective” is intended to bring to the forefront the potential that Voice Application Developers have in providing the next generation of Telephony apps from the “Cloud”. With the emphasis on Cloud computing and Mobile computing, Voice, Video, and all media services will begin taking front stage in acquiring, servicing and maintaining customer loyalty. This is the “Perfect Storm” for developers to step in and take a slice of the pie. Identifying the trends, the best opportunities, and the under serviced areas with strategies to become engaged in the evolution, will be some of the objectives of the session.
 
RT: Please give me one outrageous prediction pertaining to our markets for 2010.
 
MR: Nokia (News - Alert) will decide to adopt the Android OS for some of their mobile smartphones.
 
To find out more about Mike Ross and Conversif, visit the company at ITEXPO East 2010. To be held Jan. 20 to 22 in Miami, ITEXPO (News - Alert) is the world’s premier IP communications event. Don’t wait. Register now.

Michael Dinan is a group managing editor for TMCnet, overseeing TMCnet's Web editorial team and covering news in the IP communications, CRM and VoIP industries. He also oversees production of e-Newsletters in the areas of 4G wireless technology and smart products. To read more of Michael's articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Michael Dinan


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