The FCC has recently published an update to its PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification registry.  This is a list of the PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) with 911 systems that are ready to receive distress alerts via text message.  This is an exciting advancement in 911 technology.  Besides more timely and accurate responses to emergencies, a whole world of automation combinations become possible.

Automation cannot replace the comfort someone in distress might feel when making verbal contact with a skilled 911 operator.  However, in the world of computers and data, voice is a very inefficient way to communicate detailed information.  The following article details this author’s opinion of why Text-to-911 could have very exciting and highly beneficial ramifications. Read more »

Voice over IP will eventually become the standard medium for the all phone communications.  As this movement toward Voice over IP (VoIP) picks up speed, certain terms will be tossed around that you cannot ignore.  For those who have been too afraid to ask or feel lost when the topic comes up, this brief primer will make you sound reasonably in-the-know. Read more »

Dell Computers were the butt of outsourcing jokes for years during the 1990s.  But, today it seems as though any company that can offshore the help-desk has already done so by now.  Joking about non-intelligible accents and arcane troubleshooting methods doesn’t change the not-so-funny fact that these factors dramatically slow down productivity and demoralize end-users.

What Dean Davison wrote in 2003 in an article for ZDNET titled “Top 10 Risks of Offshore Outsourcing” is as true today as it was then. Read more »

The most common physical medium for wired local area networks in the last 20 years has been “Unshielded Twisted Pair”  (or UTP).  This is copper cabling with 8 individual wires inside.  The wires are twisted in a special way to promote speed and noise resistance.  While there has always been some form of copper cabling supporting local area network over the decades, the industry settled on UTP in the mid-1990s. It’s true that Fiber Optic cable is a faster alternative.  However, the balance of price, ruggedness, and ease of installation makes UTP the most popular solution for local area networks.

The “unshielded” part of the UTP name does suggest one weakness; its susceptibility to cross-talk (electro-magnetic interference with in the cable) and alien crosstalk (interference between two different cables).  Crosstalk, in either form, slows down the UTP cable’s ability to carry network information at high speed.  If you imagine the difference between carrying on a conversation in a quiet room versus trying to talk to someone in crowed stadium then you’ll have an idea of why crosstalk is a bad thing. Read more »

ENUM is short for “E.164 number to URI Mapping.” Stated another way, ENUM is a look-up tool where traditional telephone numbers (NPA-NXX style) can be translated into Voice over IP destinations.  This is also referred to as Telephone Number Mapping.  Since we’re currently living in a world where we have a mix of both traditional telephone service and Voice over IP (VoIP), ENUM helps integrate the two worlds.   Read more »

While major telecom giants like AT&T and Verizon are running for the doors to exit the wireline business, Frontier is gladly buying up their assets. But why? When is seem so obvious that the wireline business is in a decline, why would a company be trying to expand in that market?

What does Frontier know that seems so contrary to common sense? Read more »

An MVNO or “Mobile Virtual Network Operator” is a company that offers cellular service without owning any of the network infrastructure. It’s not a new idea. Companies such as Boost, Virgin Mobile, and Trac Phone are just a few who have already been doing this for years.

More recently a new spin on the MVNO idea has emerged: “Wi-Fi cell phone” or “virtual cellular service”. The concept is amazingly simple but probably overlooked by many cellular service consumers. The idea is to make use of free Wi-Fi access, when available, to carry the subscriber’s voice and data. At first glance, it may seem as though this is the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) model all over again. But, it’s really different.  However, the two of the biggest hurdles are going to be call hand-off and billing integration. Read more »

Most familiar with the telecom industry know what SIP is but just to be sure, let’s quickly review.  SIP, or Session Initiated Protocol, is the set of instructions that facilitate the setup, control, and tear-down of Voice Over IP, Video conferencing, instant messaging, and presence status. The promise of SIP is a huge set of features to make communications very powerful while simultaneously reducing costs. SIP is not new but it has been going through some maturing phases over the past 10-15 years. This article looks at what can be gained from the widespread adoption of End-to-End SIP and why we’re not there yet. And lastly, what it might take to get us over the hump to reach critical mass for mainstream use. Read more »

NPA 743 has been assigned to overlay the Piedmont area of North Carolina that is currently served by NPA 336. Optional ten-digit dialing begins in the area on October 24, 2015, with mandatory ten-digit dialing starting April 23, 2016. The earliest activation of NXX codes in the 743 area code is May 23, 2016.

NPA 934 has been assigned to overlay the existing 631 NPA that serves Suffolk County, New York. Optional ten-digit dialing begins July 18, 2015, and mandatory ten-digit dialing for all calls beings June 18, 2016. The earliest possible activation date for NXX codes in the new 934 NPA is July 16, 2016.