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A new way of looking at an old subject - "telephony"

What if you were new to the planet and were presented with this problem (in other words, think "NO PRECONCEPTIONS"):

"Welcome to Earth, more specifically, the the United States. We'd like your help in finding a way for us to talk to each other and exchange data remotely, regardless of where we or those we communicate with are located. All we have is this Internet network to work with. Can you help us?"

I think that after taking a look at the Internet, you would first take measures so that everyone is on broadband, and then you would come up with a software application that runs over the Internet. In other words, something that looks either like this service, FWD or this one, Skype and has a variety of handset options, including something like this Google Phone or this iPhone.

The point is, if you're starting fresh, there is little indication that you would recreate the current copper-based network PSTN (aka traditional telecom network) with captive customer service features and handsets limited to voice and tied down to physical locations. We use what we have today because it's already in place and because everyone is used to using it, not because its superior in any way.

In this fresh hypothetical, we would instead use a VOIP application running over the Internet, because that's the most efficient way to communicate, and it offers more features and benefits, in short, more value. We would likely have a large variety of application service providers lining up to compete for our VOIP business - it would be a very competitive market. And we would pick which device best suited our needs and it would just work, with little user orientation needed.

OK, so back to the alien consultant scenario with which I introduced this post. So, you're the consultant drafted to solve this problem...To frame the issue, wouldn't you ask questions like these?

1) Whom do you need to talk with? Where are they?
2) What technologies do we have to use to connect to the Internet?
3) How often do you talk on the system or use it for data?
4) What quality level for voice transmission and reception is acceptable?
5) How much do you have to spend on this service per month?
6) How much would you like to spend?

And then, in answer to your questions, you were told ...
1) about 80% of the time, I need to talk to people I know, 20% of the time, strangers will need to reach me, or I will need to call new people. I need data in all kinds of ways.
2) The Internet, and laptops, handsets and other devices that work on the Internet
3) Nearly all the time - just as I would if they were next to me, say, in the same building. I need access to all kinds of data at all times.
4) Same as if I was standing next to them, but I don't mind if the connection breaks, because I can just restart the call.
5) less than $10/month
6) I'd prefer to spend nothing at all for the calls, if that's at all possible.

Among the many challenges that any new voice telecom company faces, just as with all the companies that have taken on the large telecom companies in the past and mostly, failed, is that people change their habits a lot slower than technology changes. So new competitors trying to take advantage of what technology can provide today have to wait for the market to develop around them, even as they must compete with these 800-lb gorillas with tremendous market advantages.

It's a challenge, but I encourage you to get in the habit of looking at old industries with a new eye, because the times they are a changin'...Try to look at telecom services differently. We don't realize how many assumptions we carry inside our heads on a service that has been around with very little changes for as long as we have lived. Think about things like what is the basic service needed? what could be added to make it better? what works in other industries that we could borrow?

I think that looking at old things in new ways is a skill we are all going to have to develop, whether we like it or not.

Posted on November 05, 2007 at 03:04 PM

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