On Sunsets and Telecom

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On Sunsets and Telecom

Another perfect sunset seen from Redondo Beach, California. Since arriving here in June I've had the pleasure of watching many sunsets while jogging or walking along the Redondo "Strand," and have yet to tire of the endless beauty of each individual sunset. Each one is stunning, each one is different. While jogging along this evening, watching today's contribution to my portfolio of California memories, the thought came to me that sunsets are a lot like the day to day activities that challenge our lives.

A Redondo Beach sunset has four major components:

· The sun

· The ocean

· Clouds (or lack of clouds)

· Weather

With this combination we have the ability to put together a different sunset every evening, never repeating the same sunset. Each sunset is very different, leaving a completely different emotion to the sunset participant. In Redondo Beach, the entire waterfront area appears to pause for about 10 minutes each day to watch the sun go down, indulging in explosions of color and emotion that accompany the event. Our business lives show some interesting parallels to sunsets. In my industry, telecommunications, we also have very few basic ingredients supporting business:

Cable and air (wireless) Electricity Computers Software Packet handlers (routers, switches, modems, etc)

When you think about it, each new company developing and deploying a new telecom-related product is using a combination of the above items ? they are just connected and marketed in unique models needed to fulfill requirements a market or industry. Thus, whether you are an Internet Service Provider, a web hosting company, a Voice over Internet provider, or a traditional telephone company, at some point in your business case your product will include all the above components.

Thus it is not magic to understand the technical portions of a telecom business. All telecom and Internet-related companies use the above components ? they are just put together and marketed in a different manner.

This also leads me to believe technology is not the discriminating factor in the success or failure of any business. That factor is more a product of understanding your market, developing a product with a well-prepared business plan, And then aggressively executing against your business plan. Technology can never stand alone, and very few successful businesses have ever been built solely around an emerging technology. The technology must be designed to solve a business challenge, or enable a new business model.

We have all gone through the exercise of taking an object, and determining what the purpose of that object may be. A sheet of paper may be a tool for recording written or printed information, it may be the raw material for a paper airplane or origami, just as it might be a tool for cleaning your teeth when you cannot find a pick or floss. The sheet of paper works well for all.

Computers and networks are similar. You ask what a computer is, and the response may be a word processor, or a communications terminal, or an emergency disk backup platform, or even a platform for playing games and entertainment. One computer may accomplish all the above, although the owner of each individual computer may give you a very different answer on how a computer should be used.

An Internet connection may be used primarily by one company for research and business intelligence, while another company may consider the Internet as a delivery system for disaster recovery backup and storage. Again, suitable for both, but very different in application.

Just as a sunset changes every day based on the presentation or conditions of its contributing components, the business must also consider technology as a tool to execute a successful business plan. It is important to first understand the business requirements, and then reach into the technology "tool bag" for the components needed to deliver.

(About the Author ? John Savageau is a managing director at CRG-West, responsible for managing operations and architecture for several of the largest telecommunications interconnect facilities in the US, including One Wilshire in Los Angeles)

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Gaza fighting rages despite cease-fire proposal (AP)

AP - Israel resumed its Gaza offensive Wednesday, bombing heavily around suspected smuggling tunnels near the border with Egypt after a three-hour lull to allow in humanitarian aid. Hamas responded with a rocket barrage.

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AP - Pointing with concern to "red ink as far as the eye can see," President-elect Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to tackle out-of-control Social Security and Medicare spending and named a special watchdog to clamp down on other federal programs Â— even as he campaigned anew to spend the largest pile of taxpayer money in history to revive the sinking economy.

Senate Democrats yield to Obama, retreat on Burris (AP)

AP - Senate Democrats beat a hasty retreat Wednesday from their rejection of Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's successor, yielding to pressure from Obama himself and from senators irked that the standoff was draining attention and putting them in a bad light. Burris said with a smile he expected to join them "very shortly."

Fatal Calif. train station shooting sparks anger (AP)

AP - Protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer turned violent Wednesday night with windows broken, fires set and train stations closed.

Obama hails 'extraordinary' moment with presidents (AP)

AP - Confronting a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to perhaps the only people on the planet who understand what he's in for: the four living members of the U.S. presidents' club.

Melting snow causes heavy flooding in Wash. state (AP)

AP - Rain and high winds lashed Washington state Wednesday, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures as the heavy snowfall that has buried parts of the state began to rapidly melt.

Feds say inauguration attractive terrorist target (AP)

AP - The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama is an attractive target for international and domestic terrorists, but U.S. intelligence officials have no information about specific threats to the Jan. 20 event.

'Dark Knight' sweeps People's Choice Awards (AP)

AP - Holy People's Choice Awards, Batman!

Lin, Harvard upset No. 17 Boston College 82-70 (AP)

AP - Jeremy Lin scored 27 points to lead Harvard to an 82-70 upset over No. 17 Boston College on Wednesday night, three days after the Eagles upset previously top-ranked North Carolina.

Rockets from Lebanon hit Israel (Reuters)

Reuters - At least four rockets fired from Lebanon exploded in northern Israel on Thursday, wounding two people, police and medics said, in an attack likely linked to Israel's offensive against Hamas Islamists in the Gaza Strip.

Obama to lay out case for stimulus in speech (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama will call for quick action on a fiscal stimulus package in a speech on Thursday aimed at reassuring Americans that he is determined to stem the economic crisis.

Profit warnings, job losses herald lasting slowdown (Reuters)

Reuters - A fresh wave of profit warnings and job cuts soured investor sentiment on Thursday after an employment report suggested U.S. job losses in December could be the worst in almost 60 years.

Senate Democrats move to seat Burris (Reuters)

Reuters - In an abrupt switch, Democratic leaders began talks on Wednesday to swear in Roland Burris, appointed by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

Buyers rejoice: Manhattan home prices finally fall (Reuters)

Reuters - It took war, the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and the collapse of some of New York's famed investment banks, but Manhattan apartment prices are finally falling.

Mumbai-like attack could happen in U.S. : Bush aide (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. cities are vulnerable to an attack like the gun-and-grenade assault that terrorized Mumbai for three days and killed 179 people, the White House homeland security adviser said on Wednesday.

"Enemy combatant" will be early test for Obama (Reuters)

Reuters - The case of Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al Qaeda "sleeper" agent and held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, will be an early test for President-elect Barack Obama.

U.S. presses to jail Madoff on diamonds, watches mail (Reuters)

Reuters - Accused swindler Bernard Madoff should be jailed for violating a court order by mailing $1 million worth of diamonds, watches and other jewelry to friends and family, U.S. prosecutors told a court on Wednesday.

Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon: military (AFP)

AFP - Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon early Thursday, military sources told AFP.

Israel bombs Gaza tunnels as peace moves gather pace (AFP)

AFP - Israeli warplanes bombed suspected arms-smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza early Thursday, as diplomats worked to secure a ceasefire in an offensive that has killed 700 Palestinians.

On Sunsets and Telecom

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