Small Business Tech

I have had an opportunity to try the new Novatel MiFi 2200 Personal Hotspot this weekend. The device and service are provided by Verizon. The MiFi is a wireless wifi router and cellular data modem built into one very small package. It is less than 1/2-inch thick and it can easily be held in the palm of one's hand. It connects to the cellular data network, and then up to five users can connect via wifi. You can connect notebook computers, wifi phones, or wifi enabled smartphones.

Here are my initial  thoughts...

• The device will work with nearly any wifi enabled device including Mac or Linux computers. The first connection to activate with Verizon does require a Windows computer. You will need to connect with a USB cable, and then install Verizon's connection management software which is stored on the device. Once this is done the software is no longer needed to use the wifi. You can reconnect the device with the USB and use the software to check your usage.
• The speed is not what I had hoped, but I have only checked from two locations. Neither location was much more surburban than urban. My home is well known for being a very poor Verizon reception location. I was attaining download speeds ranging from 130 to 300 kbps. A typical cable modem connection runs at 5000 kbps or so. I am going to try it out at some other locations this week, and update if I find better connectivity speeds.
• The battery is supposed to last for 4 hours online, and 40 hours on standby. I will try that out this week. The battery is pretty large and the wifi range is only 30 feet, so it is a believable estimate.
• It comes with a power supply with folding prongs as well as an USB cable.
• A real printed manual. It came in a svelt box with a very nice printed manual. The manual even describes how to log onto the web-enabled access to change settings. The WAP encryption key which is printed on the back of the device can be changed, and even the encryption can be changed or disabled. I would not suggest disabling. Someone nearby could quickly run up your Verizon bill.

Overall, I am impressed so far. The promise and execution of the device seem to be on the mark.

Labels: MiFi, Verizon

As we continue our march towards an all-digital world, we are going to have to make changes as old analog systems go away. As companies have perfected digital communications systems, they are eager to phase out the older analog systems. The reasons for the desire to fade out older analog systems is that companies want the frequency spectrum that is currently being used in an inefficient manner and they want to stop spending funds to maintain the older equipment. This has taken place in out-of-sight public safety (fire and police) communications and in high-profile cases such as broadcast television.

The next guidepost in the digital conversion trail is the cellular telephone system. The FCC will allow the carriers to shut-off the old analog cellular phone system in February 2008. What will be affected? I have listed below some of the common devices that will no longer function.

• Cellular Phones - It is speculated that their are 1 million active cellular phones in the United States that still use analog service. You are safe if you use a handset that is newer than five years old. The big and possibly disastrous effect could be on 911-only phones. Check if you or possibly your parents have one of these old 911-only devices. I know that my father has kept a 911-only phone in his glovebox for years.
• Car Communitions - General Motors OnStar, TeleAid from Mercedes-Benz, or Lexus Link will be affected for cars of fairly recent vintage. The manufactures are pointing out that most systems in 2003 or older models will no longer function. OnStar is offering to upgrade systems in 2004 and 2005 models for a small fee. The older models do not appear to be eligible for upgrade. This could affect up to 700,000 cars.
  
• Home Alarms - Check how your alarm system communicates with the central monitoring station. Many systems still use analog landlines, but some advanced systems used the analog cellular phone systems as a primary or backup. Any system older than 2006 should be inspected. These systems are generally not upgradable, so you will most likely need to purchase a new main board or communications panel at the least.

For more information consult with your cellular telephone provider, alarm system monitoring company, or automobile monitoring server. You can specifically visit OnStar's web site to check the status of your vehicle.

Labels: cell phone, Cellular, phone, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon

Vonage has assembled a web site where their customers and supporters are encouraged to contact Verizon and sign a petition. They also have information about the pending patent infringement case.

On the Vonage freetocompete.com site, Vonage really comes out shooting. The pull quote at the top of this post is what appears at the top of the home page. The site has a certain edgy voice that makes Vonage sound scrappy. I think that it is a good voice to use - The poor innocent VOIP pioneer being fought by the big evil corporation.

There might be a couple hundred thousand hardcore Vonage fans who will utilize some of the services on this site. I doubt it will sway the case, but it does give Vonage a platform to tell their story.

Labels: Verizon, VOIP, Vonage

I know that many people and small businesses use VOIP from Vonage. Fortunately the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided yesterday to allow Vonage to continue to sign up new customers. This is part of the patent infringement case brought against Vonage by Verizon. You can read more at ZDNet.

One quote struck me as odd. An analyst near the end of the article indicates that even though Vonage can continue to sign new customers they will "...be kind of swimming upstream...in terms of marketing and commercial appeal." I wonder if she is referring to this case. Only the geekiest of geekdom even know that this is happening. Most people just want to know if it works. I think that Vonage's current campaign tells that story well.

Here is the entire analyst contribution to the article...

Rebecca Arbogast, an analyst with Stifel Nicolaus who attended Tuesday morning's arguments, said she was left with the impression that the appeals court judges were leaning toward Vonage's side in some aspects of the dispute. But until a final decision emerges, Vonage may find it more difficult to attract new customers who may fret about the service's future.

"Even though legally they can sign up new customers," Arbogast said in a telephone interview, "I think they're still going to be kind of swimming upstream over the next couple of months in terms of marketing and commercial appeal." -ZDNet

Disclosure: I have been a customer of both companies for many years.

Labels: Verizon, Vonage