Right now I'm at home. I called in sick today with a horrible flu, probably a result of not getting enough sleep during my brother's visit, and also doing pretty much nothing apart from work. However, lying in my bed doesn't mean I can't do my job - I'm currently pushing through a disbursement for an important project that I have been working on for a couple of weeks. This morning I have published 2 documents to IFC's internal server, held a couple of conference calls, and discussed/summarized the legal issues surrounding IFC's disbursment. Amazing what you can do with a cell, laptop and a wireless connection.
Kind of sucks though too, right? Gone are the days when "sick day" meant you actually got to sleep and recover.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Friday, February 17, 2006
Bracing for the weekend
My brother is coming to DC. Both of us were blessed (cursed?) with the same Irish genes, so I'm envisioning a rather ridiculous level of alcohol consumption. That, added to the fact that Jin can outdrink me, means that the three of us at a bar can only end in irrevocable liver damage. And probably severe memory loss as well. Ah, beer...
In all seriousness, it will actually be good to have an opportunity to do some touristy stuff in DC, as I haven't really done any myself since moving here. Hopefully I'll finally get to see the Smithsonian, and Eoin and I will also head up to NYC at some point as Eoin's never been there. It's been a while since I made the pilgrimage to the UN headquarters (yes, I know, lame that standing outside the HQ is my favourite thing to do in NYC, but I can dream, can't I?)
In all seriousness, it will actually be good to have an opportunity to do some touristy stuff in DC, as I haven't really done any myself since moving here. Hopefully I'll finally get to see the Smithsonian, and Eoin and I will also head up to NYC at some point as Eoin's never been there. It's been a while since I made the pilgrimage to the UN headquarters (yes, I know, lame that standing outside the HQ is my favourite thing to do in NYC, but I can dream, can't I?)
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Mobile development
Yes, mobile phones have an enormous impact on economic development. Why is this still news though? There is a horrendous public misperception on the uses and economic benefits associated with mobile phone use, especially with regards to the poorest segments of (all) societies. It has been remarkably difficult for the telecommunications industry, as well as the media in general, to relay this truth to public opinion. Part of the problem is that, while organizations like the BBC report justly on the benefits accrued from deploying mobile networks in developing countries, the relevant policy makers (read: governments and the UN umbrella) fail to highlight this issue - they would rather use a conference like WSIS to fight over control of the internet.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Friendster: krap
I joined Friendster a couple of months ago to be able to comment on a friend's blog (damn you Taylor) and couldn't even comment after taking forever to confirm that I was leaving every section of my profile blank. Now, mysteriously, after giving no information about myself and not putting up a picture, I have been contacted twice, both times by skimpily-clad women (one a model, the other a "lonely gal looking for a man") employing what my delicate sensibilities would consider a far-too-familiar tone, and somehow discerning that I was a "good-looking guy". I must say, despite the friendliness of these women, I think they may be poor judges of character (links to their friends' website seemed to suggest inappropriate material) but don't worry, I will invite them to the next cocktail party I hold and try to introduce them to some more polite washingtonian circles.
Yes, I am aware that it would probably have taken less effort to unsubscribe than to rant, but I felt the need to make a public appeal to stop people subscribing to that horrible website, if anything because their blog layout is so dysfunctional. Oh, and the name sucks.
Yes, I am aware that it would probably have taken less effort to unsubscribe than to rant, but I felt the need to make a public appeal to stop people subscribing to that horrible website, if anything because their blog layout is so dysfunctional. Oh, and the name sucks.
Convergence
This is the new buzz-word for what is happening to technology right now, and it's affecting the developing world in a big way. Gone are the days of categorizing technologies (and IFC investment projects) according to which segment of ICT they belong to - everything is coming together. And it's happening faster than anyone could have predicted. Even more surprisingly, the developing world is one of the incubators for this technological revolution, but first, what exactly is convergence?
10 years ago, a telecommunications project was exactly that - investing in a company that provided voice phone services over fixed-line networks to last-mile consumers. At the same time, cable networks and alternative technologies (DTH satellite, MMDS) provided video services to consumers. More recently began the laying-out of broadband networks to provide data transmission services. Then, mobile phones happened, and at the same time was born the realization that many of these networks could be used to transmit the types of data that others were exclusively providing. What does this mean?
It means there are no boundaries. Today, a cable network can be used not only to provide video, but also voice and data transmission services. Using VOIP (voice over IP) broadband networks can now offer voice transmission that rivals the quality and beats the price of traditional telecom offerings. Mobile phones now provide video and internet access as well as voice connectivity. Everything is converging. In the ICT industry, there are exciting opportunities for companies that are able to implement a converged platform - this is called a triple or quadruple play. A triple play includes wireline phone service, video and data (internet/broadband). Quadruple would include mobile. There is even talk of the emerging quintuple play, where mobile video is also offered. This technological convergence is revolutionizing the market, changing the stakes of the game and forcing telecom operators, cable providers, mobile companies and internet service providers to offer competitive packages across the board that meet the complete communication needs of every customer.
Obviously, this competition benefits developing nations, where fixed-line incumbents can no longer rest on their laurels and are forced to offer these services to the masses at the lowest possible price. But countries with under-developed ICT networks are poised to take even greater advantage of convergence than their developed counterparts, as they have the opportunity to technologically leapfrog and design networks with converged offerings in mind. It happened with mobile, and is now going to happen with everything else - the first quintuple play is far more likely to happen in Asia than in the US.
10 years ago, a telecommunications project was exactly that - investing in a company that provided voice phone services over fixed-line networks to last-mile consumers. At the same time, cable networks and alternative technologies (DTH satellite, MMDS) provided video services to consumers. More recently began the laying-out of broadband networks to provide data transmission services. Then, mobile phones happened, and at the same time was born the realization that many of these networks could be used to transmit the types of data that others were exclusively providing. What does this mean?
It means there are no boundaries. Today, a cable network can be used not only to provide video, but also voice and data transmission services. Using VOIP (voice over IP) broadband networks can now offer voice transmission that rivals the quality and beats the price of traditional telecom offerings. Mobile phones now provide video and internet access as well as voice connectivity. Everything is converging. In the ICT industry, there are exciting opportunities for companies that are able to implement a converged platform - this is called a triple or quadruple play. A triple play includes wireline phone service, video and data (internet/broadband). Quadruple would include mobile. There is even talk of the emerging quintuple play, where mobile video is also offered. This technological convergence is revolutionizing the market, changing the stakes of the game and forcing telecom operators, cable providers, mobile companies and internet service providers to offer competitive packages across the board that meet the complete communication needs of every customer.
Obviously, this competition benefits developing nations, where fixed-line incumbents can no longer rest on their laurels and are forced to offer these services to the masses at the lowest possible price. But countries with under-developed ICT networks are poised to take even greater advantage of convergence than their developed counterparts, as they have the opportunity to technologically leapfrog and design networks with converged offerings in mind. It happened with mobile, and is now going to happen with everything else - the first quintuple play is far more likely to happen in Asia than in the US.
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