Comments on: GrandCentral Down; Co-Founder ‘In Mountains with Family’; Blogosphere Naps http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/ Just another Penton Media weblog Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:10:24 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Joseph Farrar http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Joseph Farrar Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:33:44 +0000 http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/#comment-45 It is kind of odd that only the Co-Founder responded. I think the response time and the lack of activity on the GC site perhaps has something to do with the Google buyout. Before they were always blogging about something and talking about new features. He did however say they would be keeping more up to date soon. Who knows that's just my .02 It is kind of odd that only the Co-Founder responded. I think the response time and the lack of activity on the GC site perhaps has something to do with the Google buyout.

Before they were always blogging about something and talking about new features. He did however say they would be keeping more up to date soon.

Who knows that’s just my .02

]]> By: Craig Goldenberger http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Craig Goldenberger Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:24:45 +0000 http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/#comment-44 I couldn't disagree more. I spent a good ten years in telco before going over to the dark side, and taking telco services with me. I think the comment is terribly provincial and short sighted. I don't know why GC doesn't have it's systems set up with alarms or why the CEO would not have someone in charge of getting the word out, but services like GC are the future of voice communications, no matter whose network they ride. Why my colleagues insist on this type of smug rhetoric is beyond me. Fiddling while Rome burns? Now, what is the land line erosion rate? The public wants these services, and without the usual non-cost based pricing of incumbants. We should all take note at the adoption rates of these 'second class' offerings and offer them ourselves. I totally disagree with GC's business model and believe their existance is completely reliant on the Google treasury, however 'big telco' models are equally as onerous and account in no small part for the astounding number of people who are willing to accept Skype quality. Somebody has to pay for the network. So Skype doesn't work. But how does Quest justify charging $4.95 a month for caller id or $.22 a minute intra lata? No mas! The truth of course lies somewhere in the middle. But so long as millions are willing to try these services, the VCs are going to be willing to fund them in hopes that one will find the right model. The point is smug columns about how superior OUR network is don't solve the problem. WE'RE better because we were protected by monopoly status for a hundred years and inherited a huge customer base and its cash flow. Rich, there's nothing you or I did to deserve that advantage. The cash flow from that base is declining so at some point the incumbants get to compete with these little start-ups based on equal access. Then I'd like to see if Ivan Siedenberg over at Verizon will have his 'pager' on for outages on the weekends like I and so many of my colleagues do. I couldn’t disagree more. I spent a good ten years in telco before going over to the dark side, and taking telco services with me. I think the comment is terribly provincial and short sighted. I don’t know why GC doesn’t have it’s systems set up with alarms or why the CEO would not have someone in charge of getting the word out, but services like GC are the future of voice communications, no matter whose network they ride.

Why my colleagues insist on this type of smug rhetoric is beyond me. Fiddling while Rome burns? Now, what is the land line erosion rate? The public wants these services, and without the usual non-cost based pricing of incumbants. We should all take note at the adoption rates of these ’second class’ offerings and offer them ourselves.

I totally disagree with GC’s business model and believe their existance is completely reliant on the Google treasury, however ‘big telco’ models are equally as onerous and account in no small part for the astounding number of people who are willing to accept Skype quality. Somebody has to pay for the network. So Skype doesn’t work. But how does Quest justify charging $4.95 a month for caller id or $.22 a minute intra lata? No mas!

The truth of course lies somewhere in the middle. But so long as millions are willing to try these services, the VCs are going to be willing to fund them in hopes that one will find the right model. The point is smug columns about how superior OUR network is don’t solve the problem. WE’RE better because we were protected by monopoly status for a hundred years and inherited a huge customer base and its cash flow.

Rich, there’s nothing you or I did to deserve that advantage. The cash flow from that base is declining so at some point the incumbants get to compete with these little start-ups based on equal access. Then I’d like to see if Ivan Siedenberg over at Verizon will have his ‘pager’ on for outages on the weekends like I and so many of my colleagues do.

]]> By: Khyle Keys http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Khyle Keys Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:44:33 +0000 http://blog.connectedplanetonline.com/telephony2/2008/04/14/grandcentral-down-co-founder-in-mountains-with-family-blogosphere-naps/#comment-42 I assume that GC's Data Center had generator power, so I am curious as to why that failed as well. I really wonder why they couldn't get word out somehow (Twitter?, Email?, something) until the co-founder was available. Was no one else able to get any message out at all? (full disclosure) I work for IfByPhone, which has some overlap in services to GC. I assume that GC’s Data Center had generator power, so I am curious as to why that failed as well.

I really wonder why they couldn’t get word out somehow (Twitter?, Email?, something) until the co-founder was available. Was no one else able to get any message out at all?

(full disclosure) I work for IfByPhone, which has some overlap in services to GC.

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