The world is moving away from hardware and towards software, even regarding the phones and other network end points that used to be mainly hardware concerns. Software licences represent "a fundamental change in the funding model" for communication technology and confusion will be the name of the game, in the short term.

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Although network tests are a basic part of IP phone system installations, many companies experience trouble after deployment. Industry insiders say the problems often stem from poor data network preparation. Something in the infrastructure check was missed. Finding the culprit is as difficult as tracing cables in a poorly dressed wiring closet.

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It's fair to say carriers have been cautious about fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) – technology that combines various wireless and wired networks for an improved end-user experience. Mobile service providers seemed worried that users would employ FMC to avoid cellular networks and their associated costs, relying on free or inexpensive Wi-Fi connections instead.

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Despite accelerating local-landline erosion over the past eight quarters, there are now signs that the losses are stabilizing, said Michael Sabia, CEO of BCE Inc., during Bell Canada's fourth-quarter and year-end financial results conference call.

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It seems the governing Conservative Party of Canada believes that it can do more to create a healthier economy by making sure market forces, rather than regulations, discipline industry sectors. The government announced its March 19 budget with this vision in mind.

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What do we high-tech industry professionals want and need to advance our careers? In recent years, almost every survey I've seen on this comes up with the same results: better collaboration, access to the right people, and effective networking opportunities. It may seem ironic, but the biggest challenge for us as communications professionals is to know how to communicate.

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For years, the technology to infuse "intelligence" into buildings has been technology looking for a cause. Jetsons-type automation of mundane tasks only appeals to a small minority of geeky consumers. But skyrocketing energy costs are providing a powerful incentive to look at the technology for hard-nosed energy management solutions.

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