I was extremely excited when Sean Van Koughnett, director of Velocity, selected me as one of the 7 Velocity residents (and past residents) to attend the 3-day Canadian Telecom Summit.

The conference has a whopping $2,250 ticket price, so I was extremely pleased that we only had to pay $100 dollars + hotel fees. Thank you Sean for giving us the rare opportunity to attend such a high caliber conference!

Last year, the conference attracted the likes of the President & CEO of Ericsson Canada, President & CEO of Rogers Communications and even the University of Waterloo president, David Johnston himself! This year was equally as impressive! Check out the line of speakers:

During the conference, I took some notes on my HTC Tilt (♥ the keyboard). Here they are for your viewing pleasure (note that the notes were quickly taken):

Palm Pre Demo:

Really nice UI, but what do productivity users, such as all business users think of it?

They have an IM app that links all messaging protocols together, but why don’t they just thread all of them together? If you’re talking to someone using MSN on your mobile and the other side disconnects. Why not continue the conversation using SMS?

CRTC Presentation:

Began presentation with the important topic of net neutrality, throttling and network shaping.

CRTC agress with Bell’s position on the need for traffic throttling to preserve the integrity of their service, but realizes afterwards that it is a bigger issue than they had previously realized. No shit. If they’d like to “preserve the integrity of their service” they should stop it with the false advertising (ahem, ‘unlimited downloading’?).

CRTC sees a need to increase Canadian content on the web. Subsidy scheme beign considered, but will discuss in the near future. Political answer for a political issue. How quaint

“The web revolution right now will influence our society as much as it did with the industrial revolution.” Cool – if our school systems were built on the basis of industrial design (students students go in, smarter students come out) then the web revolution will teach society that a linear learning path is not the ideal way for human beings to learn. I want that to happen right now! I see so many grade ‘A’ students who lack important characteristics – such as open-mindedness/free-thinking.

MTS Allstream Presentation:

“Businesses with an increase broadband capability also enjoy an increase in growth and overall employee satisfaction.” I wonder what these employees do with their faster internet

What Customers Want:
- Big companies to feel smaller, more nimble.

- Small companies to feel bigger, have the capability of large firms

Industry challenges – Canada lagging in telecom investment – outdated competitive framework. How honest, and that coming from a service provider too!

Competition must be placed on networks, not between them.

Customers tend to buy services as a package from providers. If you are a service provider and you don’t offer television then you are losing on potential profit!

CWTA Presentation:

16 to 21 percent increase in mobile web usages. Random business idea: SMS usage is still growing rapidly. How do you use SMS to make money? An email to SMS service?

Internet drives innovation wherever it is embraced – so young users dictate how the web will be developed. More reasons to start a web-based company.

CBC Presentation:

Very very surprising presentation. Talks about the fact that CBC has always been at the forefront of using innovative mediums for distributing media. First to use Twitter, first to provide full-streaming, first to use podcasts in Canada.

Interesting fact: Streaming video does not cannibalize television viewership for Olympics 2008. Not a solid fact to prove streaming video doesn’t actually cannibalize television viewerships in general. Older age groups watch the Olympics, those who would watch it would watch it in any medium. Those who normally wouldn’t watch it on TV might watch it on the web due to convenience.

Awesomeness Panel Discussion:

You know something is awesome if it’s named so. This discussion was absolutely amazing. It was the most memorable discussion I’ve ever seen. It involved 4 top lawyers in the country that represent some of Canada’s biggest companies. These are the titans, and man were they fierce. Insults were thrown around, not of the personal kind but well-formulated low-blows relating to their positions on the market (ownerships of varying companies) and ‘hidden’ self-interests that became not so hidden (anymore). As intense as it was, everyone (including the panel themselves) found it hilarious. Well, except for that one guy that was steaming at the end.

Government is not stimulating digital but rather promoting the analog industry. Taxes service providers and puts the money earned into the failing auto industry. This one made me laugh and then made me think hard. Then, laughed again. Talk about over-simplification.

So why should service providers open access to smaller players? We’re the ones spending billions in developing infrastructure.

Government data involing internet speeds in Canada and how it’s so low is garbage. It doesn’t take into account of Shaw’s (and other’s) latest offerings, such as 50 – 100 mbps connections.

We can create a pipe dedicated to P2P for our customers, but that’s not what our customers want. I BEG TO DIFFER! Obviously, Rogers publishing subdisiary doesn’t enjoy people sharing their content with each other.

Internet is successful today because it is built and mainted by engineers. If we regulate service providers, then all will fail.

Note to self: Look into Dec 8 CRTC Forced Access – many service providers want this removed.

75% of revenues are from wireless services, not wireline.

The government is forcing service providers to make a decision through regulatory means on whether or not to build infrastructure in small towns. Do we really need to go? Give us the freedom to decide. It’s healthy! – No way. Corporations always follow the money. There is little to be made in small towns. Government should step in to avoid abandoning small towns and force them to live in the past.

Clear to me that titan telco’s do not believe int he role of the government. Why should they? They are self sufficient and sustainable! Very dangerous as corporations get bigger and bigger.

Cisco Presentation:

“Transformation of service providers to experience providers.”

Cisco trying to have the first mover advantage.

Lots and lots of mention on the ‘Connected Life’. First phase involves the home (information), followed by the media enabled home (entertainment), then visual networking (more effective communication). Isn’t this what Microsoft is doing with MediaCenter?

If Web 2.0 could be summarized as interaction then web 3.0 would be about recommendations and customization. Aren’t we there already? I really wish people would stop versioning the web. There are no clear definitions of web 1.0, web 2.0 and so on. If you’re going to version the web, at least set a standard for definition. Isn’t web 3.0 about the marriage between hardware and the internet?

CTV Presentation:

Mostly on the Winder Olympics.

CTV will be offering 14 different camera views for viewers to choose from. Hooray for customization!

Will be similar to the Obama inaugauration in that it will have live chat, Facebook connectivity, use of Twitter etc…

Twitter for athletes = not a good idea when they are in the midst of their sport. Actually, illegal (bylaw) for an athlete to be acting as a journalist. So, when XXX the skier broker his legs and blogged about it, he got into trouble and was almost suspended.

Broadcasters to aggregrate athletes’ websites, accounts (Twitter, Facebook) etc..

Drop in viewership in 1996 because kids used to watch the Olympics with their parents.

Talks of Twitter makes me realize it’s purpose on the web. Because it is still alive, there must be an underlying reason. More about that in the next blog post entitled, “Facebook’s Twin Brother – Maybe Twitter Isn’t Dead.”

Net Neutrality Panel Discussion:

Man was this boring. Nothing like the panel discussion above. Everyone all agree that DPI is required and traffic shaping is required.

CEO of Sandvine hints that in the future, users may be able to decide which app gets more priority over bandwidth.

Mike Lee is a bit of a jerk. (Chief Strategy Officer – Rogers Communications)

Comverse:

Interesting how everyone at this conference talks about their strategies on selling to the “@ Generation“ which is supposedly us. They should turn around

She is clearly very nervous! Poor woman.

“Crisis is a terrible thing to waste”

Haha, quote of the day: “Back in the days, people used to mate to communicate…I meant meet…Back in the days people used to only MEET to communicate”

Really truthful slide deck picture, where there’s this girl smiling and hugging a wall of information (represented by 0 and 1′s). The wall is also hugging the girl and has a human form (kind of like wrapping a sheet over someone’s face) – shows our emotional attachment to the web.

People are worn out…too much ads and too much data, which causes ad blindness. That’s why relevance is the key to marketers. Contextual displays significantly reduces information overload.

People do not take BS on their mobile as opposed to desktops and laptops - my rationale: smaller screen, limit of processing resources and the personal nature of mobile will put more emphasis on UI for all existing computer/web apps even if they aren’t exclusively for mobile consumption.

Rogers Presentation:

The Senior VP of Business Markets presented. He was older than others but I think he was one of the better presenters. The other presenters were well-composed, but he was absolutely cool and calm. No ‘uh’ or ‘um’ or any awkward pauses at all. His presentation was absolutely flawless, and yet it didn’t appear rehearsed.

“If you’re ever in a meeting with a bunch of lawyers and they won’t shut up. Just mention the term ‘conscientious parallelism’ “

Huawei Dinner:

William Gibson – a re-known Canadian sci-fi writer that predicted the internet and other pervasive technologies existing today.

Operators own user’s granular location, and can pinpoint location and time to deliver contextual content. It’s not donen right now, but Huawei urges this to happen to bring the culture of the web to mobile and really bring out the full potential of mobiles.

Last Day Panel Discussion:

Canada has the highest penetration rate of broadband, followed closely by the US.

There are mostly two models: subscription or ad driven.

Oirtability of the TV will be the future – Microsoft’s Mediaroom will provide the ‘connected TV experience’. There are already over 3 million subscribers for Mediaroom, which I think is still in beta mode for Canadians – as always.

Windows 7 will act as the glue to the experiences possible for all the devices in a home.

Future will involve:

- bringing the web culture to mobile

- ex. When calling someone the operator will announce the receiver of the call’s status, such as whether he/she is driving right now, and gives the option to leave a voicemail or forward the call.

Summary and Lessons Learned

- The leaders of Canada’s biggest organizations have a few things in common: They are as bold as they are aggressive. And though aggressive, they are very well-composed and speaks in a manner that draws you in. It’s clear that these people aren’t super-heroes with some divine given power. They are people who understand uncertainty but does not act because of potential risks, but rather act on potential benefits and awards.

- The content presented at the conference are things that I would have (or in most cases, already have read about) on the web. However, it was am incredible learning experience just to observe how world leader’s interact with each other. Although, it was awkward speaking with someone twice your age who’s there for different reasons than you are, the panel discussion involving the lawyers was well worth the costs of the conference.

- I did notice that all the speakers talked about the future and how it might look like. However, there was little discussion on how to reach there, or what kind of infrastructure is required. I guess the purpose of these summits is for each company to show off their own vision of the future, similar to that of concept car shows. Whatever is in the works is top secret.

- Peter Kao

I received an email from a Los Angeles producer about a new reality show they are filming. The producer has developed such shows as Supernanny, Real Housewives of New York and It’s Me Or The Dog for the ABC network.

If you are under the age of 18, you should apply right now!

Check out the PR release below:

[start]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 6/9/2009

Contact: Brian Robles – TV Development : 323/904-4680 brobles@shedmediaus.com

PRODUCER’S OF ABC’S SUPERNANNY ARE SEARCHING ACROSS AMERICA FOR TEEN BUSINESS GURU’S TO STAR IN NEW REALITY SHOW:
Those under 18 are encouraged to apply immediately

Los Angeles, CA – The producers of ABC’s popular parenting series SUPERNANNY are searching for kids UNDER 18 years old that have their own business or help run a family business to star in a new network show!

Producers want kids who run various types of businesses and have become financially successful. Do you consider yourself a mogul in the making? Do you know someone who is a business expert and is only a teen? If so then we want to hear from you!

Those interested may apply by e-mailing brobles@shedmediaus.com for an application. Please include a short note about your business success and why you are perfect to star in your own show.

The producers of this show are based in Los Angeles and also have offices in London and Brighton. The production company is one of the leading independent production companies of high quality un-scripted television programming in the United States and abroad. The international phenomenon, SUPERNANNY, launched the company in the United States where they are building an innovative reputation for creating transformational, critically acclaimed reality based documentary style television.

[end]

- Peter Kao

Working at Microsoft Canada in Mississauga last work-term has taught me many lessons. Lessons that weren’t directly applicable to my job title at the time, but lessons on where I want to be in terms of my career and what I want to do. Also, my work-term showed me just how much I hate the corporate culture – the cubicle job, the many politics, the fake smiles on people’s faces and so much more. It really got to me midway through.

Now, instead of continuing on with my complaints (there are many) there are some good aspects to working at a big company, especially for a marketing position. For one, the larger the company, the bigger their spending on advertising. So, as someone interested in getting his foot in the door with marketing Microsoft was an ideal place for me. Or so I thought…

The thing with big corporations is that their culture has matured to the point of saturation. At some point in time, Microsoft’s culture became a staple. If you didn’t think like them, you weren’t hired or kept for long. A company’s culture is extremely important and Microsoft failed to create a sustainable culture.

Microsoft’s culture is pretty obvious. One can smell it in the air upon setting foot in their premises. Many programmers know it, and try to avoid it – bashing Microsoft’s brand in the progress. What is Microsoft’s culture? I’ll put it in 2 short sentences: Microsoft’s culture is aggressively business-oriented. It is dominated by old-fashioned behaviour along the very tall hierarchy chain. 

Microsoft’s culture is aggressively business-oriented.

Microsoft, a software development company (now branched into hardware development, as well), has non-technical staff in all positions. At Microsoft Canada, I would say most employees were non-technical. I don’t expect the marketing division to have programmers, but  they should at least hire people who understand where technology is heading and the current internet phenomenon. So many project managers didn’t understand what Twitter is, let alone how to use it. There were even senior staff who don’t know how to copy and paste, resulting in tons of wasted time just re-typing everything.

It is dominated by old-fashioned behaviour along the very tall hierarchy chain.

I found this incredibly interesting. A few weeks into my work-term, I was happy to hear that Microsoft had recently replaced its staff with younger employees. I was expecting the workplace to be buzzing. Instead, it was stiffling. Senior staff did all of the talking and decision-making when it was clear that they weren’t the experts. I felt this first-hand. In one of my team’s monthly meetings, the higher-ups were discussing Microsoft and Google’s position on the market. I had a few inputs on this since I update myself daily with both companies, and plus I follow tech-internet news. I decided to send an email to the entire team, including the director of my work division to discuss an article I had found online. It was entirely appropriate since a few days before the team was scratching their heads on how to proceed. I received no replies back. It was after my work-term ended that I had found out the higher-management found my email to be (and I quote): “Inappropriately written for communicating with senior staff.” I believe I’m pretty good at writing emails. In fact, I’ve received several compliments before. The issue with my email wasn’t that it sounded “rude” but rather it was coming from a lowly co-op student.

Another fascinating event was when I had written a similar email (but of a different topic) regarding one of the emails another director had written. I was respectively opposing her point by writing to other Microsoft co-ops to initiate a discussion. Instead of a discussion, one of the co-ops told me that the director was way up there and that I shouldn’t be questionning her decisions. I should accept that she knows best and leave it as that. There was so much backlash that I just had to continue the debate. It was too interesting to just let it die off. It was clear to me that these students would be hired as full-time employees at Microsoft and continue the downward spiral of the company. They understood so little about their industry, yet they will dedicate years of their lives to it. Instead of spending time to learn more, they reject any ideas except those proposed by their immediate bosses. This was a trend with full-time’s as well.

Man, I can keep going on and on but I’m just going to cut it short. Microsoft is a dinosaur kind of a company: Ancient, big and slow.

Does the pride of a successful company always take over it’s culture? Is this the precursor to a lack of innovation that so many big firms face? As always, let me know what you think.

To cap it off, this is a print-out I scanned:

I had printed this off and someone at the printer picked it up and wrote a note. Funny thing is…everyone at Microsoft uses Google, they just don’t admit it infront of their bosses.

- Peter Kao

Yay!

A few months ago, I received an email from Kelly Sonora from Online College Degree informing me that PeterKao.com was listed as one of the 100 best blogs for young entrepreneurs!

I’m glad that my blog has reached young entrepeneurs across the internets. Thank you all for your readership support!

See the entire list here: http://onlinecollegedegree.org/2009/03/12/100-best-blogs-for-young-entrepreneurs-2/

- Peter Kao

I found this somewhere in my massive list of unread emails today.

The calculator asks you several things about your business or startup and  supposedly compares your results to  real-world data to calculate your chances of sucess!

Take a look!

- Peter Kao