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| June 2010 |
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Out Front With Advocate Networks Droid vs. iPhone (and now iPad) By Scott Fogle, Yes, I am an early user of an iPad 3G. I'm in the business and justify it as "testing" the latest mobile productivity tool. I use the iPad as a semi-notebook computer replacement. After returning from a road trip to visit clients and prospects, just carrying the iPad catches people's attention and starts a debate on the benefits of this new tool. More about that later... The title of this column and the thoughts in this story are based on my experiences as a demanding mobile professional and user of both the iPhone and now the Droid. In 2009, I activated an iPhone on the AT&T mobility network after six satisfied years on the Verizon Wireless Network. My business travels take me to major metro areas as well as less populous areas, including South Georgia, where mobile network coverage is sparse. I have more than 3,000 contacts, manage a hectic schedule, and try to utilize every free moment - that's where the mobile phone, email and messaging come in very handy. Also, our company's standard PC is Windows, and at home, I love using a Mac. Call me crazy, but I like using different tools and seeing the pros and cons for myself. The iPhone felt like a natural extension of my fingers with its intuitive touch screen interface, and it felt balanced in my hand. Once you learn all the tricks, the device is very easy to use. The screen is highly visible, rotates from landscape to portrait, and is easy to read. The wide range of applications available at the App Store demonstrates human ingenuity and creativity. However, I had three major issues with the device. One, I experienced a one in two (50 percent) call drop rate in metro Atlanta. Two, the volume of contacts, emails and calendar entries appears to bog the device down. I experienced regular failure of these applications for no reason. Of course, they gracefully failed the application and took me to the home screen. Three, battery life on 3G, on of the main benefits of a smartphone, was terrible. I spoke with Apple representatives and engineering sources with AT&T to find out the root cause. When I asked AT&T about network connectivity and dropped calls, I was told the problem was the iPhone. When I asked Apple the same question, I was told AT&T was having network problems that would be resolved soon. When I asked Apple about the device "bogging down," every Apple store rep would reply, "I never heard of someone with that many contacts and email." When I asked how to improve the battery life, I was told to use 3G only when I had big files to download. In conversations with other dedicated iPhone users, I heard many complaints about dropped calls and the common statement, "I put up with it because I love my iPhone." I couldn't get a satisfying answer to any of my questions, and these conditions did not improve over six months. I decided to begin the search for a new device. Around that time, Google and Motorola started their pre-release TV advertising campaign for the Droid. The key messages got to me, and I decided the Droid would be my next test. Of course, the Droid required leaving the AT&T Mobility network and switching over to Verizon Wireless. After nine months of Droid use around the country, I am happy to report that its performance, reliability, battery life and ruggedness are great. I went through two Droids early on due to a mysterious loss of system configuration. Verizon Wireless could not duplicate or correct the problem, so the solution was to replace the device. Since then, the Droid has been with me all over the country, call-completion rates are near 95 percent, the device manages my contacts, calendar and email well, and the battery life is acceptable in 3G mode. I have dropped the device on concrete three or four times, it has some scratches, but it is still a fully functioning device. The application library for the Droid is growing and more than meets my needs. The multi-tasking operation system comes into play a few times, but is not a big advantage for me. Overall, I am very happy with the Droid and its performance on the Verizon Wireless network. Back to the iPad... I love the screen and user interface, and I believe this device is the beginning of a new wave of devices with new input systems that will eventually lead to computers that listen and talk, and respond to gestures beyond even the touch screen. I expect these new interfaces will create new niche applications and ease of use for specific user groups. Once all my key documents are on the iPad, I will be very close to a full mobile notebook computer replacement, with one exception: I am not sure how well the device will work, even with the Bluetooth keyboard, for document construction (building letters, spreadsheets and presentations). I do not have enough experience to render an opinion on the AT&T Mobility network performance for the iPad. So far, speed and throughput is unimpressive, but I would like to get more experience before drawing a firm conclusion. In all my recent client meetings, the iPad evoked one of two reactions: "Cool, is that an iPad? I love it and must have one," or, "unfortunately my end-users are bringing the iPad onto our network and causing new, unbudgeted support requirements... Ugh." Just before publication of this newsletter, I read the news of the AT&T network security breach and the compromised credentials of 100,000 email addresses. Forty-eight hours later and I have heard nothing from AT&T or Apple. In fact, I opened an expert ticket with Apple, and the expert representative had not heard of the issue - and Apple had no response. The device is still more of a toy than a tool to me. I hope this mobile professional's perspective has been valuable, and I will update my experiences as part of the new Advocate Networks blog we plan to launch this summer. For more information, please contact Scott Fogle at (678) 987-5990 or scott.fogle@advocatenetworks.com. |
 In This Issue
Case Study: Global Data Center Services Provider This large, public corporation provides carrier-neutral data centers and internet exchanges to enterprises worldwide. It offers colocation, traffic exchange and outsourced IT infrastructure solutions, operating 49 data centers across 18 markets in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Challenge
Solution Process
Results
For more information on assessing your wireless and/or wireline services, please contact Rob Stewart at (678) 987-5926 or rob.stewart@advocatenetworks.com. Wireless and Wireline Carrier Web Portals By Priya Boyington, Enterprise Consulting Team, Is your organization still getting its wireless and wireline bills on paper? There's a cheaper, faster and better way. Domestic telecommunications carrier web portals are becoming quite popular for their ability to deliver invoices and reports. The customization and self-service aspects make the tool an attractive alternative for organizations of any size, but larger enterprises with a significant number of locations and invoice points have the most to gain. Once enrolled on the appropriate web portal, your organization will have the ability to place orders, check your status, and view and pay your bills online. Read more and see links to carrier portals... From Call to Contact Center 2.0 By Marco Kuysten, Managing Consultant, While yesterday's call center was heavily focused on inbound and/or outbound phone calls, today's call center adds multimedia such as chat and email (and is more appropriately called a contact center.) Tomorrow's contact center is facing a new challenge: social media. Social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, FaceBook, Digg and YouTube create powerful opportunities for companies to learn and engage their customers in a different way. Social media is much more than a new channel to broadcast. Companies can, depending on their profile, benefit greatly from social media if it is properly integrated into the company's business and communications processes. It starts with monitoring; what are people saying about your company, its services, the competition and the market in general? Monitoring may seem easier than it is. With more than 1,500 tweets created every second, tools are needed to not only scan but also to filter. Wireless Carrier Consolidation By Priya Boyington, Enterprise Consulting Team, A leading indicator of our culture's dependence on wireless communication is the average age that children receive their first cell phone: 8 years old! Enterprises that are keenly attuned to improving wireless cost, service and support strive to consolidate their number of wireless carriers. However, this can be difficult considering the very personal attachment employees develop with their wireless device or carrier, and the resultant resistance across the organization to changing carriers. How often have you heard "that carrier doesn't work (fill in the blank) at home, on my commute, in the office, or where I travel"? When sourcing wireless services, it is important to assemble the details on carriers' geographic service areas and provide them to employees as part of any corporate decision. This can help quell the potential uproar over slower downloads or limited service areas. Consolidating carriers and contracts enables the enterprise to gain significant cost, service and support advantages: larger corporate discounts, more efficient optimization such as voice pooling of minutes, fewer accounts to manage, and fewer bills to pay. Ongoing Community Service: Sheltering Arms
Celebrating its 122nd anniversary this year, Sheltering Arms was founded by a sewing circle made up of Atlanta women. The first "center" was in a railroad boxcar. Today the organization thrives with 17 Sheltering Arms centers scattering the Atlanta area - each center helping local children and families reach their full potentials. Look For Us! HostingCon 2010 SCALA Vendor Fair COMPTEL Plus Fall 2010 SIMposium: The Charm of IT
Referrals are always appreciated (and rewarded)! Please contact Marina Harmon at marina.harmon@advocatenetworks.com or call (678) 987-5915 for information about our referral program. To learn how Advocate Networks can reduce your communications expenses, please contact Scott Fogle at (678) 987-5990 or scott.fogle@advocatenetworks.com. |
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Members of Advocate Networks met early in the morning on June 11, 2010, at Sheltering Arms, a nonprofit daycare center with a great history. For its second-quarter community service project, Advocate Networks employees were excited to read stories to young children at the center and to sod their playground.