MegaPath is widely recognised as an innovative solution provider of managed IP communications services in North America. Its solutions allow businesses of varied sizes to easily and securely communicate between their headquarters, branch offices, retail locations, mobile workers, and business partners. It provides a wide range of broadband services, Virtual Private Networks, Voice over IP (VoIP) and Security technologies to businesses of all sizes. MegaPath is committed to improve the productivity of clients. Duet™ Voice and Data service from MegaPath combines business-class phone service and high-speed SDSL or T1 Internet access into one low monthly rate. On 31,March Covad and MegaPath has announced a merger agreement.

Address and Contact details:

555 Anton Blvd,
Ste. 200

Costa Mesa, CA

92626

United States

Phone: 714-327-2000

Fax: 714-327-2001

Senior Management:

• D. Craig Young Chairman and CEO

• Paul Milley CFO

• Dan Foster Chief Sales & Marketing Officer

• Jim Smith CIO

• Steve Guastella SVP Network Ops & Engineering

• Beth Tyebjee SVP Products & Project Management

• Steve Chisholm SVP Business Development & Corporate Services

• Greg W. Carver SVP Customer Operations

• Skip Besthoff Principal, Rho Ventures

• Rob Ketterson Managing Partner, Fidelity Ventures

• Steve Krausz General Partner, U.S. Venture Partners

• Christopher Marshall Managing Director, Trident Capital

• Mark Iwanowski Independent (Chairman of the Board and CEO of KSR Inc.)

For more details on the management Click here

Product Range:

• Broadband connectivity(T1,Ethernet,DSL ,Cable)
• VPN
• VOIP Telephony
• Security technologies
• Retail-specific ancillary services

For details on products:Click here

Cost of products:

Service SPIFF per Circuit

Access-only Bonded 3.0 6.0 Mbps T1 $600

Full 1.5 Mbps T1 $300

Duet Full 1.5 Mbps T1 $750

Duet 3.0 Mbps Bonded T1 $1000

For more details; Click here

Areas serviced:

The company offerings are availaible across several regions in US including the likes of

• • Seattle ,Portland, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Los Angeles , San Diego

• • Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta

• • McLean, Washington DC, Ashburn, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City

• • Detroit, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu

Pros:

• Megapath is known for the rapid implementation of policies.
• Payment processing system is quite good and faster
• Facilitate the customers to be a PCI compliant
• Megapath provides a 24X7 customer support
• Megapath has a nationwide coverage of its broadband

Cons:

The prices charged by the company are quite high than the competitors.

Some transaction fees charged by the company are at times on the higher end.

Complaints:

There are some complaints where customers are required to wait for long periods for receiving technical support.

Bulls Eye Telecom is a reputed provider of business communication solutions for large, multi-location organizations across the United States with 300+ locations. It was founded in 1999, and offers various telecommunications products and services including traditional voice over internet protocol services- local, long distance, and national telephone services with call forwarding, call waiting, three-way calling, data, VoIP, cellular and telecom expense management options. Bulls Eye Telecom also works with Agent Partners who are entrepreneurial individuals and companies who are committed to provide the most innovative and price effective telecommunication solutions for their customers.

Address and contact details:

25900 Greenfield Rd # 330

Oak Park, MI

48237-1292

United States

Phone: (248) 784-2500

Product Range:

Voice

PRI

VOIP

Data

Enhanced Products

Services:

Account Management

One Invoice

Reporting

Consolidating Invoicing.

For details on products please click here

Areas Serviced:

Bulls Eye basically providing its services across United States and is credited for its reliable service.

Cost of Products:

Qwest Service Areas

Local and intraLATA Toll, Per Call: $1.25

InterLATA Toll, Per Call: $1.25

Verizon Service Areas

Local and intraLATA Toll, Per Call: $1.25 (I)

InterLATA Toll, Per Call: $1.25

For more details click here

Pros:

• The company allows the creation of personal account plan which fits the corporate needs of its clients.
• The company offers customized pricing that is based on the business needs of its clients.
• Superior project management implementation.
• Provide you with one point of contact and one invoice for all of your telecommunication services.
• Offers a set of innovative products, services and online tools.
• Efficient reporting tools that help businesses to track and trend data for highly improved decisions.

Cons:

Incidents of Bait and Switch billing reported.

Higher bottom line spending reported .

Handling customer’s queries requires improvement.

Prices are substantially higher than competitors.

Complaints:

Incidents of inaccurate record keeping reported

Customers have complained of hidden charges.

Cimco is recognized as a major voice and data solution provider which boasts of an enviable clientèle of large organizations including prominent government agencies and financial institutions. The company was incorporated in 1985 by Bill Capraro, Sr. and Bill Capraro, Jr. and it always had a focus on providing exceptional customer service. Slowly but steadily Cimco has achieved a surprising 98% customer retention rate. The company is currently aiming at taking its solutions to individual and small enterprises. It is known for its extremely experienced operations staff as it hires employees not only on the base of their skills but also on their people management. It solutions are often appropriate for complex telecom networks, companies in multiple locations, and companies requiring special attention. Cimco is known for its personalized solutions which it offers in  verticals like business data, voice, Internet, MPLS, and voice communications, and colocation solutions. The company also offers a bouquet of monitoring services along with managed firewalls and Internet access and monitored routers services.

Address and Contact Details

CIMCO Communications, Inc.

1901 S. Meyers Road, 7th Floor

Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

877.691.8080

Fax: 630.691.8788

Product Range

IP Talk (VOIP)

• IP Talk Hosted Solution
• IP Talk Trunking Solution

Data center services

-Colocation

-Managed servers

-storage

-application

Buisness continuity solutions

• netAssureSM
• SafePathSM Alternate Routing
• Business Continuity Planning Packages
• Basic Voice Package – Save 22%
• Enhanced Voice Package – Save 22%

Netselect Rapidrelay

• Integrated Voice & Data Solutions
• Internet Services
• MultiMeg
• DSL

Wiseeye

- MPLS/IP VPN

Securebiz

Voiceservices

Conferencing Solutions

Areas Serviced

Cimco offers its product range across United States and has significant operations in many states.

Pricing

Cimco offers customized solutions and pricing for a solutions varies according to the needs of the client.

To know about the pricing of a specific product one can directly contact Cimco

Senior Management Team at Cimco includes

Bill Capraro           Chief Executive Officer

Bill Dvorak               Chief Financial Officer

Margi Shaw              Chief Operations Officer

Dave Braner               Chief Information Officer

Mary Rodino              Chief Marketing Officer

Donald Versen            Chief Technology Officer

For more details on the management team please click here

Pros:

• Company focused on providing extraordinary customer care
• Person-to-person communications
• Live-answered phones 24×7x365
• Single point of contact account management person assigned to each customer
• Nearly 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry
• Comprehensive package for all communications – tailored to customer needs
• Multiple carrier network flexibility
• Proactive local customer service and support team
• Single source for all voice, data and Internet communications needs
• Unparalleled level of knowledgeable people and technical expertise across services, suppliers and applications
• Company focused on long-term relationships with both customers and employees
• Company electronically bonded to the nation’s most reliable network infrastructure suppliers
• On-line billing management tool that is unsurpassed in the industry
• Competitive pricing and no volume commitments.

Cons:

• Incidences of dropped connections reported.
• Relatively high monthly cost to access its services than competitors.

Owing to its strong customer service ethos customer complaints are negligible

Sprint is the third largest long distance provider in US and it also holds the majority stake in Clearwire which incidentally is the largest wireless broadband network. The company was initiated in 2005 when the Nextel was purchased by Sprint. Sprint was operating by using two separate wireless network technologies, CDMA (for Sprint and Virgin Mobile subscribers) and iDEN (for Nextel and most Boost Mobile subscribers). But, in 2009 it made an agreement to outsource management of its wireless networks to Ericsson. Its headquarters is based in Overland Park, Kansas. Presently it has 48.1 million subscribers in United States. Sprint’s key business units are the global markets division, the local division and other sundry businesses. It is referred as a Tier 1 internet provider and is categorized in the category of U.S internet back bone.

The focus of its global market segment is on long distance communications and broadband facilities, while the focus of its local segment is in local communications and other services within the territories. Sprint’s local decision was named by Embarq which was made as a separate company in 2006 comprising of some local companies that serves around 8, 1 million network lines in 18 states.

Address and Contact Details:

6200 Sprint Pkwy.

Overland Park, KS

66251

United States

Phone: 913-624-6000

Toll Free: 800-639-6111

Product Range

Landline Phone lines.

Networking

Internet & IP Wireless Phone and solutions.

Wireless Data

Relay Services

Conferencing

Areas Serviced:

Sprint is mainly focused to United States or one of a leading Mobile phone services and Internet carrier provider with a worldwide presence. Presently it has around 48.1 million subscribers in United States.

Senior management at Sprint includes the following executives

Dan Hesse                                                                 Chief Executive Officer

Robert H. Brust                                                         Chief Financial Officer

Danny Bowman                                                        President, Integrated Solutions Group

Paget L. Alves                                                           President, Business Markets Group

Matt Carter                                                                President, 4G

Keith Cowan                                                             President, Strategy Initiatives

Daniel P. Dooley III                                                  President, Sprint Wholesale Solutions

Bob Johnson                                                             Chief Service Officer

Robert H. Johnson                                                     President, CDMA Business Unit

For more details on the senior management at Sprint click here

Cost of Products:

Sprint Palm Pre – Black                                                 $129.99

Sprint Blackberry Tour 9630 – Black                            $99.99

Sprint Samsung Intrepid – Black                                   $149.99

Sprint Palm Treo Pro in Black                                       $64.99

Sprint HTC Snap in Black                                             $49.99

For more details please click here

For details of Sprint Calling Plans click here

Pros:

• Competitive family fair and flexible plans including Unlimited Mobile to Mobile calling to any Sprint user.
• Provision of multi tasking
• Home Screen Panels ready to bear widgets & shortcuts galore

Cons:

• The carrier’s PCS technology uses a digital network that operates on a higher frequency than most original cell phone networks.
• Sprint allows 14 days to try out your cell phone, the least amount of time allowed for a trial period.
• Sprint does not offer any prepaid cell phones
• Persisting hardware bugs across most manufacturers ranging from signal quality, internet connection, screen quality, camera quality, etc.
• Lot of constraints in choosing the plans.

Complaints:

• Incidences of early termination on non payment fees.
• Occasional carelessness on the part of customer service reported.

Address and Contact Details:

1 Comcast Center,
Philadelphia, PA 19103
United States.
Ph: 215-286-1700 or toll free number 800-266-2278.

Product Range

Some of key offerings of Comcast include

High speed internet.
Digital voice.
High-Speed 2go& home networks.
Comcast is adding HD movies, TV shows, music videos on its demand service.

Senior management at Comcast includes the following executives

Brian L Roberts CEO
Ralph J. Roberts Founder and Chairman
Stephen B. Burke C.O.O
Michael J. Angelakis Chief Financial Officer
Amy L. Banse Senior Vice President
Arthur R. Block Senior Vice President
Kristine Dankenbrink Senior Vice President, Taxation

For further details on Comcast management please click here

Areas Serviced

Till the end of December 2009, Comcast served customers in 39 states and the District of Columbia with 23.6 million cable customers, 7.6 million voice customers and around 15.9 million Internet service customers, with a blistering speed of 12Mbps and Security Suite at $120 Value which is valued lower than $19.99/MO for 6 months.

Cost of Products

Comcast offers a whole boquet of products and services. We have listed a few here
for your quick reference.

Comcast digital cable – $49.99/MO for 6 months facilitating 270 popular channels

Comcast digital voice – $29.99/MO, for 6 months providing boundless local and nationwide long distance calling.

For further details on products please click here

Pros

On-demand network and a decent number of channels with comprehensible facilities.
Fast Internet connections and relatively accurate broadband speed claims.
High-quality video/audio with on screen guide.
Provisional price reduction.
Cable TV with the channels you like, all in one package or individual, at a very squat monthly charges within the Competitive prices.

Cons

There are certain cases of prices driven by hidden fee.
Incidents of Bait-and-switch billing have been reported.
Signals get frequently interrupted
There are so many cases of billing errors

Complaints:

Customer service is not satisfactory at par.
Unwillingness in addressing issues.
Some customers have complained about records being not maintained accurately.

Comcast however appears to be taking notice of customer grievances. To overcome some of its bottlenecks in service delivery Comcast is about to launch a new automated diagnostic/troubleshooting portal, called Grand Slam that helps their agents for rapidly and precisely resolving customer issues.

1. Cisco’s Hologram takes their TelePresence a step further, allowing real time interaction.

2. Its creation saw the merging of 3D Holographic projection technology from Musion (a UK company) with their well developed TelePresence.

3. The collaborative effort of a team of more than twenty five Cisco staff from many different disciplines as well twelve industry representatives was needed.

4. The images are captured using high definition cameras, and transported over the Human Network (a Cisco network, used in their TelePresence video conferencing) to the room that is set up to receive them.

5. The high definition image is projected onto a thin layer of specially designed, transparent foil-technology that Musion provide. This drawn out to span the stage. Other companies have similar technology in other countries.

6. Synchronized audio with no latency produces the illusion that the person in the hologram is really talking to you.

7. Images can also be captured and sent via internet Protocol Television), allowing any TV or monitor with a high bandwidth connection to receive it.

8. Fiber optic cable may also be used to increase the speed of the transmission, being better able to handle the large amount of data needing to be sent.

9. It will not require the removal of previous video conferencing technology, instead building upon it where possible.

10. There is no limit as to how near or far apart the conference rooms or stages must be. Anywhere on the network can be reached from anywhere else.

11. Multiple locations can be projected into the same room, allowing many representatives to meet in real time.

12. Holographic TelePresence is the environmentally friendly way to conduct business because it eliminates the need to send company representatives thousands of miles by air. This reduces your company carbon footprint, as well as your travel bill.

13. Conversation is two way-cameras can be placed near where the transmitted image will be shown, broadcasting the other side of the meeting. This allows for a realistic view for both parties involved and allows real time interaction.

14. The holographic images of people are life sized, and all movement is shown. This is a huge benefit in situations where the ability to use body language is needed.

15. Holographic TelePresence is not restrictive. Instead of being required to be sat stationary at a desk so that a video camera can record you, the participants are free to move around.

16. It is predicted that it will be so popular that around a billion dollars in sales are expected in the next three years.

17. TelePresence is already in place in 150 rooms spread throughout 28 countries and this is expected to grow.

18. Holographic TelePresence will be initially pitched at hotels and exhibitions, but ultimately may be used in homes and schools.

19. Cisco’s Hologram may revolutionize rural medicine. In areas that are hard to reach or where travel may be dangerous, the use of a full sized hologram may allow access to medical personnel.

20. Long distance learning, as well as entertainment and business may all benefit from this in the future.

2. Attend a Future-Net Conference
For over ten years Future-Net has been one of the must attend conferences for all things MPLS and beyond. You may not follow everything, but you’ll get a firsthand look at the cutting edge ways MPLS technology is being used in some of the latest gadgets and applications.

3. Shadow
Of course you aren’t shadowing to get an inside look on your future career, but there is a lot that can be learned seeing what a person does all day in their position. You can see firsthand how the technology is used and nothing is better for learning than a working example.

4. Frequent MPLS Forums
Forums a great way to interact with experienced people and newbie’s alike. Forums are also a great place to get free insight and information into a topic you’re completely foreign to.

5. Take an Online MPLS Introductory Course
An online introductory course can be an excellent way for anyone, engineer or non-engineer to learn about MPLS. If you really want a guided in depth understanding of MPLS a beginner’s course could be an excellent way to gain knowledge that could possibly propel you into a new career all from the comfort of your home.

6. Sit in on a local MPLS course
If taking an online course is too intense for you, you could always ask to sit in on a local MPLS course for one or two sessions. Sort of like shadowing, you can see how future MPLS engineers are being trained and you may be able to ask questions to clarify topics you don’t full understand. You also could meet a few MPLS students who are willing to help you gain a deeper understanding of the field in their spare time.

7. Purchase a MPLS Study Guide
So, you may not be studying to actually take the CCIE Certification Exam, but using a study guide can provide you with excellent information on the basics of MPLS. Cisco itself does not offer study guides, but you can usually find knockoffs from third parties like Tcertkeys.

8. Configure a MPLS Lab Setup
Many people are now moving to getting their MPLS degrees online for the convenience. However, the necessity for hands on experience still remains. To solve this problem, many people are setting up home labs to gain MPLS experience. Creating your own home lab set up can be a great way to gain experience, even as a novice and gain hands on learning. Most labs will guide you through what you should be doing and aiming to learn. If you do not have all the equipment, you can always ask a local university if you could use one of their labs for your personal use.

9. Read MPLS Fundamentals
From CISCO press, this book is a comprehensive guide introducing multiple facets of MPLS. In this book you will receive an overview of all the sides of MPLS, including the core, its applications, troubleshooting, numerous examples of MPLS theory and basic IOS configurations, as well as outlooks on the future of MPLS.

10. Read MPLS: Implementing and Technology
This MPLS implementation how-to book contains a CD-ROM that includes the entire book, with hyperlinks, diagrams, and animations that illustrate the ideas in the book.

11. Read MPLS: Technology and Applications
This book was written by two the most high regarded and knowledgeable MPLS subject matter experts. The text offers an in depth evaluation and practical guide to MPLS and explains why it is beneficial to deploy MPLS on your network.

12. Read Rick Gallaher’s MPLS Training Guide: Building Multi Protocol Label Switching Networks
This book introduces basic MPLS concepts, setup, migration, function, inspection, and troubleshooting. This book also contains thorough turnkey configurations for routers.

13. Read MPLS Configuration on Cisco IOS Software
This practical and hands on book covers basic and advanced MPLS topics with an emphasis on MPLS applications and deployment.

14. Read MPLS and VPN Architectures
This book offers an analysis of the MPLS architecture and the mechanisms and features constituent of the architecture. The book also covers MPLS scalability and how it supports up to tens of thousands of VPNS.

15. Attend a Lunch & Learn, XO Communications
Many companies are grasping that in order to get people interested in their technologies it is wise to reach out to communities. Companies like XO Communications in Utah have reached out to local communities via free ‘Lunch & Learn’ MPLS sessions. This is an excellent way to learn more about MPLS and connect with companies to learn about more opportunities to further your knowledge of MPLS.

16. Attend Free Webinars
Webinars are golden opportunities to interact with industry major players and learn more about their jobs and innovations. Companies like MPLS-Experts host webinars weekly to accommodate visitors around the world. If you attend, you’ll also receive free white papers that you’d otherwise have to pay for in order to gain access.

17. Attend a beginner’s workshop
Universities and Companies often host workshops to educate the public on the latest cutting edge technologies and research. You may even be able to get your hands on some new technology or participate in on sight labs. Workshops are not only excellent for learning the basic functions and features of MPLS technology, but like attending conferences; you can gain exclusive information on the latest developments in the MPLS industry.

18. Read The MPLS Primer: An Introduction to Multiprotocol Label Switching
The book includes detailed coverage of how MPLS operates, applications, and MPLS management along with evaluations of current MPLS implementations.

19. Read Cisco Multiservice Switching Networks
This book is a useful guide to comprehending multiservice switching architecture and design and deploying MPLS and PNNI implementations in specific Cisco product lines.

20. Read MPLS-Enabled Applications: Emerging Developments and New Technologies
This book is excellent for MPLS novices and professionals. The book explains instances in which MPLS would be applied and how to tailor it to fit specific circumstances. This book provides the present position and future potential of MPLS applications.

Which vendor is right for you? The most popular and well known could be the best for you, thinking of going the Cisco route? What about another semi famous company, is the top always the best? Can you get the best quality with something as simple as a VOIP system?

What about features, how important are they to do? Do you need a bundled software pack like many are known to have with their own auto attendant, conference bridge resources and call manager? Are you going to need to fax over IP and be able to with this system? What if you need station to station for your business, can the other guys do that?
The phone system for most places of business are also the life lines, do not think that the system you need will come cheap but do not run out yet to buy the most expensive. Do a quick test with other companies in your area to see what they have and what they are paying, word of mouth is great and most people are honest enough to help out another local business (even if it is a competitor).
Is there a dealer close to you who can get a better price than you can with the vendors? Have a check to see, it’s possible you can get the same system cheaper through a dealer than alone and that even includes their install fee!

If you cannot find a dealer able to chop the price down for you, check to see if it’s possible to purchase at the end of a quarter when representatives are working to hit their numbers. Or attempt to go on a lease/finance promotion checking if you are able to save some money when purchasing a system for your entire office. Leasing can increase the price so checking with more than one vendor can help to find the lowest rates.

Before the development of the telephone where one could actually speak to another person a distance away we had the telegraph. The first telegraph did not use electricity and was invented by Claude Chappe in 1794. His system used a flag based alphabet known as semaphore and required you to be within seeing distance of the flags in order to communicate. Through the years advances were made using electricity and magnets and in 1832 the first electromagnetic telegraph was introduced by Baron Schilling. Several years later in 1837 Samuel Morse built his own kind of electricity based telegraph and he and his assistant developed a code to transmit messages known as the Morse Code.

Alexander Graham Bell patented his idea for the telephone on March 3, 1876 but was nearly beaten to the punch by Elisha Gray who had developed his own telephone. Both of these patent requests were filed on the same day within hours of one another. The first phones were of course stationary and initially calls had to be run through a switch board operator and not directly dialed from one phone to another. The first “mobile phones” were actually two way radios that were installed in cars of police officers and taxi drivers.

The development of radio can be attributed to the work of many and was initially known only as wireless telegraphy. The first person to intentionally send and receive a radio transmission was a man named Heinrich Rudolph Hertz. However, he did this by studying and reproducing the work of another a man by the name of James Clerk Maxwell. The first patent for a radio was awarded to Guglielmo Marconi in 1896. The radio became an instrument of communication as well as family entertainment. Before the television was invented radio stations would broadcast fictional programs in weekly installments as well as music and news from around the world.

As it was with the telegraph, telephone and radio no one person really invented the television but rather many people’s discoveries and inventions led to it’s creation. In 1862 Abbe Giovanna Casselli demonstrated the first transmission of a still picture over wires with an invention he called the Pantellagraph. The first television was introduced at the World’s Fair in1900 by a Russian man named Constantin Perskyi and it was he who coined the term television. The first moving picture television was invented by John Logie Baird in 1926. The United States, United Kingdom, France, Soviet Union, and Germany all began regular television broadcasting in the early 1930’s. Where as now you can watch television from around the world on all the channels provided to us twenty four hours a day initially there were only two or three stations in any given area and these stations only operated for a few hours daily.

The internet is essentially a large network of other smaller networks. The internet allows us to communicate with others around the world and gather information from multiple sources simultaneously. The internet has been the work in progress of many since 1950. In the beginning the internet was only accessible to a few people and now it is available to everyone and not just on your home computer but on your laptop and cell phone as well.

In modern society we have so many ways to communicate with others television, phones, radio, and the internet. We can talk with someone halfway around the world and even see them while we do it! What would all of these inventors think if they could see how far their inventions have come?

2. Reputation
While they may not be house hold names, many CLEC company’s like XO have many corporate clients and Government contracts, that speaks volumes to the quality of service you can expect.

3. Alternatives to Conglomerate Competitors
Many people do not like doing business with larger customers because of the lack of customer service. CLEC companies tend to restrict their business to certain types of customers, so fewer customers, means more time dedicated to each individual customer.

4. Growing Voice and Data
Years ago most CLECs focused on provided long-distance voice services, but today due to their ability to offer bundled services, many CLECs are capturing the entire dollar of their customers by offering local, long distance, data and enhanced services.

5. Regimented Network Strategy
Growth strategies for CLECs are becoming more focused. Many surviving CLECs are either very concerned about limiting their customer growth to areas where they can serve their customers on their own networks or focused on customer resale.

6. Signups on Fairer Economic Terms
Due to less competition, many of the customers bidding wars between CLECs in the past are waning, another reason why customer retention and growth are now ahead of competition.

7. Pay as you Go
As opposed to paying set phone bill per month, CLECs charge by the usage, so you pretty much control how much you want to pay for phone service.

8. Going International
Many CLECs are realizing that technology is quickly helping the world become smaller and smaller as far as communication, so many CLECs are tapping into serving rural areas worldwide.

9. Allow ISPs to profit off Existing Customer Base
ISP companies would be wide to take the plunge and switch to a CLEC and profit from telecom services used by the existing customer base and community.

10. ISPs can save costs
ISPs can generate multiple new revenue streams as they currently pay retail tariff prices on circuits that CLECs themselves would provide

11. Connecting with Major Players
A lot of big names are recognizing the power of CLECs. For instance, like Google and Microsoft, who are teaming with Skype or Nuvox who has teamed up with Google apps and Microsoft to offer hosted services like e-mail and high-end web applications.

12. Cable CLEC
Comcast recently acquired CLEC Cimco, which is a big boom for CLECs. With the increasing demand for broadband services on the side of CLECs the unison only makes sense.

13. CLEC-ISP Mergers
Given the fact that network facilities and network access account for the bulk of total ISP operating costs it only makes sense for ISPs to merge with CLECs. Instead of CLECS building a network due to increased growth in data traffic and data needs, it’s becoming easier for CLECs and ISP to merge. This means CLECs will transform into super companies and be able to offer supreme services.

14. Minimum Regulations
Compared to ILECs and their cost studies for legacy pricing and regulated rate of return, CLECs have no existing baggage or relatively low regulatory requirements.

15. Personalization
In order to compete and out of the need to consistently stay abreast in the industry, CLECs are allowing customers to personalize the bundles now more than ever.

16. Wireless Offerings Expanding
To aid in simplifying customers’ experience, many CLECs are beginning to bundle wireless offerings such as data cards and PDAs/cell phones, as well as other wireless services in addition to core telecom services.

17. Improving OSS
Recently CustomCall Data Systems incorporated an XML Web services interface to AT&T Inc.’s OSS within its TRS Ordering and Gateway Solution for CLECs. This innovation will allow CLECs to transition from EDI to XML interfaces and will allow customers to benefit from improved features and increased functionality. Many CLECs are expected to follow suit.

18. Lower Long Distance Rates in the Future
Many CLECs are starting to experiment with SIP trunking which peers calls into SIP warehouse to eliminate additional call legs which has the potential to greatly reduce long distance call rates.

19. Niche Services
The reason many CLECs have survived is that they have identified niche focuses that enable them to offer specialized services to niche customers into addition to requiring low marketing and customer service costs.

20. IPTV
Many CLECs are utilizing their packet-switched network infrastructures to offer digital television services which work seamlessly with other VoIP and data services