Comments on: An Old Idea Gains Currency http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/01/an-old-idea-gains-currency/ A daily round table on the tech industry with experts and callers from all over the globe. Join us as we pick apart the news and get to the meat of what\'s happening out there. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:14:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Alec http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/01/an-old-idea-gains-currency/#comment-28630 Alec Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:12:07 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/01/an-old-idea-gains-currency/#comment-28630 Very true Aswath. And, in fact, I understand that there are a number of telephones on the market which can do this already. Your point about the "stupid network" becoming "intelligent" is a good one. I think two things conspire to maintain the status quo: First, the telephone companies subsidize the handsets. So long as customers are willing to take handset freebies, the services locked to those handsets will be the ones we buy. Second, most of the handsets today are incapable of locally hosting the advanced media services. They will be able to do this, just not right now. In this specific case, my opinion is that the background tone service is not valuable enough to warrant a media server on it's own. IMO, it's more likely that this feature will not be widespread until implemented on the handset. Very true Aswath. And, in fact, I understand that there are a number of telephones on the market which can do this already.

Your point about the “stupid network” becoming “intelligent” is a good one. I think two things conspire to maintain the status quo: First, the telephone companies subsidize the handsets. So long as customers are willing to take handset freebies, the services locked to those handsets will be the ones we buy. Second, most of the handsets today are incapable of locally hosting the advanced media services. They will be able to do this, just not right now.

In this specific case, my opinion is that the background tone service is not valuable enough to warrant a media server on it’s own. IMO, it’s more likely that this feature will not be widespread until implemented on the handset.

]]> By: Aswath http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/01/an-old-idea-gains-currency/#comment-28610 Aswath Wed, 02 Aug 2006 09:01:54 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2006/08/01/an-old-idea-gains-currency/#comment-28610 Can't the "intelligent end-point" play the tune thereby negating another ARPU scheme? I guess the "stupid network" is slowly becoming "intelligent" because that is where the money is. Can’t the “intelligent end-point” play the tune thereby negating another ARPU scheme? I guess the “stupid network” is slowly becoming “intelligent” because that is where the money is.

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