Convergence Conversation

In the lead-up to the Convergence Conversation, 26 August, on the changing world of advertising, here are some interesting links to look at.

1. Nielsen's top 5 advertising trends for 2010

2. The semantic web, augmented reality, neural networks, and other drivers of advertising

3. But what does the future hold for advertising agencies?

4. Is the point of advertising is transactions? Do all roads lead to eCommerce? 

5. Or, if the point of advertising is to generate buzz, here are some nice ones:

Is this man the future of advertising?

Millions decide fate of BT couple

6. And of course, advertising meets mobile

In the news.... More...

A few months back, the prospect of policy focus falling on net neutrality in the UK provoked some apprehension.  The issue had failed to provoke the intensity of debate seen in other markets such as the U.S. and there was a sense from some that this was an “American disease we didn’t want to catch”.

Fast forward a couple of months with the publication of both the Ofcom discussion paper and the European Commission questionnaire and one could be forgiven for asking, what was all the fuss about?

Initial and public industry reaction to the Ofcom paper was largely “this looks about right” and with no sign of any immediate action likely to take place by way of mechanisms such as the imposition of a minimum quality of service requirement by Ofcom, perhaps there was nothing to be worried about after all. More...

I feel rathered honoured today, having read the Rory Stewart interview in the Sunday Telegraph, P15.

As one of the four folks the other Friday (actually there were five community broadbanders in total – two Cumbrian residents, two Lancastrians and a Yorkshireman) mentioned munching Cyberdoyle’s delicious Lemon Drizzle cake and also one of the two who joined Rory and his team for curry and plotting at the highly-commendable Mango Tree restaurant in Kirkby Stephen.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/7920361/Rory-Stewart-Westminsters-crazy-but-Id-rather-be-eating-cake-in-Cumbria.html

Rory is right to believe that changes comes, that real action happens, outside of Portcullis House lobbying and the Westminster Village environment. More...

NetIndex of Ookla reported yesterday the household download index as it is calculated from SPEEDTEST.NET measurements.

What clearly stands out is the trend of speed increase the last 6 months (for whom the study reports).
There are a few things not truly I was surprised to see in the reported data, probably the biggest surprise came from Singapore having an average of 5.54Mbps download speed. A thorough look into the source data could reveal more. Luckily, the good guys at Ookla let you in, in case you feel like digging a little further. More...

It has been widely reported today that Ofcom have released the results of tests conducted by SamKnows into the discrepancy between the marketing led "up to" figures by which our broadband is sold and the actual throughput that is delivered.

One such article: http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=194932&site=lr_cable&f_src=lrdailynewsletter

Congratulations to SamKnows for producing the empirical evidence to highlight a problem that many of us have known has existed for some time.

Now, Ofcom... you've highlighted the issue... what do you intend to do about it? Your remit as regulator of this industry is to ensure that we, the consumer, are not misled by false advertising. More...

An interesting question for BT posed recently by a member of the Final Third First Campaign:

“I would like to know what they think about the possibility of ceding the infrastructure relating to final third provision to a national/multiple local CICs to allow for local enterprise and development.

In other words would BT be open to the suggestion that they allow others to utilise those parts of their network that they find too costly to upgrade thereby allowing the Govt to to fulfil its obligations with very little cost to BT and a massive increase in the number of people receiving NGA or improved broadband?”

The above question fits in well with the broader subject of infrastructure sharing and takes the point further. More...

Interesting coincidence pointed out by PC Pro

that highlights the hidden true cost of broadband via ADSL (if available of course!), namely that a telephone line must also be rented in order to take service, regardless of whether customers actually want to make voice calls.

Whilst the mooted 50p per month telephone line tax was scrapped in the recent Budget, it now seems that BT has stepped in to secure the increase for itself.

Perhaps this means BT are going to deliver the USC with all this extra revenue?

Of course, had BT invested in the infrastructure it was gifted at Privatisation a quarter century ago by incrementally deploying fibre in the access network, then BT’s OPEX costs would be a small fraction of that incurred by having to continue to support its now antiquated copper wire access infrastructure and UK PLC should now be expecting a reduction in the cost of broadband instead. More...

Or....Why I live in t'middle of nowhere. I know it has confused some of you city types for nigh on 15 years why anyone would live where I do, but you are about to get the chance to understand. And, on top of the unmissable 2010 broadband conference, you have a chance to enjoy our rural, Northern hospitality at its best.

The tickets for the Penrith and Borders broadband conference are up for grabs in the next few days. But, why come up here just to listen or attend a conference? Come and enjoy our fantastic scenery (see pic - pls forgive grime and wipers as we rescued MOD folk from the Fells), partake of our lifestyle, share the warmth that reflects the hospitality in the Lake District, bring your Mrs/Mr, kids etc, and learn what it is that I and others have fought so hard to connect all these years. More...

Rural fibre connections continue apace it seems and this week sees the "Celebration of Speed" event This blog post can be read at http://5tth.blogspot.com

LoopScorpio have provided the Ullenwood Court Business Park near Cheltenham with 21st century connections, and in doing so have also brought decent connectivity to nearby towns over their own fibre network.

Undoubtedly, these are precisely the type of places that would fall into the final third, and this approach of mixing business with pleasure (e.g. homes and businesses) carries a level of sustainability with it. It also means that those who are in notspots can be 'subsidised' by the businesses, meaning a general I.T. More...

Whilst certain folks might have mistakenly thought that the concerns surrounding INCA were subsiding, the opposite is of course the case.

The Noble Lord, Lord Laird continues to provide vital Parliamentary scrutiny service to the Nation with the net of enquiry now expanding to include the wider BDUK initiative and the relationships and agendas of Senior Civil Servants within BIS.

The more that the proposed deliverables from the BDUK Industry Day are digested then the more it seems that Taxpayers Money is being proposed to be wasted, to the tune of £200M perhaps, on totally unnecessary “Market Testing” projects which in the context of the present Age of Austerity seems quite extraordinary. More...