[Asterisk-Users] VON Update - Greetings from Infomercial Central

[Steven M. Sokol]

The Hype Is Back

	Ok.  Everybody who has ever been to a trade show knows that the
majority of what you hear is marketing hype.  That's to be expected.  But
usually you expect to see that on the exhibit floor or in companies'
hospitality rooms.  Unfortunately, the VON show seems to have decided to
extend that to the Keynote Addresses and Industry Perspective sessions.  By
and large it looks like I have paid 2500 USD to listen to a series of the
world's longest AT&T infommercials.  It's hard to think of AT&T as a driving
force in disruptive technology.

	This is not all bad.  It is good research into the strategies the
big players are using.  It looks like the big money players (AT&T, Nortel,
Siemens, Cisco, etc.) are really trying to push into VoIP in a big way.  The
other big positive is the fact that people are actually, well, positive.
The buzz and the money seem to be back in the VoIP market.  I just hope that
the Asterisk community can take advantage of the change.

Asterisk Team Arrives

	Mark and Greg, plus Jeremy from NuFone and Don Witt from Cylogistics
are here and manning the booth.  A good number of people wandered by to see
the display and to ask questions about Asterisk.  Lots of interest!  I
actually have seen an IAXy, so I can attest to the fact that they actually
exist.  Rumors have it that they will be available in the near future.
Similar rumors surround the FXO modules for the TDM4XX platform.

Astricon News

Several more people have expressed interest in joining the Astricon tomorrow
(Weds) evening.  If we get more than 18 people we will change our location,
so please show up in front of the conference center at 6:00 if you want to
join us.  You can also call me on my cell if you have questions:
816.806.8844.

More as it happens.  Live on the scene at VON.

Steve