Telecom Providers, Bloggers and the Media - Robin Hood, Men in Tights

Behold, I do not give lectures or a little charity,

When I give I give myself

Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

Most of the news about the “secret” Tablet Wars is only being reported on Yahoo! News, CNET and ZDNET, with the technology trolls EnGadget and local Jamaican forums such as TechJamaica filling in the chinks with rumors.

In fact, let me talk it straight, people; it is my suspicion that possibly, the movers and shakers in the Technology World may in fact be of the traditionalist view to keep their products and specs quiet unlike the media savvy Apple, fearing user backlash and lack of mass acceptance if they know too much about the product.

These certain Baby Boomer [ages 45 to 90] Silicon Valley CEO’s and Presidents, who are  choosing instead to deceive Customers with specs and hardware that drain battery life and leave the Customer breathless and unsatisfied as to user friendliness, lack of intuitiveness and aesthetics.

Worse, local Jamaican journalists are themselves clueless about the technology, taking an objective stance and regurgitating facts proffered to them from so called “experts” who are themselves merely paid Telecom Provider mouthpieces.

But an even greater barrier to the adoption of the Internet by the masses is the fact that most people do not see why they need it, a fact pointed out by guest columnist Larry Downes in the article “Memo to Washington: It’s the broadband, stupid”, published November 18, 2010 12:01 PM PST by Larry Downes, CNET News - Wireless.

Ditto that for Jamaica. Telecom Providers, who are now playing the part of ISP (Internet Service Providers) with their “G”-esque offerings, as not being truthful about their Internet services, specially their speeds, as I had recently revealed in my blog article entitled “LIME vs Digicel - The Truth About Charlie”.

It’s all about money.

So with all this media obfuscation both here based on how you interpret the article “Digicel sets the record straight on 4G”, published Friday, November 05, 2010 By Al Edwards, The Jamaica Observer and in the US of A, how do these Governments intend to make Broadband Internet a Right, effectively a Utility like Electricity, Water, Sewage and Gas.

Much as it is in Finland as stated in the article “You Gotta fight for your right to broadband”, published Thursday July 1 2010 by Christopher Null, Yahoo! News, when many Baby Boomers [ages 45 to 90], who are the CEO’ s and Presidents of some of these Silicon Valley and Telecom Providers still see the Internet as a play toy of Generation Y [ages 14 to 25] and Generation X [ages 26 to 45] as opposed to the all-in-one medium of communication of the future?

Worse, Generation Y [ages 14 to 25] and Generation X [ages 26 to 45] see the Internet not as a medium of collaborative work and education, but as a source of “free” i.e. Copyright Infringing downloads of music, movies, books, you name it, they can find it, yet achieve little work on the Internet. I personally blame Social Networking for turning the Internet into a wasteland for Socialites.

Thus Telecom Providers turn Newspapers into propaganda machines to express their point of view for profit, leaving the Customer more bewildered and mistrusting than before when products fail.

Much like the now obviously failed Digicel Broadband 4G, which Telecom Provider Digicel is still refusing to admit is not 4G and is still advertising, when in fact that is the reason why their Customers are experiencing less than 10MBps speed as per my blog article entitled “LIME vs Digicel - The Truth About Charlie”; too many persons on the Network, congesting due to unnecessary advertising of a product which would naturally sell itself.

It will be a success in the future, but the bad taste created by Telecom Provider Digicel as it relates to the slow speed of their Wireless Broadband will not be so easily be forgiven by the tech crowd, mostly trolls who read EnGadget and live on Tech Jamaica  the main aficionados of Wireless Broadband, most of whom are Data Hogs looking to take advantage of Digicel’s naivety and generosity in giving them a wireless means of committing Copyright Infringement.

Trust is in short supply. You cannot trust the Customers to not download Copyright Infringing material and use the Internet for “educational purposes” as CEO Mark Linehan would desire Customers to do as stated in the article “Digicel retrofitting stores for 4G”, published Sunday August 22 2010, The Jamaica Observer and you cannot trust the Telecom Providers to be honest when the use the Media to communicate to Customers.

Unlike Japan, Jamaica, United States of America and Latin America lacks a technology culture, as we apparently are very enmeshed in our Social Networks and listening to our Apple iPod’s, our attention span shrinking to the point that reading articles longer than one (1) page is uninspiring, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) a side effect of the Internet as stated in the article “'The Shallows': Is the Net Fostering Stupidity?”, published June 3, 2010, 5:00PM EST by BusinessWeek THE STACK.

This is a rather sinister and Orwellian view of the Internet reminiscent of the George Orwell's 1984. To persons in the West [Americans, Jamaicans, and Latin America] technology has to have a practical impact, as we cannot partake of technology for its sake alone, as the Japanese are wont to do.

A blogging culture, such as Administrator Kirk’s Geezam blog is the best way to get people excited about technology, as forums such as Tech Jamaica are for complainers, but of what use is it if people do not see the need for the Internet and do not like reading?

The Internet may, ironically, be making us smarter but also may be making everyone suffer for ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), in addition to the caffeine laced coffee that makes us jittery.

This is the lament of a blogger; if I write it, will you take time away from your Farmville and read a bit?

Worse, I got all this tablet craziness started with my suggestion of the Apple iPad in 2009, set to merge reading, content consumption and the Internet and yet the excitement is still muted.

The Tablet is going to make the Laptop and the Netbook obsolete as stated in the article “Tablets threaten to make Netbooks obsolete”, published Wednesday September 8, 2010 2:20 pm ET by Tony Bradley, PCWorld Business Center, Yahoo! News yet the excitement level is waning. People of the Western Hemisphere, you disappoint me in your lack of enthusiasm as the Year of the All-Electric Vehicle, 2011 AD, draweth nigh.

Dell Inspiron Duo and Solid State Drives - Charles Darwin and the Survival of the Fittest

Give a man a pipe he can smoke

Give a man a book he can read

And his home is bright with a calm delight

Though the room be poor indeed

James Thomson, Sunday up the River

In any war, even a “secret” war being fought over a gadget that is yet to prove itself as having significant demand to warrant your attention, it always follows the pattern of Survival of the Fittest, as postulated by the famed Biologist and Naturalist, Sir Charles Darwin in his famed Theory of Evolution, much derided by Evangelical Christians and Seventh Day Adventists as being based on non-Biblical theories.

Yet here we have a Tablet War being played out before our very eyes that is effectively an example to a keen Biology student of the much derided Theory of Evolution, as Tablet make Laptops and Netbook obsolete as stated in the article “Tablets threaten to make Netbooks obsolete”, published Wednesday September 8, 2010 2:20 pm ET by Tony Bradley, Cold Business Center, Yahoo! News.

For those aware of the concept of Biodiversity will realize that before the different species [tablets] start living symbiotically, first a couple of them will have to go the way of the Dodo, being killed off by more aggressive predators [Apple].

A synergy is then achieved that establishes equilibrium among all species competing, in this case, for the scarce purchasing power of consumers in a Recession, who are wary of gimmickry and desire high quality performance Tech Gadgets for their hard earned dollar.

I say “secret” for although many people have heard of tablets, specifically the hype of the White Unicorn, namely the Apple iPad as stated in the article “Tablets, 3-D TV, 4G wireless among most hyped technologies of 2010, analysts say”, published Friday October 15,2010 4:19 pm ET By Ben Patterson, Yahoo! News.

The Apple iPad’s competitors that have emerged thus far have remained largely under the radar of the Media, the general populace concerned more with the state of the Economy and soldiering on, day after day, while the first stage of competition of animals and plants in this Brave New World are gearing up for a Christmas launch, John Public muses philosophically.

This is something I experienced firsthand while working for Telecom Provider CLARO as a RF Technician (2008-2009) and interacting with Customers or Outsiders as many within the Telecoms and Technology Industry are wont to call Customers, on the road; most were clueless as to what was going on as the Data Wars rage on in Jamaica with discussions rife among the combatants on local Jamaican forum TechJamaica and being chronicled by reporters [blogger] in the trenches such as on my blog as well as Administrator Kirk’s Geezam blog.

While the excitement is at fever pitch in Tech circles, the Outsiders [Customers] do not care, even if it was published in the newspapers, often being too tired to watch news on television. It is also the reason why I fear Management and the associated financial perks, preferring a life of poverty; these Tech Companies and Telecom Providers are not paying you for your expertise and advice.

They are merely paying employees in Management “hush money” to keep information from Customers and hold back innovation, a grand deception to sacrifice Customers at the altar of money in exchange for outdated Developed World Throwaways. Money truly, is the root of all evil, as all employees-turned-blogger know.

I would take up Management if only the Telecom Provider’s showed some innovative spark in their thinking e.g. Solar Powered Generators, Rolling Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n), Mi-Fi Hot Spots, Android smart phones, etc, you know, that kind of innovation for a Jamaican company.

Oh well…….Technician that I am, I shall explain what I know Customers desire and I would provide IF I were a Manager of a Tech company using the Dell Inspiron Duo as a case in point for the equation SSD’s = Lower operating temperatures + better performance at lower processor speeds.

Computer maker Dell of PC and advertisement fame (“Dude, you getting a Dell?”), has debut the back-flipping Dell Inspiron Duo Tablet, effectively a cross between a Netbook and a Tablet, obvious by its flipping action and its flipping reasonable price of US$549 as stated in the article “Dell Duo tablet set at US$549”, published November 18, 2010 10:51 AM PST by Brooke Crothers, CNET News - Nanotech - The Circuits Blog and confirmed in the article “Dell does backflips over new Inspiron Duo Tablet”, published Thursday November 18 2010 ZDNET, with little media fanfare.

After all, (and I am not cursing!), it is a flipping Netbook, perfect for those people who like tablets but are still on training wheels when it come to the touch interface, and still like the comfort of touching keys as sampled from the basic outlook as stated in the article “We get out hands on the Dell Inspiron Duo”, published November 18, 2010 1:25 PM PST by Dan Ackerman, CNET News - Crave.

For the techies, check the specs: Netbook-Tablet Hybrid with a 10” screen running a Custom Windows 7 OS interface on a Dual Atom N550 Intel processor with a 1366-by-768 display, 2GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard disk drive. It somewhat reminds me of those laptops that have screens that flip around, except this one flips horizontally, not vertically.

Innovative design and a optional US$100 JBL Docking cradle that turns this bad boy into a stereo system is the main selling point of this tablet just like the HP Slate 500 as stated in the article  “Meet the HP Slate 500”, published October 21, 2010 3:05 PM PDT by Erica Ogg, CNET News - Circuit Breaker.

HP is now experiencing the beginnings of a phenomenal runaway success approaching the Christmas of 2010 as suggested in the article “Hewlett-Packard runs out of Slates”, published November 15, 2010 10:09 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News!

So wherein lays the reason for my rant?

Despite the price, people wanted to see their Technology companies be innovative and make something worth buying that (hopefully) has more than ten (10) hours of battery life on full video playback and does not have to be plugged in all the time.

Also, they wished to see SSD (Solid State Drives) being used, which the redesigned 11.6” and 13” US$999 Apple MacBook Air as stated in the article Apple - MacBook Air - Technical specifications of the 11-inch, viewed on Wednesday October 27 2010, Apple has made so popular with its Instant-On.

People desire this and as a manager, I would willing supply.

SSD’s = Lower operating temperatures + better performance at lower processor speeds, making traditional mechanical Hard drives and even the so called Hybrid Hard Drives as stated in the article “Hybrid hard-disk market set to take off”, published October 25, 2010 7:41 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News Nanotech - The Circuits Blog appear to be an attempt to eke out more money out of a technology that should have long gone the way of the Dodo.

That Intel was forced to drop the price of their 120 GB SSD’s now being sold to consumers at a still expensive but reasonable price of US$249 as stated in article “Time for an SSD? Intel Drops 120GB to US$249”, published November 13, 2010 12:58 PM PST by Brooke Crothers, CNET News- Nanotech - The Circuits Blog

This may be due to the effect of the Apple MacBook Air, which uses SSD’s as stated in my article on Administrator Kirk’s Geezam blog entitled “MacBook Air and FLASH-based Harddrives - The Quest for Instant On”.

The Apple MacBook Air, which originally debut in 2008 with a 64GB SSD is finally in its second iteration, coming down from a heavenly price of US$3000 only the Gods could afford to a earthly price of US$999 us mere Mortals can afford when purchased directly from an Apple Store with a option for a 64GB or 128GB SSD.

It may also be due to competition from FLASH Drive makers such as Sandisk, now sensing the demand for SSD’s coming into the market, mostly now in smart phones as stated in the article “Smartphones moving to fancier flash drives”, published August 19, 2009 3:15 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News, Nanotech - The Circuits Blog.

Sandisk has decided to get their feet wet by making SSD’s as stated in the article “SanDisk offers super-tiny flash drives”, published August 18, 2010 2:03 PM PDT by Stephen Shankland, CNET News - Deep Tech.

Hopefully, companies, like Texas based Dell, now with their feet so firmly dipped into the smart phone waters with the Dell Aero as stated in the article “Dell launches $100 smart phone in US on AT&T”, published Tuesday August 24, 2010 5:26 pm ET, Yahoo! News.

This has been confirmed in the article “Dell launches first U.S. smart phone, the Android-powered Aero”, published August 24, 2010, 11:04am PDT by Sam Diaz, ZDNET

They are even giving their employees a complementary smart phone as stated in the article “Dell replacing employee Blackberry's with its own phone”, published November 5, 2010 9:48 AM PDT by Lance Whitney, CNET News - Wireless, will also adopt the use of SSD’s.

Future iterations of this their Netbook-Tablet Hybrid, a completely different take from the thus far successful Dell Streak heading to a doctor’s office near you as stated in the article “Dell goes after doctors with Streak tablet”, published September 15, 2010 9:47 AM PDT by Don Reisinger, CNET News - The Digital Home would be a welcome relief for those more comfortable with Windows 7 OS and yet wanting to look “progressive” with an Apple-esque touch interface.

After all, it’s what Customer’s desire, if the popularity of the Apple MacBook Air is anything to go by; “fuel their desire, and the hordes will come” seems to be the message of the article “Will HP, Dell, Sony answer the 11-inch MacBook Air?”, published October 30, 2010 2:04 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News - Nanotech - The Circuits Blog.

Thus do not be surprised if other Laptop and Netbook makers, in a bid to survive cannibalization from the White Unicorn that is the Apple iPad.

The Apple iPad is now laying claim to nearly 95% of the tablet empire as per the calculations of analyst Strategy Analytics as stated in the article “Apple has 95 percent of tablet market: Strategy Analytics”, published Tuesday November 2 2010, 7:59 am ET, Reuters, Yahoo! News, will strike back with smart books (netbooks with SSD’s).

This decision may also be due in part to fresh reports that the Apple may have inadvertently created its own Kryptonite for the Apple iPad in the form of the Apple Mac Book Air.

This as per the speculation based on an anecdotal research note by analyst Shook Kumar of the firm Rodman & Crenshaw based on arguments presented in the article “Air meets iPad”, published November 13, 2010 5:07 PM PST by Brooke Brothers, CNET News - Nanotech - The Circuits Bog.

Thus the Tablet-Netbook Hybrid in the form of the Dell Inspiring Duo and the Indianapolis 500 inspired HP Slate 500, both of which are Windows 7 OS based tablets, may be the ultimate winners, achieving biodiversity as the concept of the Survival of the Fittest by Sir Charles Darwin demonstrated in the Tablet Wars progresses. 

Customers will then begin to realize that the equation holds true for smart books and tablets; SSD’s = Lower operating temperatures + better performance at lower processor speeds.

Even with Windows 7 OS Tablets. Chrome smart books are thus still a possibility as stated in the article “Chrome-powered Tablet and store may take on iPad”, published Wednesday August 18, 2010 2:03 pm ET by Jennifer Éclair, Newsfactor, CNET News, a debate for yet another article.

MRSI and MNP - Where the Spies Are

There is a tide in the affairs of men,

Which, taken at the flood, lead on to fortune

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, IV, 3

Jamaica has now officially approved a MRSI (Mandatory Registration of Subscriber Information) Bill, effectively passing it into law and giving the CCN (Constabulary Communications Network), the Telecoms arm of the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) yet another tool in their fight against crime as stated in the article “Cabinet approves MRSI Bill”, published Thursday November 18 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner and confirmed by the article “Phone companies to be forced to provide information”, published Friday, November 19, 2010, The Jamaica Observer as announced by Senator Daryl Vaz, Minister of Information & Telecommunications.

Effectively, what this means is that the Local Jamaican Police, on suspecting someone of a crime, can, upon collecting evidence to justify “probable cause” for a serious crime, seek a warrant from a Supreme Court Puisne Judge or Resident Magistrate to sequester information (mobile instrument call history, Geo-Location information) from the relevant Telecom Provider upon whose Network the suspect’s phone is registered.

This legislation covers both mobile and landline phones, effectively making owning a mobile and landline phones a lot like owning a motor vehicle, thus the same legal ramifications of ownership applies. MNP (Mobile Number Portability), as required by the OUR (Office of the Utilities Regulation), may not be too far away.

Jamaica and its Telecom Providers are down to one million (1,000,000) unused mobile numbers from the eight (8,000,000) we had been assigned by the NANP (North American Numbering Plan) since 1997, the year of Telecom Sector liberalization as stated in the article “OUR signals policy shift on portability - says Jamaica running out of phone numbers”, published Friday November 20, 2009, by Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

If this were a Greek tragedy, I would stand up and applaud “Bravo”; MNP via the MRSI back door as per my blog article entitled “MNP and MRSI - How it leads to Mobile Number Portability and Crime Eradication in Jamaica”.

Please note that Senator Daryl Vaz, Minister of Information &Telecommunications, who made the announcement, was at pains to point out the fact that safeguards are in place to prevent Police abuse. Also, historically, the first politician to suggest (or prognosticate?) MRSI was Senator Anthony Holness back in 2005, then JLP (Jamaica Labour Party) Opposition spokesman on Education.

Details are yet to emerge, however, as to whether the Police will have real-time mobile and landline phone call history and mobile Geo-Location information based on which tower the registered mobile instrument last made contact with or it will be restricted to just access to historical mobile and landline phone call history and mobile Geo-Location.

Also, no word on if MRSI will be extended to VoIP Calling or Internet modems (3G and 4G modems), as PC’s and smart phones can also be used to make Local and International over the Internet to organize criminal activities. Rest assured, this is coming, much to the benefit of Telecom Providers, who have been losing revenue from free VoIP Services such as Skype, Google Voice, Yahoo Messenger and Fring as per my blog article “MNP and VoIP - A win-win situation for Telecom Providers”.

What is clear is that MRSI is NOT wiretapping, which was always a tool available to the Police, requiring a warrant; nobody is interested in listening to what you have to say, requiring a separate warrant, only who the suspects made and receive calls from and Geo-Location information. MRSI also gives them an additional crime fighting tool. Previously, it was difficult to establish with absolute certainty that a mobile instrument in question used in the process of committing or organizing a crime belonged to the suspect, a problem that MRSI eliminates.

Yes, that’s right folks, that is a not a typo and I did not mis-speak. Registered, much as is the case in Mexico as stated in the article “Mexico may shut down 25.9 million Cell phones which haven't joined Registry”, published April 11, 2010 - 11:45pm by MacRonin, Privacy Digest, specifically Mobile Phones, Phone Instruments (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI using Government of Jamaica Identification (Driver’s License, Passport, Birth Certificate, Voter’s Identification) to identify ownership of the Mobile Phones, Phone Instruments (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI in the absolute.

To wit, if the Customer decided to swap SIM cards, as is the Jamaican habit, they may be prevented from doing so with Phone Instruments (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMEI and SIM Cards (mobile, fixed line mobile, landline or wired /wireless modems) IMSI being locked in such a way so make phone calling impossible if they are switched, a measure needed to preserve the absolute identity of the Subscriber.

If you allow someone else to use your mobile phone and they commit a crime, then akin to Motor Vehicle License Registration, you can be an accessory to the crime, even if it is a case where the mobile instrument was stolen or accessed without your permission, much as is the case with motor vehicles.

Thus, owners of a mobile or landline phone must exercise greater discretion as to who they allow to use their mobile or landline phone and report their mobile instruments when lost or stolen to the Telecom Provider, as MRSI effectively registers and establishes ownership of the mobile or landline phone. And akin to Mexico, failure to register would mean that people mobile phones would be shut down, in effect making easy, unidentified communication for criminals (or people with something illegal to hide) difficult.

The North Americans, like the Mexicans, soon realized the power that unregistered mobile phones give criminals. No surprise as the Government of the United States of America implemented MRSI for Prepaid Phones (equivalent to Jamaican Postpaid Phones) after the failed bombing plot in New York Time Square by alleged bomb plotter, Faisal Shahzad as stated in the article “US lawmakers target pre-paid cell phone anonymity”, published Wednesday 26-05-2010, Yahoo News! (AFP) as well as in my blog article entitled “MNP and US Authorities - MRSI Bill to be passed to catch criminals”.

As in Jamaica, it is felt that the registration of Pre-Paid mobile phones, a more flexible equivalent to our Postpaid phones in Jamaica, were too easily purchased, requiring no identification and no credit card checks [Government picture identification] and thus legislation on the Pre-Paid Mobile Phone industry was long overdue. Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer says it best, quote: “This proposal is overdue because for years terrorists, drug kingpins and gang members have stayed one step ahead of the law by using prepaid phones that are hard to trace”.

So too, felt Senator Dwight Nelson, Minister of National Security, who realized the untapped potential of MRSI (Mandatory Registration of Subscriber Information) as stated in the article “CLARO Backs Cell Phone Tracking Plan; Digicel, LIME in Wait-And-See Mode”, published Sunday May 16, 2010 by Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner, a measure which Telecom Provider CLARO backed, has now made good on his promise.

This monumental change to the Telecommunications Act of 2000 as well as other associated Acts of Law that enable the CCN with power to track criminals or suspects wanted in serious criminal investigations using mobile instrument’s call history and Geo-Location information effectively positions the Jamaican Law Enforcement into the 21^st Century.

It also speaks volumes as to how criminals in Jamaica will be caught in the future, as most Jamaicans cannot live without their mobile phones and thus their movements can be thus easily tracked, as Telecom Providers keep this information over a six (6) month period. Best of all, for me personally and some of my long time friends from Telecom Provider C&W (now Telecom Provider LIME), is the fact that this is a perfect setup for MNP (Mobile Number Portability), something which I have been campaigning for since I was a Level II Technician at C&W (2001 to 2004).

Aside from the Police being able to track the location of suspected criminals, MRSI will also curb anti-social behaviors associated with the use of Telecom Providers Networks, as Customers will think twice about prank calling Telecom Provider’s Customer Care Services and Emergency Numbers to antagonize the severely underpaid Customer Care Agents (hint: They need a raise!).

Additionally, the complaint of “Unknown Number” as per the Busy Signal song would also addressed, as Customers making prank calls would be unable to do so and not be identified, with the information i.e. the caller’s name along with their number showing up on the screen of the receiving Customer’s mobile or landline phone, unless you chose to make your number “private”.

Geo-Location services means that children and even pets going missing and being unable to be found would also be a thing of the past, as both can be “pinned” with a GSM enabled device that would allow the Police to also improve their Search and Rescue operations and more easily locate missing and lost individuals as well as customer to know who and where prank callers or just simply loved ones are located, effectively an implementation of Mobile Triangulation without GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) as per my blog article entitled “Mobile Triangulation without GPS - A solution to crime under out noses”.

But most importantly, it would make owning a phone number a reality, something about which Jamaicans who travel abroad have complained, as when the return home, they find that the mobile number that they had for years has been disconnected, having exceeded the ninety (90) days stipulated by the Big Three (3) Telecom Providers as being the transfer window within which a Customer must top-up their mobile phone for it to remain active on the Telecom Provider’s Network.

Telecom Providers and Customers can also benefit from Geo-Location Services, such as a Mobile Social Network, like Brown Dawg, akin the suggestion I made to Telecom Provider Digicel in writing, which I based around Digicel InTunes and is paid for via mobile phone advertising and revenue sharing with Customers getting JA$100 for each Targeted Delivery of an advertisement as detailed in my blog articles entitled:

1. “Brown Dawg, a Mobile Social Network based on Mobile phones”
2. “Brown Dawg and A So di Ting Set - An API tool for User preferences and avoid backlash”, “Brown Dawg and I spy Rewards - Geo-Location rewards system for Mobile Social Networking”
3. “Brown Dawg and Se'et Deh - Behavioural Targeted Marketing Ads”

Best of all, the technology to make all these proposals come to life already exists; it is now merely a matter of interest to be displayed by the Telecom Provider in utilizing the implementation of MRSI as a means of making additional advertising revenue from what is the latest trend in the Social Networking space: Geo-Location as per the article on FaceBook Places entitled “Facebook Places: One check-in to rule them all”, published August 18, 2010 7:48 PM PDT by Caroline McCarthy CNET News - The Social

Then there is Foursquare, who started this trend of Geo-location Based Social Networking entitled “Social Media's new Mantra: Location, Location, Location”, published May 6, 2010, 5:00PM EST By Diane Brady, TECHNOLOGY – Business Week.

MRSI and its soon coming cousin MNP in 2011 benefits the Police, Telecom Providers and Jamaicans in a symbiotic relationship. Plus, MNP = Flat Rate Calling + Lower Prices for Mobile Instruments. Simple.

Now all we need is an Automated Ticketing System and Jamaica would be definitely on the path to Vision 2030 statements of reduced Road Fatalities……..coming soon in another article. 

Apple iPad vs HP Slate 500 - The Force Unleashed in the Tablet Wars

The throne is but a piece of wood covered with velvet

Napoleon, (quoted by Thiers)

People, don’t I and I just fass’ as Jamaicans are wont to say? So here I go “fass-ing” again, proof that I am a technician at heart and not a manager, as obviously as a self-publishing blogger and guest blogger on Administrator Kirk’s Geezam blog, I cannot be trusted to keep a hot story secret.

People, the Tablet Wars has officially begun, as per my prognostications to a bunch of so-called Shurpower Engineers back in 2009! Apple now controls 95% of the brand new Tablet Market, if the Strategy Analytics report carried by Reuters is to believed as stated in the article “Apple has 95 percent of tablet market: Strategy Analytics”, published Tuesday November 2 2010, 7:59 am ET, Reuters, Yahoo! News.

The Samsung Galaxy, though on the blitzkrieg offensive, is effectively shooting themselves in the foot, as now the Samsung Galaxy Tablets on all four (4) major Telecom Providers are overpriced, a problem that the 7” Google Android Samsung Galaxy Tablet had from the beginning as stated in the article “Samsung Galaxy Tab pricing will limit success”, published Monday October 11, 2010 2:31 pm ET by Tony Bradley, Yahoo! News.

This has now reiterated in the article questioning the wisdom of using two (2) year contracts to sell a tablet, as Laptops and Netbooks, the device which the Tablet effectively kills, is sold at one low price as stated in the article “Price may be a problem as Galaxy Tab takes on iPad”, published Thursday November 11 2010 by Barry Levine, newsfactor.com, Yahoo! News.

Apple’s strategy thus far to stave of this frontal attack has been offer the Apple iPad bundled with a Mi-Fi and Data Plan as stated in the article “Verizon Wireless, AT&T to start selling the iPad”, published Thursday October 14, 2010 11:53 am ET by Ben Patterson, Yahoo! News.

Coupled with the “success” of subscriptions of the Apple iPad, coming in at five hundred thousand (500,000) units and counting onwards based on the article “Over 500,000 iPads on AT&T Network: CEO”, published Tuesday September 21, 2010 6:34 pm ET, NEW YORK (AFP), Yahoo! News, its success may be setting a rather challenging bar for the Samsung Galaxy horde to beat.

So far the challengers have all been Google Android based Tablets, but it seems that Microsoft COO Steve Ballmer’s Love Potion No. 9 (1992) has scented on tablets running Windows 7, now smelling of the rosy scent that will also make the Windows Phone 7 OS a success in the long haul. Apple is not the only company with a device that is a winner due to its tight integration, and the sudden interest, if the news from EnGadget is to believed, in the HP Slate 500 as suggested in the article “Hewlett-Packard runs out of Slates”, published November 15, 2010 10:09 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News.

A Business Tablet, indicating that people do actually want to do work with Microsoft Office Suite, possibly communicating over Microsoft Lync (?) as stated in the article “Microsoft's Lync arrives, gets a Gates cameo”, published November 17, 2010 9:27 AM PST by Josh Lowensohn, CNET News - Microsoft.

Really?

The Windows 7 Professional 8.9" tablet device with a Intel atom Z540 Processor 1.88Ghz 512Kb L2 cache with a 2GB DDR2 667MHz on board memory and 64 GB SSD Hard Drive with VGA front facing web cam, 3MB outward facing camera packs Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n), Bluetooth, USB and a docking cradle with HDMI (High Definition Media Input), USB ports and Audio Aux Jack for hands free operation will be a hit.

Already the pre-orders increase, from five thousand (5000) to nine thousand (9000) units, an increase of four thousand (4000) units, based on the EnGadget Report of HP’s Sales Department surprise at the “extraordinary demand” for their tablets, suggest that they will see economy-of-scale being achieved simply by selling more tablets.

Not to mention possible Christmas bonuses for the lucky line employees that EnGadget claims may be re-employed. Note people, this is EnGadget’s claim reiterated on CNET; rarely do I trust gadget crazy trolls, if ONLY that they help to prove my point, that being demand for tablets in general, irregardless of OS, is strong.

Microsoft COO Steve Ballmer need not have been so nervous earlier in  CES (Computer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Nevada, a device which even CNET described as being more of a laptop replacement than a genuine bona fide tablet as stated in the article “HP Slate more NetBook than iPad”, published April 19, 2010 11:25 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News - Nanotech - The Circuits Blog, which, depending on how you look at the glass with water half way to the top, is a positive sign of its early success.

Biodiversity is the key here. Biotechnology and Biology, say hello to Silicon Valley [shaking hands]. Add Gorilla Glass and a convenient holding pouch and the Tablet made for business becomes a Consumer device as Christmas or at least Black Thursday, the alleged price drop day, as we Jamaicans say, “nice again”; Jamaicans are the rough and tumble types and as such their gadgets need to be of a similar caliber.

So expect Laptops and Netbooks to still be the device of choice as the crazy Americans (crazy in a good way!!) mop up the tablet, leaving the Netbooks and Laptops to drop in price as per the prognostications of Micron, a NetBook manufacturer as stated in the article “Micron: Apple iPad, tablets ding PC, Notebook demand”, published October 8, 2010, 7:42am PDT by Larry Dignan, Between the Lines, ZDNet

Then there is Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn stunning confirmation of a 50% drop in sales in NetBooks and Laptops in his Best Buy Retail chain as stated in the article “Best Buy CEO; iPad cannibalizing Laptop Sales by up to 50 percent”, published Friday September 17 2010, 6:10 am ET by Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine, Yahoo! News.

This is not even mentioning increasing interest shown in tablets by competing retailers Target and Wal-Mart, which I shall never visit, as I dislike such abnormally large Temples built to Shopping. Sold!

A similar blessing is also bestowed by the Tablet Gods on the Windows 7 Dell Inspiron Duo, the back flip form factor for a tablet, now coming in at a competitively priced US$549 as stated in the article “Dell Duo tablet set at US$549”, published November 18, 2010 10:51 AM PST by Brooke Crothers, CNET News Nanotech - The Circuits Blog. If the limited edition Toshiba Libretto as stated in the article “Toshiba Libretto W100 sells out at Amazon, really was a limited”, published Wednesday August 18 2010 by EnGadget.

Then there is the doubtful Thomas Microsoft Courier as stated in the article “Courier: First Details of Microsoft's Secret Tablet”, Gizmodo and the as yet-to-be-seen-in-the-wild ViewSonic ViewPad as stated in the article “ViewSonic Introduces Two Tablets”, published Monday November 1, 2010 5:25 pm ET by Melissa J. Perenson, Yahoo! News and the article “ViewSonic outs Android ViewPad 7”, published August 27, 2010 4:54 PM PDT by Donald Bell, CNET News – Crave.

If they were to join the Tablet party, it would effectively be the Star Wars | The Force Unleashed upon the innocent citizens of America and most importantly, against the White Unicorn, that being the Apple iPad. At which point the Tablet Wars, would have begun…………

Telecom Providers and 100MBps - Diamonds are Forever

No man of woman born,

Coward or brave, can shun his destiny

Homer, Illiad, VI (Bryant’s Translation)

The coming of 100MBps Broadband Internet to Jamaica is a sign and wonder indeed. I just still cannot stop talking - or for that matter thinking - about it. I mean, Jamaica barely has 17% Broadband Internet penetration, based on the article about the interview with Triple Play Provider FLOW Marketing Director, Sharon Roper as stated in the article “Internet penetration lagging Broadband speed”, published Wednesday, September 22, 2010 by CAMILO THAME Business co-ordinator, The Jamaica Observer.

Now Telecom Provider CLARO has joined the crazy circus by announcing plans to go LTE (Long Term Evolution) as per the article “Game on!” published Friday October 22, 2010 by Mark Titus, The Jamaica Gleaner.

So now that I have debated and found the reason in full as to why Triple Play Provider FLOW decided to go the full hog of 100MBps as per my blog article entitled “LIME vs Digicel - The Truth About Charlie”, the question now begs: “What is that kind of speed good for?”. I might as well be asking what the reason is for War, but you get the picture.

Even Google, a Silicon Valley Company, was so intrigued by this question that they decided to do what is effectively an experiment to determine what uses and applications one could have for 100MBps speed as stated in the article “Google subsidizing ultrafast Broadband test”, published February 10, 2010 8:58 AM PST, by Stephen Shankland, CNET News - Deep Tech.

FCC (Federal Communications Commission) Chairman Julius Genachowski desires all Americans to have 100MBps speed by 2020AD as part of his National Broadband Plans stated in the article “100MBps Broadband may be closer than you think”, published March 8, 2010 4:00 AM PST by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News - Signal Strength.

With Basic Broadband being enshrined as a basic right, much as is the case in Finland as stated in the article “You gotta fight for your right to Broadband”, published Tuesday July 1 2010 by Christopher Null, Yahoo! News.

Well, here are a couple of my ideas as to what uses one could conceivably have for 100MBps Broadband Internet, be it Wired or Wireless, aside from the obvious downloading, which if you were thinking was the ONLY use 100MBps Broadband Internet has, would make you a rather shortsighted individual indeed.

The first use 100MBps has, straight off the bat for a single, is Video. Video Calling via your smart phone over LTE, effectively Wi-Fi Calling as CNET Senior Editor Bonnie Cha calls it or as I call it Mesh Network Calling as stated in the article “Wi-Fi calling coming to T-Mobile Android Phones”, published October 6, 2010 6:02 AM PDT by Bonnie Cha, CNET News - CTIA 2010 is one example.

Streaming TV and possibly Video Calling on your Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tablet via a Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) router from Telecom Provider Verizon FIOS service as stated in the article “Verizon shows off iPad TV app and more”, published August 18, 2010 3:21 PM PDT by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News - Signal Strength and in the article “Verizon want to stream FIOS to iPad, other Tablets”, published Wednesday August 18, 2010 5:14 pm ET by Adam Dickter, Newsfactor, Yahoo! News. respectively is another.

3-D HD Video would be possible, which is only possible over such super fast Broadband Networks, as rendering 3-D in real time over a Broadband connection, be it Wired or Wireless requires transmission speeds in the 100MBps range minimum and super fast terminating equipment at either end. Imagine thus Video Conferencing or even more obvious a Movie Theatre being able to simulcast a movie to several theatres securely. Great news for owners of a Microsoft Xbox 360 with a Kinect 3-D Motion Capture Controller!

An Island wide MMORPG (Massive Multi-Player Online Role Playing Games) Service (we techies call this a frag fest!) would use thus up. Ditto for a WAN (Wide Area Network) based Supercomputer for Research Purposes using GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) between our local Universities e.g. University of Technology, University of the West Indies and Northern Caribbean University.

GPU’s are the “next big thing” in super computing with the People’s Republic of China’s supercomputer aptly named “Tianhe-1A” being a game changer in this regard, if the prognostications of NCSA (National Center for Supercomputing Applications) Director Thom Dunning as stated in the article “NCSA Director: GPU is future of supercomputing”, published October 29, 2010 4:31 PM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News Nanotech - The Circuits Blog are to be believed.

Nvidia’s GPU’s maybe the ultimate beneficiary as their chips become useful in Cray Supercomputing next big Supercomputer project as stated in the article “Cray taps Nvidia chips for large supercomputer”, published September 21, 2010 10:33 AM PDT by Brooke Crothers, CNET News Nanotech - The Circuits Blog. Look out for an article about supercomputers on Administrator Kirk’s Geezam blog.

The next ball to push to cover drive for a six would be Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Networks. Already two such Networks, Wayne Chen and Lee’s owned Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Networks Dekal Wireless [a Droid] as stated  in the article “Wayne Chen, Lees enter Wireless Broadband Market”, published Friday July 30^th 2010 by Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Also the cocky upstart Nubian-1 Tech Services Ltd [Princess Amidala’s Royal starship] as stated in the article “Another small player emerges in the wireless Broadband market”, published Friday August 2 2010 by Mark Titus, gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner. BOTH capable of offering speeds of up to 10MBps best effort are capable of provisioning speeds of up to 300MBps theoretical.

Using their 100MBps service, both Triple Play Provider FLOW  and Telecom Provider CLARO can provide Business Customers with Enterprise ready solutions to set up their own Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Network to resell Internet Access to passers-by or casual smart phone, Netbook, Laptop or Tablet users, thus creating the equivalent of a Cottage Industry for start-up for small scale Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Network.

This is of course, after certifying themselves ISO9001 and guaranteeing QoS, as very few Business Customers trust Wireless Services, especially as the possibility, albeit slim, exists to intercept and decode LTE signals and the general consensus is that anything other than Wired Broadband e.g. Telecom Provider LIME ADSL (Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line), Metro Net Services Frame Relay or Triple Play Provider Cable DSL and Fiber Optic Services, is deemed unreliable and unsecured by Business Customers. Possibly look for the sale of Wireless CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) to create a layer of QoS that would bring Wireless Broadband into the mainstream of acceptability.

The two types of Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Networks that can be provisioned are Static (fixed Remote Base Stations or Node B’s) such as hosted atop buildings, Micro-cells in the case of Triple Play Provider akin to Telecom Provider AT&T in the United States of America and their usage of Broadband to provide coverage indoors or as CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) for Residential and Business Customers, as is the case with Dekal Wireless and Nubian-1 Tech Services Limited.

Dynamic (Moving Remote Base Stations or Node B’s), also called Rolling Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Networks, is the other option which involves Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Node B’s mounted inside of Taxis, JUTC Buses, Individual Motor Cars powered using lightweight Lithium-Ion Battery packs and an Inverter with Solar Power Supply as a recharger when parked.

In this case, Telecom Provider CLARO pays the owner of the vehicle for the hosting of the Node B inside of their motor vehicle, with advertisements being placed on the vehicle to indicate that it provides a Rolling Municipal Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11n) Network Service from Telecom Provider CLARO.

Aside from the necessary upgrading of the Microwave Radios to be able to handle the increased traffic, albeit Fiber Optic is better and more reliably guarantees QoS in all weather conditions.  There will also be a need for Alternative Energy in the form of Solar Generators as described in my blog article entitled “Alternative Energy and the Solar Generator - Pitch Black”.

Wind Turbines mounted on the Mobile Towers will be needed to power the new equipment installed, as JPS Co. (Jamaica Public Service Company), Jamaica’s sole Power Utility Company, provides power that is far too noisy and unreliable to even begin to guarantee QoS (Quality of Service)

Additionally, Copyright Infringing content would have to be blocked using IP Address Blocking as an alternative to capping Data Usage and throttling download speeds of certain downloads thus allowing users the full unlimited speed, much in the same way Amazing PC in Bargain Village, May Pen, Clarendon blocks the IP Addresses of websites that can be used for downloading of Copyright Infringing content e.g. Pirate Bay.

Curiously enough, 100MBps is not all that good for downloading, as albeit the speed at your end may be the 100MBps as per the requirement of ITU (International Telecommunications Union), the UN (United Nations) Telecom watchdog, the actual time for a download does not decrease significantly for downloading the same file from the same IP Address under the same exact downloading conditions i.e. same computer, same file being downloaded from the same IP Address.

In fact, a graph of Download Time vs. Broadband Speeds begins to level off after 10MBps and remains flat up to 100MBps, the Download Time only increasing at Broadband speeds below 1.5MBps. Diamonds are Forever (1971) as per the James Bond Movie.

Alternative Energy and Distributed AEPP - The GoldenEye Talk Shop

Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!

Daniel Webster, Speech, 1830

It seems that the good politician is again missing the point. I was writing another article on tablets, but after watching the program Your Issues Live, aired Monday November 16 2010, Television Jamaica, I parked that article and started writing afresh into the night, as what I saw troubled me greatly.

Spotted: Senator James Robertson, Minister of Energy and Mining appearing on the vox pop program Your Issues Live with host Michael Sharpe, looking sharp as ever, pun oh so deliberately intended, in the cool Emancipation Park, just outside of the playground of The Young and the Restless (TV Series 1973– ), that being New Kingston.

This program was slated to address Jamaica concerns about the Energy Diversification Program that the Government of Jamaica was embarking on as stated in the article “US$3-B infrastructural upgrade coming with Natural Gas - Robertson”, published Sunday, October 03, 2010, The Jamaica Observer, an effective transition and push towards an eventual Electron Economy powered via Gas Turbine Generators that are Hydrogen Economy ready as per the modification of the recommendations of the Dr. Ulf Bossel published paper entitled “Why a Hydrogen Economy doesn't make sense”, published December 11 2006, PhysOrg.com.

Instead, it was a rehashed talk shop via Your Issues Live, aired Monday November 16 2010, Television Jamaica, failing to address the key issues of interest to Jamaicans, now bitingly suffering from JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company), our sole Power Utility Company in Jamaica and their strange billing practices and wondering when they would get relief.

A plan to be implemented in the next two (2) years is too far away, people must be grumbling. I say “strange”, as since the discovery that Tivoli Gardens after “Dudus” Gate in June 2010 (great title for the movie Hollywood?), citizens like the rest of us, were discovered not paying for their electricity, the uproar from the Private Sector and hoteliers was enough to spur the Government into the defensive posture.

Suddenly Senator James Robertson, Minister of Energy and Mining proffering this idea of an LNG based solution as stated in the article “Government eyes LNG cure for Energy problems”, published Wednesday June 16 2010 by Laura Redpath, Senior Staff Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner. Months prior, he had no details to tell Senator Phillip Paulwell, Opposition Spokesman on Energy, Mining and ICT after he had called for a divide in Parliament on the issue as stated in the article “Government, Opposition wrangle over Energy”, published Saturday April 3, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Politicians are strange creatures indeed, as Senator Phillip Paulwell, Opposition Spokesman on Energy, Mining and ICT went on to asses the idea of negotiations with JPS Co in a bid to get them to capitulate to serving the greater good of Society and the Business Community at large by accepting Energy Sector Liberalization, much as Senator Phillip Paulwell had done when he was then Minister of Energy, Mining and ICT during PNP (People’s National Party) control of the Government in the early 90’s and up to 2007, when they lost to the now governing JLP (Jamaica Labour Party).

Later on, Senator Phillip Paulwell, Opposition Spokesman on Energy, Mining and ICT stated that “the current cost [electricity and fuel] is astronomical, especially for businesses. What is needed at this time is competition in the sector,” as he stated in the article “'Follow my blueprint' - Paulwell still pushing for breakup of JPS monopoly”, published Friday April 30 2010, Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

That was April 2010AD.

We are now in December 2010 and negotiations have not been pursued with JPS Co, as one would think, unlike the bad example of the Americans and their now Republican driven Senate as stated in the article “Republican Win to hurt Obama's clean-Energy plans”, published Wednesday November 3 2010, CNET News - Green Tech and confirmed in the article “US Republicans seize Lower house”, published Wednesday November 3 2010, BBC News as Energy Sector Liberalization MUST be a bi-partisan issue upon which both parties could agree upon, as it is crux to fixing the Jamaican Economy and making it globally competitive.

So since then, this Energy Sector Liberalization is yet to materialize, despite all the energy related activity in Jamaica and the People’s Republic of China a la carte purchases of Government of Jamaica properties. Energy Related activity such as:

1. The expansion developments into energy storage by Greek shipping magnate Aegean Marine Petroleum US$20 million expansion plans for the construction of fuel bunkers on land to store MGO (Marine Gas Oil) and MFO (Marine Fuel Oil) as stated in the article “ US$20M more to Bunker - Greek firm eyes investment in Jamaican storage facility”, published Wednesday, April 07, 2010 BY CAMILO THAME Business co-ordinator, The Jamaica Observer
2. The declaration of the intention to construct a US$.6 billion dollar Refinery by Mexican Petroleum interest PEMEX (Petroleos Mexicanos) and mysterious hastily commissioned  two (2) week restoration of a 15-foot statue named El Atlante de Tula by Mexican Ambassador to Jamaica, Leonora Rueda as stated in the article “Mexico's new refinery to take shape this year”, published Thursday April 1^st 2010, by Nadisha Hunter, Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner as ready examples.

Jamaica no longer owns the PCJ (Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica) and the Government of Jamaica had already ceded control to the Government of Venezuela, made possible by a 2% increase on their 49% stake in the oil refinery to 51% and hence controlling rights as stated in the article “Venezuelans to the Rescue - 2% deal gives PVDSA affiliate majority ownership”, published Friday April 30 2010, Mark Titus, Business Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner.

For the record,  PVDSA (Petroleos de Venezuela SA) is the state run subsidiary that stands to benefit from recent finds of oil and a massive gas field off the coast of Venezuela as stated in the article “Venezuela taps natural gas super well”, published Tuesday March 30^th2010, AP, The Jamaica Gleaner. So Oil will soon have a diminishing importance as we need to wean ourselves from its dependence, which is as difficult for us as it would be for a crack or cocaine addict.

So what of the little man? When are we to begin hearing of small business entrepreneurs entering into a Liberalized Energy Sector, much as has occurred in Telecommunications, with the entrance of Telecom Provider Digicel in 1998?

No word on waivers being granted to the importation of Solar Powered Air Conditioning Units as stated in the article “Abu Dhabi to plug in solar air conditioner”, published January 15, 2010 7:26 AM PST by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech or any material needed to set up a Distributed AEPP (Alternative Energy Power Plant) to resell Solar or Wind power to the grid as is the case in New Jersey as per the examples in the article “N.J. solar panels on utility poles to use AT&T”, published July 21, 2010 8:19 AM PDT by Candace Lombardi, CNET News - Green Tech.

Hosted via a rental scheme on peoples houses as per the article “SunRun bags money to finance residential solar”, published October 27, 2010 8:47 AM PDT by Martin LaMonica, CNET News - Green Tech, perhaps?

Or even subsidies and profit sharing granted to landowners wiling to have either bio-digesters hosted on their farm to power Computer Servers or mobile towers as stated in the article “Using a dairy farm to power your server farm”, published May 18, 2010 6:00 PM PDT by Erica Ogg, CNET News - Circuit Breaker or provide hosting for Wind Turbines that provide power to the Power Utility Company’s Grid as stated in the article “Wind could be next great farming subsidy”, published May 19, 2010 12:37 PM PDT by Candace Lombardi, CNET News - Green Tech, much as Telecom Providers and Power Utility companies request easement to lease land space to host mobile cell site towers and Power Utility Poles for their Transmission Lines and Power Substations respectively.

There was also no mention of the Oil Discovery by Sagres Energy, the parent of Canadian firm Rainville Energy that had drilling rights in Jamaica since Thursday June 15^th 2006 AD, announced Friday August 27^th 2010 AD and reported in detail on Wednesday September 1^st 2010 in The Jamaica Observer as stated in the article “Jamaica may have 3 billion barrels of Oil”, published Wednesday, September 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer and confirmed by the article “Sagres yet to commit to Jamaica Oil drilling”, published Friday, September 03, 2010, The Jamaica Observer.

With Sagres Energy needing to find a drilling partner before next year, as  Dr. Raymond Wright asserts that they will as stated in the article “Wright affirms Oil potential”, published Friday September 3^rd 2010 by The Jamaica Information Service, The Jamaica Gleaner. Also, what of the transition plan to All-Electric Vehicles, especially as there is an impending spare parts shortage for the old ten (10) year old clunkers driving around as stated in the article “Spare Parts shortage hits used-car Trade”, published Friday October 22 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner as the Japanese are now throwing away gas guzzlers in lieu of more efficient EV (Electric Vehicles)?

Despite the words of Auto Industry protectionists, such as Kent LaCroix, President of the Automobile Dealers Association (ADA) as stated in the article “Is Jamaica ready for Electric vehicles ?”, published Friday, October 01, 2010, The Jamaica Observer, who like early opponents of my blogging activities, is dead set against the change that All-Electric Vehicles represent as opposed to his idea of cleaner Diesel from the local Oil Refinery, the transition to EV’s will soon be a necessity.

None of these issues related to Energy Sector Liberalization were addressed in specific detail at the talk shop.