Neville Bell Hurricane Barbara the first for Atlantic and Pacific Hurricane Season starting Saturday June 1 2012 - Caribbean theatre for the Class of Hurricanes in Monsters University

It’s Hurricane Season again folks, specifically the Atlantic Hurricane Season, which started early this year on Saturday June 1^st 2013 instead of on Monday July 1^st 2013 as stated in the article  “Hurricane season begins today”, published Saturday, June 01, 2013 1:48 PM, The Jamaica Observer and “ Brace for active 2013 hurricane season, 18 storms named”, Published Friday May 31, 2013 5:34 pm, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Already, the first Storm of the Pacific Hurricane Season, Hurricane Barbara, had struck on Thursday April 30^th 2013 as stated in “Hurricane Barbara lashes Mexico's southern coast”, published 30 May 2013 Last updated at 04:18 GMT, BBC News.

Their Pacific Hurricane Season usually starts a few months earlier. Hurricane Barbara was battering the Western coastline of Mexico even as Neville Bell of Television Jamaica read the News from his Apple iPhone on Thursday April 30^th 2013 at approximately 6:05am on SmileJamaica.

This was a full two (2) days before the official Start of the Hurricane Season. At that point my interest in preparing for our impending doom was piqued. Especially as last year, I was almost stranded at ACCENT Marketing due to a Hurricane that came towards Jamaica and missed as per usual but turned New Kingston into a warzone of flying Debris and Churning water.

Predictions vary on what's expected (again) to be an unusually active Atlantic Hurricane Season. Dr William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University have called out their Hurricane betting odds for the six (6) month period:

1.      18 named storms

2.      9 hurricanes

3.      4 Category 5 hurricanes

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), is a little more fatalistic and is glad to predict:

1.      13-20 named storms

2.      6-11 hurricanes

3.      3-6 Category 5 hurricanes

Here’s a list of the Hurricanes lined up for this Season:

 

This time of year is an exciting time for Storm Chasing scientists, who usually saddle up their aircraft with electronics Gear and fly them straight into the eyes of the storm to gain direct on-the-ground information on the hurricane itself.

But if you’ve been following the whole development of Drones and their recent emergence in the Public eye, you’d not be surprised that that may be used this year to track hurricanes as opined in the article “Reality catches up with sci-fi in storm drones”, published Jun 02, 2013 by Justin Juozapavicius, Phys.org.

Despite the privacy concerns swirling around the use of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or Drones, in much the same way the Police would be given extra eyes in the sky, a program similar to the one suggested for the Jamaica Police in my blog article entitled “GOJ can develope UAV's as a means of giving the Police eyes in the sky - Inspiration for Aviators in Jamaica via G.I. Joe Retaliation”.

With the help of our local Universities, Drones and Telecom Providers, drones can be developed coordination with the MET (Meteorological Office of Jamaica) for Weather forecasting. Storm chasing literally on a shoestring as the Caribbean become a theatre for the coming Class of Hurricanes in Monsters University (2013).

OUR sets Cross-Network Rates at JA$1.10 as of Monday July 1 2013 - Everything is Possible as we’re Zombies for Data World War Z

“This MTR of $1.10 becomes effective July 1, 2013 and will last until June 30, 2018 unless adjusted sooner on the basis of Section 33(3) of the (Telecommunications) Act. The MTR is to be charged on a per second basis”

Excerpt from the Ruling by the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) announced on Thursday May 30^th 2013

Looks like I spoke too soon yet again! It didn’t take weeks but the very end of the week before the OUR (Office of Utilities Regulation) announced at 2:30pm on Thursday May 30^th 2013 its decision on the Cross-Network Rates or MTR (Mobile Termination Rate) for Telecom Providers to be set at JA$1.10 per minute as I’d predicted in my blog article entitled “JA$2.00 Cross-Network Rates expected from OUR in May 2013 - Postpaid Renaissance, Pain and Gain for Digicel Prepaid in LIME's Ender's Game”.

This is a sharp decline of JA$3.90 per minute from the last Cross-Network Rate of JA$5.00 that was set  on Sunday July 15^th 2012 as stated in my blog article entitled “OUR's JA$5.00 Cross Network Flat Rate ratified by Judge Ingrid Mangatal  - GOJ's Telecoms Tax applied and Digicel's victory in FTC Case assured”. It’s based on the LRIC (Long Run Incremental Cost Model) and becomes effective Monday July 1, 2013 and will last until June 30, 2018 as can be seen above.

This historically low Cross Network Rate was announced in both The Jamaica Observer and The Jamaican Gleaner in their articles “OUR Announces $1.10 Mobile termination Rate”, published Thursday May 30, 2013 6:04 pm by Arthur Hall, Senior News Editor, The Jamaican Gleaner and “Digicel, LIME, Flow ready to battle”, published Friday, May 31, 2013 BY SHAMILLE SCOTT Observer business reporter, The Jamaica Observer.

 The verdict is in and it’s as anticipated in my blog article entitled “JA$2.00 Cross-Network Rates by Saturday June 1st 2013 - Design Homogenous Networks, more Contract and Postpaid Plans and avoid Voice Services Hangover Part III” but much lower than expected and faster than expected, as knowing the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) another month or two down the line.

But truly it’s a historic day for Telecoms in Jamaica as noted in “'Historic' day for talk - OUR sets $1.10 termination rate for mobile providers”, published Friday May 31, 2013 by Edmond Campbell, Senior Staff Reporter, The Jamaican Gleaner.

What the Rate decline to JA$1.10 means: Customer Benefits

From a purely statistical viewpoint, this means that local Cross-Network Calling is only JA$0.10 cents more expensive than International Calling on a Calling plan from any of the Local Telecom Providers as described in my Geezam blog entitled “How to set up an International Calling Plan for Digicel or LIME Prepaid and Postpaid”.

For the most part the Telecom Providers welcomed the decision with hastily trotted out Press Releases. CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of LIME Garfield Sinclair was quick and concise, quote: “Today is a historic day for Jamaican consumers who are poised to benefit from reduced calling rates. This move by the regulator will help to establish Jamaica as a mature mobile market and enable LIME to stay ahead as 'champions of value'.”

Digicel CEO Barry O'Brien was equally and concise and made their pronouncements in their hastily called Press Conference at their downtown, quote: “The ruling came out 2:30 today (yesterday afternoon) and the team is feverishly working to come up with plans, and we are going to hear them in the coming weeks, and Digicel will be passing on significant parts of the value (to consumers)”.

Obviously it’ll benefit customers as it’s a lower Cross-Network Rate, meaning Calls from Digicel to LIME or FLOW or vice versa will only cost JA$1.10 per minute. Thus On-Net Calling Rates are being lowered to being either JA$0.90 per minute or even free, with limits to prevent abuse being placed on Calling similar to that of CLARO Call 2 Text 1 Free Network Feature as described in my Geezam blog entitled “CLARO’s Freeness ends 5th January 2012 – Digicel’s Bigger, Better with Data and Cloud” to prevent abuse.

In essence, CLARO Calling model, which is basically based on Free Calling, will be revived by either Telecom Providers with provisions to make up for lost revenues due to the decline in rates. Thus Telecom Provider Digicel has announced it’s going to make an aggressive play for LIME’s Landline Customers starting July 2013.

MNP and LNP: Coming to a phone near you in May 2014

With the lower Cross-Network Calling rates and possibly Free On-Net Calling Rates, Telecom Provider Digicel’s Mobile Fixed Line Service has the advantage of true islandwide coverage instead of being restricted to Landline from LIME or Coaxial Cables from FLOW.

Thus, like LIME, this is a long term play for LNP (Landline Number Portability) which has been added to the argument for MNP (Mobile Number Portability) as argued in my blog article entitled “Digicel calls for MNP for Fixed Line - LIME's Brave Homefone Xpress coming with Telecoms Tax and Flat Rate Tariff”. This will makes them more attractive to Landline Customer looking to keep their phone numbers to switch to a different Telecom Provider.

In the meantime, the OUR has put the brakes on implementing MNP (Mobile Number Portability), despite promises to the contrary by the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining in April 2013 of the introduction of MNP  as stated in “Number portability may soon be a reality” Published Thursday March 28, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner.   

Instead, Telecom Provider Digicel’s arguments have been included in the debate. In the spirit of Due diligence and the lack of a suitable Contractor, MNP and LNP (Landline Number Portability) will be implemented by May 2014 as stated in the article “Number portability timeline pushed back to May 2014”, Published Tuesday May 28, 2013 by Jerome Reynolds, Staff Reporter, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

Increased Calling means increased Revenues: A Network Balancing Act

As it relates to the expected decline in Revenues to the GOJ (Government of Jamaica), that’s a short term effect of a Rate Decline. In reducing Rates, Voice Traffic will increase and so will revenues, with LIME seeing a 21% increase in traffic and Revenues as reported in my blog article entitled “LIME reports Voice Traffic up 71% in Second Quarter of 2012AD - ACS-Xerox loses contract to TELUS International as LIME becomes Mavado Money Changer”.

In the article “Dehring welcomes lowering of termination rates”, published Friday, May 31, 2013, The Jamaica Observer, further evidence indicates a JA$904 million increase in tax paid by Telecom Provider LIME to GOJ coffers.  Furthermore in their Press Release, Telecom Provider LIME also pointed out that, quote: "We at LIME believe that the OUR, nor the Government has anything to be afraid of as the rate reduction will add to the disposable income of mobile users, which then becomes available for use on more of the same or other products and services, all of which attract General Consumption Tax”.

With On-Net Calling now basically “free”, Telecom Providers can introduce Advertising Packages that users can subscribe to via their Digicel InTunes or LIME Blingback Tunes that play advertisements every time some one call their phone number or send them a SMS (Short Messaging Service) as described in my blog article entitled “LIME and Digicel Networks routing Callers to Voice Mail - Hit and Run Advertising while Test out Free Voice Calling”.

M2M Services and Remote Telemetry: The Undiscovered Country

Then there is also M2M Services that can be provisioned to make additional Revenue from the installation of ATM (Automated Teller Machines), POS (Point of Sale) devices as well as any Cashless System as described in my blog article entitled “JA$2.00 Cross-Network Rates by Saturday June 1st 2013 - Design Homogenous Networks, more Contract and Postpaid Plans and avoid Voice Services Hangover Part III”

Such Cashless Systems include the JUTC SmarterCard system, which is yet to be rolled out as the expected date of rollout has passed in April 2013 as anticipated in my blog article entitled “JUTC to debut RFID & NFC Readable SmarterCard Cashless Bus Ticket System in April 2013 - The Last Stand for a Cashless Society to empower the Multi-Modal Concept”.

Mobile Money, which the BOJ (Bank of Jamaica) has approved, will be cheaper to implement as described in my blog article entitled “BOJ to regulate and approve Mobile Money Industry in Jamaica - JCCUL JCUES is the Man of Steel as GraceKennedy joins The Last Stand for a Cashless Society” now that the rates are down.

Prepaid Power from JPS Co (Jamaica Power Service Company Limited), when it comes on stream after the upgrade of all the Analog Meters to Digital Meters as described in my blog article entitled “JPS Co New Digital Meters are all Smart Meters - Winsome Callum's A Simple Twist of Fate” and my Geezam blog article entitled “JPS Co Analog Meter upgrade heralds Remote Billing Revolution”, is expected to also generate significant revenues.

Remote Telemetry Services, such as Weather Stations mounted on the top of Buildings and even Cell Towers, Water Meter Reading and Earthquake monitoring will also benefit from the lower Calling Rate, as the EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) and GPRS (Global Packet Radio Service) Data Services uses the same Logical Voice Channels to route Data Services.

Since most Blackberries now access Blackberry Services via EDGE and GPRS, this increased intermittent traffic means persons who use EDGE or GPRS for Internet, be it on any feature, smartphone or Blackberry may eventually be able to use the service for free as described in my blog article entitled “Telecom Provider LIME and M2M Services - Free SMS and EDGE for the Caribbean to Foster Regional Integration”, thereby generating more Blackberry subscribers.

Conclusion: Telecom Providers and Customer Benefit

The Telecom Provider and Customer benefit as with the increasing trend towards Data Services as predicted in my blog article entitled “OUR Telecom Provider Stats indicate JA$14 billion profit for Second Quarter of 2011AD - Telecom Providers Stacking up all Faces on the Argo Video Calling and VoIP on smartphones”, Heterogeneous Networks are a thing of the past and Homogenous Networks are going to be the new Reality in Telecoms.

Hopefully too, more FDI (Foreign Direct Investors) will see these definitive signs from the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining as an indication that the Telecoms Market in Jamaica is maturing.

FDI’s should come to Jamaica to bid and invest in one of the two (2) blocks of 700MHz Spectrum as stated in my blog article entitled “No bidders thus far for the 700MHz Spectrum Auction for 4G LTE - CAPEX concerns as Serious Man of Steel Investors are needed to assist Jamaica to become a more Connected Society”, assured that Everything is Possible and we’re ready for Faster Data Services as we’re Zombies for Data World War Z (2013) style.

Google Trends Monthly Top Charts good for driving Website Traffic to your Blog using Social Trends Research

Folks prepare for my shortest post on my personal blog yet.

On Tuesday May 7^th 2013, the YouTube Trends Map made its debut and made it easy to see what’s trending on YouTube as stated in my blog article entitled “YouTube's now clocking 1 billion Unique visitors per month - How to see who's watching YouTube Videos as they go Star Trek Into the Darkness in VOD Territory”.

Then on Saturday May 22^nd 2013, Google’s revamped Google Trends with a helpful Zeitgeist-esque tool called Google Top Charts for us Bloggers and people want to see what the Top Searches in different categories for previous months as stated in “Google 'Top Charts' Detail Hot Search Topics”, published May 22, 2013 05:01pm EST By Stephanie Mlot, PCWorld.

   

Google Top Charts goes as far back to the very beginning of Google Search as noted in “Google Top Charts show world's Searches for Whiskey”, more, published May 22, 2013 9:35 AM PDT by Eric Mack, CNET News. Google also launched a Full screen Visualization of Trends across the Globe that also another helpful tool for blogger as explained in “Google Adds Monthly Top Charts To Google Trends, And A Beautiful New Search Trend Visualizer”, published Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 by Darrell Etherington, TechCrunch.

All of this Data of course, is pulled from Google Knowledge Graph, a rough equivalent of Facebook’s Open Graph and its implementation as Graph Search as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “Facebook to introduce #Hashtags with emoticons, monetizing FB and making Open Graph Search Practical”.

The idea is that Google Search terms are related to real life things people using Google Search care about and are trying to find. Thus Google Top Charts is really a compilation of Categories of thing people search for. Currently there are roughly forty (40) Categories in Google Top Charts with the top ten items being searched changing from month to month. No doubt Google’s set to expand that list with more Categories.

It’s really like a Monthly version of Google’s Yearly Zeitgeist or Top 10 Recommendation List in various categories of what people search for on Google and eventually satisfied what they were originally seeking. Their Press Release on Google's Official Blog explains how this Monthly Zeitgeist works as stated in “Top Charts in Google Trends—The most searched people, places and things”, posted Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Google's Official Blog.

My prediction is that this may become an eventual stand alone service separate and apart from  Google Trends or even Google Search, categorizing the Vast Internet into neatly cataloged categories of Top 10 “Best of the Best” List of things you desire to obtain. The list is easy to use with the much searched for items bring broken down into Categories based on Geography and Time going as far back as 2001. Arrow on the lists also indicates if the popularity of the Item has tended up or down since the previous month’s listing. 

Bloggers, Researchers into Social Trends and Advertisers are sure to benefit. I say bloggers, as we like to write about what’s trending in order to drive traffic to our Blogs. The more Traffic the better and the best way, hands down, is by writing and posting articles about what people on the Web are querying on Google Search. Google Top Charts makes knowing what to write about that much easier.

It’s a lot better than watching your Administrator account or looking for the Most Searched Terms in Blogger. It actually makes blogging a more precise Science, instead of a hit-and-miss experience of writing an article and hoping that you readers will like it. This is especially helpful if you’re not a Celebrity with superstardom and fans poring everything you post on Twitter, Facebook or other Social Networks. 

This along with my tips on writing less painlessly for your personal blog by using Keyboard shortcuts as laid out in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to use Windows Shortcuts to be a more proficient Writer” should make the first-time blogger foray into Writing a lot less hazardous and toxic.

After all, what better recommendation for items you are looking for in the physical world is there than the common communal knowledge of fellow Googlers who have categorized Search patterns and trends since Google’s inception?

But best of all, Google Top Charts is a simplification of Google Trends, making it not only easier to find the trends you wish to see but also what was relevant to people at certain time of different years in the past. This service I time may become a Separate Search Engine from Google Search.

This little known gem is yet another arrow in the Quiver of Bloggers the world over as it relates to writing articles that generate traffic and thus can be monetized via advertising, making your blog stand out like Percy Jack: Sea of Monsters (2013).

Here’s the link(s):

Blogger

Google Search

Google Top Charts

Google Trends

Google's Official Blog

YouTube Trends Map