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Simple Advice to a powerful Prince. Open letter to the CEO of China Mobile. Mr Wang, respect your consumers rights to privacy.

February 23, 2008 by panokroko

China Mobile CEO Mr Wang’s Leadership Qualities

China Mobile  is the largest Mobile telecommunications company in the world with 376 million consumers communicating through their own network. They will have more than 400 million in less than a year from now. The head of China’s biggest mobile phone company, which has almost 400 million subscribers, stunned me as well as I am sure all the Telecom WEF delegates in Davos present, by revealing that the company’s unlimited access to the personal data of its customers were handed  over to Chinese security officials when simply demanded. This sent chills through me and the sensitive or savvy leaders in attendance. In a natural duplicity posture, Mr Wang’s admission  was  described as “bone-chilling” by US Congressman Ed Markey. By the way Mr MARKEY  had voted to let the US Telcos off the hook for the US Telco spying scandal with retroactive law immunity offered by the Bush Administration.   Yet the implication sent shivers through an audience of seasoned telecom experts at the World Economic Forum who immediately saw the potential for misuse and surveillance.Mr Wang continued unperturbed : “We know who you are, but also where you are,” said the CEO of China Mobile Communications Corporation, Wang Jianzhou.  Scary Orwell’s words from 1984 spoken by the CEO of……CMCC adds six million new customers to its network each month and is already the biggest mobile group in the world. He was explaining how the company could use the personal data of its customers to sell advertising and services to them based on knowledge of where they were and what they were doing. When pressed about the privacy and security implications of this, he added: “We can access the information and see where someone is, but we never give this information away … only if the security authorities ask for it.” I am afraid Mr Wang doesn’t get the impact of his words and actions. Does he really not get it?I submit that the company and it’s leaders have more input and enjoy greater loyalty with their consumer constituency than the central Beijing government of the People’s party. The CEO of the CMCC has more clout to defend privacy rights than the security forces have. He only needs to mobilize the support of his constituency and demand their opinion. Consumers now are Pro-sumers and so is the next Billion people that CMCC will surely achieve in numbers as it defends it’s growth rates for the next ten years. If only Mr Wang exercised the backbone and the morality to defend proper rule of law for privacy and protection of individual human rights we could see a new paradigm emerging.  Mr Wang must understand that he is more relevant than the Chinese Premier in the people’s hearts and minds and certainly in the Convergence, Communication Community of connected people. Especially since the company trades in the public markets of HK and is accountable to investors it can maintain and defend it’s distance and independence from the Beijing Bureaucrats. Why then the CEO caves in the issues of defending his people’s rights.

Mr Wang, I advise You to wake up and smell the roses. Rise up and listen to the people. When we met in the  the 2008 China Mobile CEO Annual Conference this January in Beijing’s Avic Hotel You reassured me that now and especially in light of the upcoming Beijing Olympics, You shall personaly ensure that Due Process of Law for information gathering by security forces will be exercised within CMCC. There is a contradiction here. Why the failure of strength?

I am fully aware that words like FREEDOM & DEMOCRACY are illegal in China today. I also know of your country leadership’s deep sensitivity to the People’s Rights and the Chinese constitution. It is this Constitutional document that prevents you from handing over the private information and willy-nilly sealing the fate of people for thought crimes or assumed crimes of expression and communication. People have gone to prison for expressing their views over your network. Not criminals by a long shot. Just people talking. Like we do now.

Mr Wang, please don’t be like the Yahoos of Yahoo who deserve to lose their company to the Nordic hordes. It was Yahoo that without due process and without any conscience check, sealed the fate of the Chinese journalist whose Yahoo email records were turned over to the police without proper court order. Yahoo was widely despised in China after they divulged the email records information to Beijing police that pursued the Chinese journalist Shi Tao in jail. Shi Tao was convicted in 2005 of divulging state secrets after he posted a Chinese government order forbidding media organisations from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square uprising on the Internet. We know that He was identified with information provided by Yahoo and was sentenced to 10 years in jail. Ten years of his Life in hard Labor because he trusted Yahoo to protect his privacy. Yahoo failed him and us (all of us) miserably and that is why he is now another casualty of the freedom of Speech and Privacy rights, global wars. 

It is only one of the reasons why I believe Bill Gates move to acquire Yahoo will not bring value to Microsoft but only long term problems. It is Steve Ballmer who lobbies for this deal more than anyone else and moved Bill over to his position. It’s an ill founded and  mistaken position. Yahoo is a leaking ship. Yahoo is a company floundering with lack of clear leadership and most serious lack of Back bone. Microsoft doesn’t need the burden right now. If only they decide to pour the Yahoo targeted resources to building Global search talent and net advertising loyalty, they could best Google as they bested Netscape and other Cali threats to their dominance.

But for Mr Wang we must remind him that the mobile phone has become a serious threat to privacy in all countries. However we expect the Leadership to come from him and others in whose trust and company the people risk the most from the CEO’s abuse of power and blatant abuse of trust. In countries where and when people risk long jail and hard labor for many years and even execution, it is the imperative to the Prince CEO to protect his people against abuse. Lets see clear leadership coming from China as it befits a ten thousand people-years history of Sino Civilization. Be a new Paradigm for the world.

 If the CEO of China Mobile uses the network for evil, it is easily converted from an amazing wireless interconnected community to a comprehensive surveillance network.

But please Mr Wang remember that this Network has been built and set up through the market forces and consumer demand. Each time a cell phone is activated we have another mobile node making this a more intelligent network. There is a person holding this phone and needs to be protected. The network belongs to the people not the company. It is the 400 million people community of users that brings the value to the China Mobile Company. It is not the switches, relays, towers, licences and antennae that have the value. Please remember this. It is a relevant lesson right about now. 

The whole telecommunications industry suffers a Malaise of failing to protect people’s rights. Don’t follow the example of the few US and European spineless  telecom leaders but lead your people with Confucian wisdom to the safety of listening to the four hundred million people who trust you every moment and day of their life with their freedom. Literally they trust You with their Life. Think of it.

My insistence on the practicality of this Business and political advice is most evident in my consideration of the personality, character, and conduct of the successful CEO.  No matter what idealistic notions are adopted as principles of private morality, the CEO must exhibit virtues that other people will follow them, and trust upon.  Contrary to the old belief that the honorable or virtuous Leader is at a distinct disadvantage in the real world in order to achieve success in public life; the current CEO must know precisely when and how to do what only the  good people do. The CEO has to follow his heart just as often as he follows his brain. Although private morality may rest on other factors—divine approval, personal character, or abstract duties, for example—in public life only the praise and blame of fellow human beings really counts for the CEO and the value of the Corporation in the eyes of it’s investors. When we invested in CMCC more than sixteen years ago, the only other investor in wireless Telecoms in China was another friend Craig Mc Caw. The great growth enjoyed till now is a just reward for offering this cheap advise to You.

Great CEOs are generous while spending their time dealing with the modern corporation’s complexity. The CMCC is too complex to be managed by any single human being, thus the CEO must engender a culture of moral and enlightened leadership within the organization. All of this talk about skillful leadership would be pointless, of course, if human beings do not in fact have control over their own actions, but must constantly live at the mercy of blind fate or fortune. In the end, even if sheer luck determines the greater portion of our destinies, we can still take full responsibility for whatever remains. Acknowledging the possibilities for failure, the skillful CEO does better to act boldly than to try to calculate every possible eventuality. Mr Wang act decisively and turn a page with a bold Move. Stop sharing information and stop listening indiscriminately to people’s private connections. You violate the trust that has been placed upon you and the stock price of the company will reflect this soon enough. If You do not heed this advise You will see how quickly value disintegrates in the community of Interconnected individual Investors of PE and HF as well as more fickle international Capital and FDI.

Vodafone mess and Imperial ambitions hangover. Iran next?

February 21, 2008 by panokroko

Reading the British press and news, the whole Iran issue just seems like something rumbling along in the background. Savvy secretive operatives outside of the mainstream seem to think that American military strikes are weeks away. In fact, covert American military action has already started. Again convenient allies in the clandestine efforts are the willing, unwilling Wireless Telcos that have ramped up surveillance as needed by their  spymasters. UK’s Vodafone leads the way here. An exemplar of growth and responsibility under Sir Christopher Gent, the current Vodafone leadership is mirred in scandal and greed. The company is seen as the spymaster’s whore and has publicly been revealed as the perpetrators of numerous eavesdropping and spying on ordinary citizens and high public officials without Due process of Law. Are You reminded by the US Telco debacle?

Unfortunately the corruption into the system is endemic:

Built into the  software that runs the Vodafone (UK-owned) mobile telephony network switching system for GSM service providers around the world, is a little-known “Legal Interception” software package designed to be used by law enforcement authorities. This software allows incoming and outgoing conversations from allegedly up to 5000-6000 mobile phone numbers per switching center to be recorded, on presentation of a valid judicial warrant. Telecoms claim that governments require from telephone companies to give law enforcement authorities the capability to monitor up to 5% of active calls as one precondition for an operating license. Seldom the legal warrant is invoked when the listening facility is used.

Who is responsible when the Illegal Intercepts of the telecommunications are massively exercised without Due Process?  Princes beware…

When the scandal seems to hit the press the Mea Culpas aren’t enough. The Business Model of the Wireless operators and the Investors Mandate is not what the current regimes require the company to perform. Can the Board of Directors with steely resolve and British Backbone resist the easy path down to destruction for this great Company?

It seems they should before any Jurist and regulators or the European Commissioners step in;  as I don’t think that anyone in Europe has the temerity to issue them a Free Get out of Jail Ticket as was issued to the American Telco Counterparts for their offences.

Yet again Who knows as Uncle Sam and Aunt Emma seem to lock step right about now. At least no lobbying to that effect is under way in EU yet.  Maybe the European Commissioners work in a more secretive way and can be persuaded to keep still and quiet. A good Hope to pray for at night before the nightmare begins. A sure sign of things to come is the Vodafone response:

A publicity campaign by Vodafone to assure voters in Europe of their respect for privacy, individual and  fundamental human rights is a must. Image is everything on this issue ready to explode in the public eye.  In specifics this should be part of a backdrop of sensitivity  fuelled by the one prominently public Vodafone spying scandal in Greece. Around 1000 mobile phones of citizens and more than one hundred mobile phones used by the Prime Minister (head of State) and  including those phones belonging to all senior ministers of the government; they were found to being tapped via software installed on Vodafone’s network. The uncovered part of the spying fiasco  started when the Euro-socialist party was in power, and continued when the more conservative Right wing party formed the current administration. Conveniently for Vodafone and the British hacks, this means both parties have been able to blame the other, and throw lots of mud around, without actually having to reveal who was listening in to the phone taps nor being able or willing to penalize the company due to extreme pressure from Whitehall. 

Now that the next war looms, Vodafone opened the listening gates again and harvests wind…. WHY?  

Europe’s Expansion — Kosovo is a new born country — Baby Laughs — Baby Cries

February 20, 2008 by panokroko

From Pristina the view is not all roses.  The cheering happy crowds drink beer and party on the streets waving their new flag. It reminds you of the fans of a winning football team celebrating their victory. And it just might be that.Their team won. They are in a giant Lovefest. Mark your calendars, there will be a babyboom nine months hense. Even the call girls give one for free country.

People throw flowers to the American, the British and the KFOR soldiers, but they throw their empty beer bottles to the Russian mission interests or to the legates of the countries oppossed to their independence.

 Anytime there is a new country born into the old Europe and especially into the Balkans it’s Cause Celebre.  Surely those countries liberated in the 17th and 18th century (most of Europe) post Empire, as well as the countries freed post Iron Curtain; all feel the need to sympathize with Kosovo and Skopjia and Montenegro. Why then do they refrain from joining the festivities? What will be their attitude of fear for their own minorities that are pressing for self Rule? Is FUD holding them back? What will happen now and perhaps in the future with the Basque region and Sardinia or Corsica or Creta, or Scotland or Alsace or Sicily or ad infinitum. If they want their independence what reason anyone has to hold them tied into a broken-down dream and an oppressive marriage? The more regional diversity within Europe the greater the chance of Multiculturalism surviving the age of Hollywood. The beauty of this schema is that independence for these regions, microstates and new microcountries; will be far easier and effective within the European Union and the framework of Community Development. The regional Independence enhances the prospects of these regions and countries away from the oppressive regimes of their present or yesterday home rule. After all minorities rule. They are the strongest supporters of Democracy and self Expression and as a group they are better off alone.  Alone as self governed and within their choice of embrace they prosper. As the Jews and Moriscos of European Spain found out when they were expelled from Spain by Isabel and Ferdinand in 1492. The gold at the end of the Rainbow rests with their Independence as todays Kosovars also know. They know well enough that with hard work they will prosper. They will  prosper and surpass their neighbors in ascencion to European Union and Nato and certainly in GDP and GNP development. Give them five years and the PCI will surpass that of all their oppressive and byreaucratic neighbors. It’s a bet. Take it on. What do You think?

FDI into Kosovo will return wonders especially in the Telecommunication infrastructure Direct Investments. A new Democracy is best nurtured with FDI and the Kosovo people of all ethnic or religious stripes will be thankfull for your investment and your bet in their well-being and prosperity.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOSOVO — BIRTH OF A NATION — International Business celebrates Kosovo Independence

February 18, 2008 by panokroko

Now, the time has come to, let pragmatism triumph and celebrate the independence of Kosovo. The EU and US as well as all major countries should recognize Kosovo ASAP.  Russia and few politically arteriosklerotic nations led by fear for their revisionist policies against their own minorities, will wait a few years.

 Yet for the people of Kosovo, for the CEOs and International Telecommunication Business we break open the Bubbly. Cheers to a new Free nation.

The most important piece of unfinished business in the Balkans was the final status of Kosovo, the southern province of Serbia, which has been under international trusteeship since NATO’s intervention in 1999.  Anxious to scale back its obligations in the region and confronted with growing impatience among Kosovo’s population, the international community is finally gearing up for  Kosovo’s political future, as provided for under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 as an independent country with the prospects for NATO and EU membership rather bright and far ahead of it’s neighbors and past tormentors. It is a bold experiment and I plan to be there to witness the Birth of a Nation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOSOVO

Legacy vs Business = War vs FDI = Loss vs Profits

February 18, 2008 by panokroko

National Democrats seem content to let the clock run out on George W. Bush’s presidency with no serious effort to hold him accountable. George W. Bush’s “war on terror” and the Iraq War have led the United States to debase its highest ideals, at home and abroad.  As the time on his presidency ticks down, George W. Bush is still trying to stoke the fires of confrontation with Iran, relying on his signature mix of bellicosity and self-righteousness.

Why this is good business for wireless carriers in the area and mobile Investors in general. Iran maintains an ideological leadership and claim to hold the line on the west for more than a billion people East of the Middle East. From Caucasus and Turkey all the way to India there are Parsi peoples everywhere and many others who regard Persia as the intellectual and trend leader for the Middle East as others regard Canada for the Americas or Scandinavia for Europe. Iran has three main mobile telephony providers who do great penetration business with about 73% of the population being wireless. In contrast the state owned old line Telco only has 57% lines to people.  The regional mobile wireless players are innovative and less expensive than counterparts in the rest of the middle East. In Iran also exist no less than five MVNOs and numerous bucket sellers. The foreign direct investment there is European and mainly German and French. It’s a huge market and is closer to the mainline for the other billions of people residing as consumers on the Bottom of the Pyramid.

The threat of war with Iran increases the opportunitiesfor these wireless players that are open to FDI from willing Strategic Investors. On the main blog you get to see their RPUs and ROI along with discussion with the CEOs. My friend Naguib Sawiris has made smart investments in the Iraq wireless and mobile infrastructure and is eyeing the Persian market with a tenuous foothold there. In due time he will jump in. Others will follow. The openness of the market and the youthful appeal are magnetic draws. Also he who controls  the wireless is the leader in communication services and the convergence in Iran is still far away. Opportunity abounds.  The good thing with FDI is that no war nor invasion is necessary to gain a legitimate market share. It is a far more intelligent approach to win friends and influence people. Now if only we could lift the embargo too since the Intelligence community assured us that Iran is not (NOT) a nuclear threat we can do some healthy business even if You have to do so via Europe and China. China Mobile will ink a deal there in the next few months….Any lessons here?

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT RULES !!!

Spying Telcos and the Senate get out of Jail free ticket.

February 18, 2008 by panokroko

Dear Friends,

If I didn’t see it with my own eyes on CSPAN, I would have never believed it.
The United States Senate passed a bill Tuesday granting retroactive immunity to telecom companies that helped spy on Americans and all others – without a warrant. Chief Culprits are AT&T, Verizon, Mabell’s babies etc. You know who you are. You read this blog too, I know.Pretty amazing … Congress just sanctioned the single largest invasion of privacy in American history. In world history really. President Bush and his cunning Dodos gave a free get out of Jail card to all those Evil Big Brother CEOs and law breaking corporations. Think Watergate only massive. Think Richard “Dickie” Mylhaouz Nixon not resigning the highest office in the land hours before impeachment but rather sanctioning the break in and spying by his minions on all American homes. 

The loss of Civil liberty is so massive that everyone has been affected by this. The Telcos after breaking the law massively, rushed to lobby for a reprieve from the law they just burned. They succeeded last Tuesday upon payments to the electoral campaigns of both parties.

Folks, this is much bigger than ENRON, Worldcom, MCI, Tyco and AT&T scandals combined. This is wholesale liquidation of Democracy. Business cannot thrive in a vacuum of Law. Statistics will remind us for ever of this day as the day of Infamy for the Communication companies. Let me be clear. I told You so.

Stalin said: Το kill one man is a murder, to kill a million is a statistic. Interesting times we live in. To paraphrase : When there is eavesdropping in one office it’s a crime. When there is a wholesale eavesdropping in every home of a whole nation it’s a statistic worth a pardon and a new infamous law.

Just when you thought we couldn’t get any lower, our Democracy took the Coup De grase.

Madison is murmuring in his grave: Lame fools Ye shall be thrown to the Dogs.Where are the presidential candidates on this issue? Where was senator McCain taking a stand on this? Where are the proponents of Fair and Honest Corporate governance?  Where were they then and where are they now, the responsible Boards of Directors of these unjust Telcos? Where are the New Millenium Telecommunication Companies we have been buiding after the age of Scandals? Are we building a fleet of companies that resemble a fleet of seagoing rats?  Are we teaching our CEOs to lie, cheat, break the law willy nilly when convenient, if the powerfull can be offered protection. Is this Democracy for Sale?  Who is protecting this fragile idea of a Democracy? The powerful protectors? Who is minding the protectors? Who is watching the watchers? Who wants to do business like this in a festering environment? Who wants to lecture China and Russia on human Rights? The waterboarding defenders?  We’ve hit rock bottom folks. Wake up and smell the piss before they take that away too. We piss off our rights AT OUR OWN PERIL.

In the face of this defeat of Democracy in America, I becοme even more convinced that old Europe is showing the leadership lacking in the US.

On the Democratic side too, the leading presidential contenders stayed silent. Civil Liberties are smoke and Mirrors for the delegate pacmen.

Only one exception and I am thankful for Chris Dodd’s stand on this issue as there is one cuckoo who might….. or might not bring the Spring.

Now I make an appeal too.
For old times sake, let’s forgive the Telcos and our friendly CEOs in the US but let’s remind  the European Commissioners to pound them hard because Civil Liberties, Privacy Rights and Individual Human Rights are global as perceived by the UN charter of Human Rights and they are still relevant in some other lands. Across the pond the jurists are sharpening their pencils my friends….Crimes such as these do not stop by the water’s edge. Nor by territorial national borders. We live in a connected world remember? Your evil actions are global and punishable in many progressive countries and courts.  We are all interconnected, so let your fingers do the walking across the map…

Does commissioner Redding still read this blog? If so, Viviane please pay attention. Here is where leadership is urgently needed.P.S. This blogpost will be just as much a surprise to presidential hopefuls as it was to you — so please, let’s make it a pleasant one and retire the debt we all have to the Telcos. Stop paying your bill to them and find alternative providers for your business unless you enjoy the special attention.

Business Models for Telefonica and Fon.com

February 18, 2008 by panokroko

Telefonica’s Blended Telco Subscription Model ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== ======== Fon.com Wi-fi ISP blended business model

Usage Metering : Land Lines to the Users are charged a periodic — daily, monthly or annual — fee to subscribe to the service. Telefonica with copper and fiber combines the voice and data service content with “premium” (i.e., subscriber- or member-only) content. Subscription fees are incurred irrespective of actual usage rates. Subscription and advertising models are going to be frequently combined for their new services. Content Services — provide text, audio, data or video connections and content to users who subscribe for a fee to gain access to the service. Cable TV is their new thing. Person-Mobile-Person Networking Wireless Services — are the conduits for the voice interconnect and distribution of user-submitted information, such as individuals searching for simple services and support. Localized info and advertising is the growth area here. Trust Services — come in the form of payments, special service memberships that abide by an explicit code of conduct, and in which members pay a subscription fee for security and safety.================================== Wireless Internet Services Providers  even wi-fi ones and especially Fon.com use this model. Now Fon.com uses the revolutionary (yet tried and tired) cooperative business model first developed by Yours truly and implemented by Seattle Wireless Inc several years back This business model offesr network connectivity on the go and related wi-fi services on a monthly subscription along with the many providers on whose services they piggy back by virtue of consumers willing to share or the companies making expensive roaming deals.  In an imaginary world of giving and selfless people this would work. We all hope this world is  A BEAUTIFUL WORLD , MORAL AND CREATED BY ANGELS….and then this business model might have a chance.

now in Spain : NEW TEN YEAR OLD NEWSLETTER-Back from the Future: Davos, WEF, Big Billy G, WI-Fi, Telefonica, Fon.com and Yahoo-Microsoft shotgun wedding

February 18, 2008 by panokroko

Fresh start after ten years of looking at the future: STAGEPLAY-TRAVELOGUE-ACT I-

First time Open to the Public-

Stagefright indeed, as this is gonna be your “LOCAL” with freshly brewed hops.

I go to Spain to see Telefonica which is an old line telecom doing some surprising things. César Alierta, has been working hard to find a vision of the company serving 27 Spanish speaking countries plus China’s market and to define strategies that are adapted to this new reality. A reality that includes, Mobile, Land, Wireless,Wi-Fi, and all things communicable…

THIS IS THE SCIENCE FICTION TRAVELOGUE OF THE GURU.
IT IS MEANT AS A LIGHTER HUMOROUS AND OPEN LITERARY VERSION OF THE “COMMUNICATION CONVERGENCE CHRONICLE” MY TEN YEAR OLD BABY BLOG. THAT WAS THE LEGENDARY CXO FUTURE INTERNET WORLD BLOG.

NOW WE CHANGE. MY “INTELLIGENCE FROM THE FUTURE” BLOG CELEBRATED TEN YEARS AT THIS MONTH’S DAVOS FORUM AND I DECIDED TO START WRITING THIS TRAVELOGUE OF SCIENCE FICTION FOR THE  DISCRIMINATING FUTURE LEADERS FOR THE GLOBAL BRAIN.

AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT WE START LOOKING AT THE FUTURE TOGETHER FROM SPAIN WHERE I WAS INVITED BY TWO COMPANY CHIEFS. TELEFONICA’S CEO CESAR ALIERTA and “FON.COM” A.K.A. MARTIN VARSAVSKY’S WI-FI COMPANY.

ON THIS BLOG WE FOCUS FITTINGLY ON THE YOUNG START UP FON.COM IN ALGOBENDAS MADRID.

SPAIN IS EUROPEAN UNION’S MOST CONSERVATIVE MEMBER STATE. THE “FON.COM” COMPANY IS MARTIN VARSAVSKY’S GRAND SCHEME TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD VIA WI-FI.

 THIS SCIENCE FICTION PIECE WAS WRITTEN CIRCA FEB 9 2008.
I am still in Europe for Davos and co. I had a good size sex drugs and rock and roll celebratory party on the slopes for my ten years there. Apres-party festivities and with a clear foggy-bottom mind in Davos, I decided to offer a version of the blog open to the community at large, while still sharing some of the insights religiously served during the last ten years in the exclusive company of the greats. The great CEOs of the great firms and great to be companies bringing us the future of  Internet, Communication and Technology.
Now this Sci-Fi travelogue is more like the  personal musings of a seer of the 3Cs to the 3Gs. A wandering prophet who tries to help and share vision. It is a meandering path and very open ended inviting all to share. You should read it as SCI-FI. Science Fiction as my friend Paul had told me is the story of our tomorrows. I told him it was good to go out and build a museum then. Never expected that he would go out and really do it…that’s Seattle weather for You. Makes people do the seemingly impossible. SciFi museum is now open for business.
Now To give you a bit of the Davos on this open blog too….
DAVOS is DEAD. LONG LIVE DAVOS. Davos has become a bit of CES meets TED fruit salad; only more posh. No solutions here, only great people. Ah… and a lot of Scandinavian blondes this year here. Some of them if you scratch a little deeper you find them coming from Estonia, Lettonia, Russia, Latvia… Baltic blondes, sexy Valkyries selling their Bra-topias to the world’s rich and powerful. Yes and to some greats too. What a trade!!! The old skin game. These blondes are the Hanseatic league’s new trade weapon. Here is where CH runs a deficit. Switzerland can’t exchange money fast enough to pay them in Euros. Because these beautiful “Models” play well and get paid only in Euros. No dollars, no credit cards, no Swiss franks. Only Euros. Something tells me they know something we don’t. Well done WEF…and you thought Davos was all about shake hands and save the world stuff. Well yes but….it is also shake down and slip me some skin too.
Here I was happy to see old friends and it’s here where I run into and afterwards travelled with, Bill Gates to Athens and Abhu Dhabi where he promoted his enlightened vision for the world. Thanks Bill, brilliant talker, nice plane and good toys too.
PS: |Tidbits about the Yahoo Microsoft supersize deal; for your eyes only on the other blog : 3Cs for 3Gs|
As an aside, before I came to Europe from Asia, I had tried to connect with and communicated with the head of Telefonica.  The CEO,  Cesar Alierta, who had just made a significant investment into China agreed to meet. A regional old stodgy, conservative Telco going to compete in China and placing a big bet indeed. What is this conservative Spanish mamoth  doing in the Sino-zone? We’ll find out.

Another Spanish aside was Martin Varsevsky founder and CEO of “FON.COM” Company. I also emailed him a few times before he got it.  After a long echo time delay, he replied hastily and he invited me to visit him in Madrid and be friends with his new company FON.COM
Now for those of you who don’t know my soft spot for WI-FI….well you are forgiven.

Those of you who don’t know Martin Varsevsky; well how could you not know him. Billionaire exraordinaire….he promotes himself so much, you would think he is Che Guevarra.
When in Davos, I had him in mind and asked for him. But he wasn’t there. After all what the hell do hard working start up founders want to do lazing about in Davos? a bit of Hanseatic league trading perhaps? Not this Martin.
Anyway I accepted his invitation to be his friend and visit him as a guest. Spaniards are really hospitable people. And me….I am still looking in that place in my heart for anyone who will bring us the wi-fi community. I’ ve worked and lusted after this dream for far too long and spent far too much energy for.
 But this is a new century, maybe even a new millennium, depending on whose calendar you look at; and this is now an open conversation….
Now that the wi-fi wars have ended; a group of old line telecom soldiers joyously enter the field. They are the sanitary brigade or the vulture corpses as some ungraceful wifiers call them.
Still the wi-fi train terminal is electric with the arrival of these men. This is ACTION time, again. In European soil now, in the old conservative Madrid. I was invited here to meet FON, a two  year old wi-fi company.

“LOS PERDIDOS”. I arrived in a taxi of a lost taxi man to meet Martin Varsavsky (late 50’s, handsome and charismatic) who wants to show me his latest toy, the “FON.com” Wi-fi company funded by him and Index and some other illustrious investors. He wants to receive the WI-FI elders acceptance. We meet on time in the low slung three story non-descript corpo-kennel building. He peruses the visitor unapprovingly but his visitor is tired until he sees…
Nina his assistant/friday girl (white, late 20’s, classic german blonde) at the top of the stairs. Blown hair, A gone with the wind look set up to impress invites me in to give some comfort.
We go for lunch in the corpo-cafeteria. The action continues as Martin and Nina lead me up to the office to meet and talk to the troops. Martin asks me to speak about Seattle Wireless (RIP). He gathers the company people in a large conference room and I talk…
Instead of a Gray’s Anatomy lecture and a Post Mortem, I talk about the future. The future of our interconnected world. I offer Martin and his workers, the greatest of gifts. The Mahayanna-Sutra, the jewels of my heart. The roadmap to the future. Not just glimpses but real views and a vista to stand on and create lasting value. I don’t pull any punches and I speak  with the same vision that will someday get us there. I believe that if you want to go forward and seize the day, you don’t need a map of the past. You probably need a map of the future. Unfortunately, Telecom people generally don’t get that concept. The willingness to repeat the past as a road to success is built-in for them. Tested and True they trumpet till AT&T bites the dust.
Now back to the talk I gave to the Developers and Code Scribes of “FON.COM” in Madrid.
As I talked, I noticed sleepy people perking up. Signs of Intelligent Life and voices asking questions….The enthusiasm and the happy reception of my message for the FON-troops is stronger than expected. Revivalist religious meeting it turns out to be. I like it. The Fon people were wildly enthusiastic about the talk and I gave them a lot of brain candy as I am sure some of the ideas I seeded will take root. Some of these wi-fi front line warriors are charismatic enough to help bring us the future in another incarnation.
After my Churchill battle cry, we had a short talk about the old Seattle Wireless days and Q&A. Still I focus on where the future is and to Martin’s dismay and consternation, I tell them is not there in bed with the old line TELCOs nor with their offsprings and the wisps.
 

But MV is uncomfortable. We retreated to his office where after the ceremonial exchange of gifts we agree to meet for a private high level discussion the next day at 4pm.
I gave my jewels, but somehow feel like offering diamonds.
There is a church nearby. Good place to pray for “Los Perdidos”

The train is still in the station as I leave…
TRANSITION TO:
SCENE 2
EXT. MADRID’S THYSSEN BORMENITZA MYSEUM
The Modigliani paintings on a touring exhibit here give me the real reason why I am here. Liberation through progressive Art. Modigliani was an innovator with a deep respect of the Art he served; he was a wandering jew in his proclivities and created lyrical paintings. His muse and “music” continues to haunt and embrace us, as Jane or Mae or Noora face me; reclining nude and inviting….inside this Old palazzo of Art.
 My reveries and hard-on is interrupted from an insistant phone call from a Jane or Mae or Noora assistant to assistant to assistant to Martin Varsevsky who is cancelling our meeting scheduled for the next hour. Tshhh…. Martin’s late notice for a guest who travelled across the European wi-fi wasteland to meet with You. Bad manners and all but the future telco emperor of Madrid asserts himself in Late notices from the herald while claiming work obligations. Maybe in the land of Bullfights there is a lot of bull.
After all this is Madrid where Martin even owns a goddamn theater imitating my other great friend PA of Seattle.
This frees up my remains of the Day to see more great art locked up in museums and see great prostitute hotspots or roaming hookers on the plazas and the streets. Manu Chao is on the I-phone and Madrid’s sexual energy rocks. Here in central Madrid the hookers look like the regular Spanish women, low ridding Hoes. Whose style is this anyway? Is the working girls bringing it from Tijuana or is the Spanish girls rebelling against Parisian fashion? A bit of both and the Hoe’s style is so big in Madrid that all the girls work for money or so it seems to the untrained observer. A rigorous scientific test must follow.
Later in the day while negotiating the skin fare, I get a call from a young dev-gun in FON saying that Martin blew me off to go bicycling. To waste his Friday for a long weekend before the two week vacation to Jamaika…Ahhh the rigors of Life of the start up…A hay ride indeed.
THE TRAIN IS STILL AT THE STATION and looks like the wheels have been taken off…
This train is called “Cometa” “REDUX” for those of you who remember and especially those of you who invested into COMETA or this latest version of it. You all know I believe in Reincarnation…
BRILLIANT SELF PROMOTION leads YOU into this train RIP down the street. Similar brilliant mind that led you to COMETA-FON efforts few years back.
RETURN TO THE FUTURE WITH ALLIENS AND ALL. Or is it “Return of the Fonbies”.
I am heading back to Prado for inspiration before taking off to go see the Alhambra….the Jewel of the Moors.
A LITTLE DIALOG FOR THOSE FANS OF EMPEROR LEAR AND THE BARD:
           INVESTORS OF RIP
                     Now, where are we going?
MV
Not much further.
INVESTOR OF RIP
I don’t like surprises.
MV
You’ll like this one.
A freshly painted sign over a club reads RIP’S JOINT. A worker is putting in the final light bulb over the sign. The sign lights up.
In the harsh light you can still see Movimento FON in the wet paint’s background
INVESTOR OF RIP
Incredible…Rip’s Joint?!?
MV
Welcome back, baby.
INVESTOR OF RIP
My own club? 
Nina smiles as she watches Rip. She starts to sit on a stool just as Teo (Italian, late 20’s) slides in and holds the chair for her.
MV
One day, I know you’ll love me.
FADE TO BLACK:
END ACT ONE
ACT II
INT. THE HEART OF MADRID’S PLAZA MAYOR, SQUARE.
MV sings and dances his heart out.
MV
SO NOW YOU GET THE GIST
OF HOW THIS WORKS
IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS
CALL TECH SUPPORT.
The writer starts typing madly knowing that all he now has to do is add the words…
THE LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK…
ACT III
NEXT DAY I HAD A SOMBER MEETING WITH THE CHIEF OF TELEFONICA. WE HAD A WONDERFUL LUNCH IN A POSH RESTO AND TALKED LIKE ON AN OPEN SOURCE GATHERING. VERY REFRESHING. NOW TELEFONICA IS THE MAIN TELEPHONE COMPANY IN SPAIN WITH A HUGE PRESENCE IN LATIN AMERICA, EUROPE AND NOW IN CHINA. I HAD REQUESTED THIS MEEETING IN SHANGHAI AND HE RESPONDED PROMPTLY. A GRACIOUS HOST INDEED HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS VISION OF THE FUTURE AND THE MOBILE WORLD. A SMALL PART OF IT IS WIFI AND IT STANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF 3G AND DATA SERVICES. CORRECTLY PUT…. THE CEO OF TELEFONICA PLAYS A BETTER HAND FOR THE WIFI COMMUNITY THAN MARTIN. NEXT WEEK MORE ON THE MOBILE, FIXED, 3G CONVERGENCE AND WIFI INTEGRATION. A CONSERVATIVE OLD LINE COMPANY GETTING A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE. THE CEO OF TELEFONICA ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THE COMPANY GETS 37% OF IT’S INCOME FROM OPERATIONS OVERSEAS ALREADY. A WEIGHTY SUM INDEED.
SATURDAY IS PRADO AND CHUECCA WIFI DAY

It’s here that dawned on me that Imitation is the sincerest form of respect and homage. Fon.com simply recycled the old Business Model of SeattleWireless.com the model I created more than 7 years ago and made it a national offering in the US. God it’s been so long. Ruminating over a Carahillo coffee I answer my mobile. Its Denica, my bulgarian girlfriend. Denica called to tell me between sobs that she is pregnant. I will be daddy again. God Davos was a blurr, but a pregnant girlfriend too?

I WENT TO CHECK OUT THE WIFI IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE FON.COM HAS SET UP THEIR FIRST COMMUNITY. CHUECCA IS FULL OF GAY AMBIENCE WITH A LOT OF HOTSPOTS. SURPRISE, SURPRISE, FON ALSO HAS A SHOP. THEY HAVE A BRIGHT ORANGE SHOP WITH THREE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES SELLING WIFI TO THE GAYS LIKE THEY ARE SELLING TIMESHARES TO MEXICO OR WINTER VACATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR TO THE SMITHS. THEY PROMISE TO GAY PEOPLE TO TRAVEL AND FIND IT EVERYWHERE . EVERYWHERE…..LIKE IN TOKYO…ETC
I SEE THIS NOW…TRAVELLING GAYS LOOKING FOR WI-FI IN TOKYO’S SHINBUYA, OR GUOZA ….
GAY PEOPLE LIKE IT APPARENTLY BUT THEY DON’T BUY IT AS THEY CAN GET IT FOR FREE.  FREE MEANS SUBSIDIZED FULLY FROM FON.COM WITH MONEY FROM SKYPE AND GOOGLE. FON.COM SUBSIDIZES THE WI-FI FON IN THIS COOL DRUG CULTURE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE BIGGEST SHOP HERE ON THIS STRET IS THE FON SHOP AND THE FON WORKERS ARE GOING FROM APT TO APT TO INSTALL THE UNITS AND OFFER CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE FONEROS (FON+EROS) IN THIS TOTALLY GAY AND HOOKER RICH NEIGHBORHOOD OF CENTRAL MADRID. THEY RECEIVE ABOUT A HUNDRED INVITES A DAY TO GO AND LOOK AT THE FRIENDLY GUY’S APT TO SEE IF THE FON IS WORKING UNDER THE HOOD…
BRAVE SOUL THAT I AM, I GOT A FON CARD AND WENT AROUND   LOOKING FOR THE ELUSIVE WI-FI. I FOUND IT WITH DIFFICULTY. WI-FI WAS VERY SPOTTY, DIFFICULT TO CONNECT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO STAY ON. AND THIS WAS ONLY IN ABOUT 1O BLOCKS OUT OF THE 500 BLOCKS THAT MAKE UP THIS NEIGHBORHOOD CALLED CHUECCA BUT PRONOUNCED TREKKA. A TREK INDEED IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A CHEAP TRICK. MAYBE I SHOULD CALL ONE OF THOSE NICE FON GUYS TO HELP ME FIND IT AND CHECK UNDER THE HOOD WITH ME.
 ALL THIS AFTER MV HAD ASSURED ME THIS WAS A 100% COVERED FON NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A WONDERFUL GAY COMMUNITY THAT LOVED TO TRAVEL AND BE WIRELESS.
MARTIN MY FRIEND , THEY ARE GAYS NOT STUPID…MAYBE THEY NEED ASSISTANCE HOOKING UP BUT THIS IS TOO MUCH. TALK ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO WHEN THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO BURN.
ANOTHER BRILLIANT OBSERVATION IN TREKKA, IS THAT EVERYONE LIKES ALL THINGS AMERICAN, MACDONALD’S TO MUSIC AND PROSTITUTES. SPANISH OUTSOURCE THEIR PROSTITUTION TO THEIR COLONIAL PEOPLE. BRAZILIAN, ARGENTINIAN, COLUMBIAN, MEXICAN AND BEAUTIFUL VENEZUELAN GIRLS LINE THE STREETS HANGING AND SELLING SOME SKIN FOR HALF THE PRICE OF THEIR SPANISH CATHOLIC COUNTERPARTS. GUESS WHICH ONES ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND WHICH ONES GET THE MOST BUSINESS? 25 EURO WILL GET YOU A GOOD AMERICAN PIECE OF ASS. 50 EURO WILL GET YOU A PAELLA FED ,CATHOLIC CONFESSED FAT BOTTOM PRUDISH SPANISH GIRL…. AMERICA RULES.
THE VAGARIES OF COLONIAL EMPIRES AS OBSERVED checking up on FON.com Wi-fi company IN TREKKA. OR AS THE GAYS SAY IT CHUECCA. CHUECCA VACA CHICKOS.
ASTA LA HUEGA
HASTA LA REVOLUCION SIEMPE
ANOTHER PLACE ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DOLLAR, ANOTHER COMPANY MAYBE.
THE END OF CHUECCA WI-FI

CHEERS for 3G to 3C, Great people, Great CEOs, Great Companies for Community, Communication & Convergence

February 17, 2008 by panokroko

CHEERS for public 3Gs to 3Cs blog;

 Great people, Great CEOs, Great Companies, CXOs for Community, Communication & Convergence blog.  A refreshing breath of fresh air. A bit of reality, transparency and future prophesy for our Communication business models for the Bottom of the Pyramid.

Counsel to the Modern Princes, leaders of the Corporations that shape our future more than any nation leader might believe to do.

Pay homage to those of You following my musings for the last ten years. Now on to the next ten years.  What do you think?

Tags: CEO, TELCO, telecommunication companies