Embarq

Embarq LaunchesYouTube Channel

Bernie — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:35:04 -0400

Embarq announced the launch of an Embarq YouTube channel, which will feature instructional videos for Embarq services. Embarq says the strategy will “bring customer service to the customer.” As of this posting, the Embarq channel had 17 instructional videos for things like Embarq email, the eGo phone, and several promotional videos about RescueIT, their residential tech support service. "The YouTube Channel is another way for us to show our customers that we are here for them," said Dan Alcazar, Embarq Consumer Marketing Officer. "From this site, we can use videos to provide them with step-by-step instructions while actively listening and responding to their questions and concerns." Embarq is promoting the new channel through a user generated content contest, inviting customers to upload a “48 second” video demonstrating their unique talent. Kind of reminds me of David Letterman’s “stupid human tricks.”

With this new YouTube channel, Embarq joins most major service providers, including AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, to name a few, who have YouTube channels. They’re all trying to figure out how to tap YouTube’s mass appeal for their own gain. Embarq’s twist on it is interesting. I didn’t do an exhaustive search, but I didn’t see other service provider examples of a customer service angle. Most are using it strictly for promotional purposes. Of course Embarq is too, but using the customer service hook seems to be unique, for now.

AT&T Launches 4th Screen with Home Manager

Bernie — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:08:16 -0400

AT&T announced the launch of Home Manager, “an innovative home phone that combines access to Internet content and popular wireless phone applications with traditional home phone service.” Home Manager looks like a “fourth screen” strategy, where the home phone "screen" joins the Internet/computer, cell phone, and television screens as a purveyor of content. Home Manager uses a portable broadband connected seven-inch color touch screen for access to a variety of features and content, including visual voicemail, weather reports, e-mail access, local news, a portable speakerphone and more. Features include:

Address Book Synchronizing - synchs address books across the touch screen and home handset with AT&T mobile phone contacts
Web Based Information Listings - access to weather, e-mail, stock profiles, sports, news, photos, movie listings, recipes and more
AT&T Yellow Pages - free, unlimited access to White Pages and Yellow Pages online directories, which can also be uploaded to cell phones and email
Visual Voice Mail - see and listen to messages via a single wireline-wireless mailbox on both the touch screen and cordless handset, which is compatible with AT&T U-verse Voice and AT&T Unified Messaging
Digital Picture Frame – displays digital photos on the frame as a slide show or screen saver

The new application is similar to efforts put forth by Embarq, and their eGo product. Both are designed to add value to wireline phone service, and hopefully give customers reasons to keep their telco wireline service, rather than forgoing it entirely for wireless only, or churning over to cable and VoIP competitive offerings. "We're building on the reliability of our wireline platform and advancing it with touch screens, mobile phone applications, visual voicemail and more. A phone today is not just for talking — it's about having the content and the information that's important to you right at your fingertips,” said Brian Shay, senior vice president, Converged Services for AT&T in a company statement. The application will sell for $299, and includes the portable touchscreen, one integrated cordless handset and one base station. It’s currently available in about nine markets. 3screens.net, a blog focused on AT&T services, offers an interesting independent review of Home Manager - well worth a read. The service seems quite interesting and will peak the interest of some, but the $299 threshold seems quite high, especially in these uncertain economic times. This will be an interesting one to watch.

Embarq Launches Call Screening

Bernie — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:38:55 -0400

Embarq announced the launch of EMBARQ Call Screening, which allows customers to listen to incoming voicemails in progress, and “break in” if they so choose. "In addition to the convenient services to which our voicemail customers already have access, such as being able to check messages online or from any touch-tone or wireless phone, they will now be able to monitor and screen their incoming calls," said Dan Alcazar, Embarq Consumer Marketing Officer in a company statement. The call screening feature will be offered to voicemail customers at no additional charge.

Embarq Launches Enterprise Focused Hosted IP Services

Bernie — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Embarq is launching a hosted IP services platform branded as Smart IP Enterprise. The service will offer “dedicated Internet access, local and long distance voice service, and IP-enabled call management features, including incoming call routing, simultaneous ring to wireline and wireless phones and sequential ring to help reduce missed calls. The solution also offers click to dial with Microsoft Outlook integration, remote click to dial and voicemail to email features.” The solution does not require an on-site PBX or key system. Pricing starts at $499/month per location with a five year agreement.

Embarq Launches MPLS Powered IP VPNs

Bernie — Sun, 25 May 2008 15:28:58 -0400

Embarq announced the launch of virtual private networks (VPNs) utilizing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). MPLS VPNs can be used to deliver virtually any type of network traffic. Embarq's new MPLS VPN service provides network management with in-network routing, offering security and service quality for multimedia streaming applications like Voice over IP and video. Embarq will offer multiple customer options ranging from a port-only offering to a “Fully Managed Solution Bundles” including unbundled ports, access, router and maintenance combinations. Embarq is coordinating the launch of this new service with the launch of their new brand Embarq Business, which will offer a variety of SMB and enterprise level communications solutions.

Embarq Exits Wireless MVNO Business

Bernie — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:58:02 -0400

Embarq has decided that its wireless partnership with former corporate parent Sprint is no longer attractive. Embarq was hoping to gain 1 million wireless customers and has only achieved 112K to date. They've essentially decided to let the wireless business "die." They'll continue selling devices and plans until everything runs out, and then shut the business down. Existing wireless customers will probably migrate over to Sprint. The move isn’t an encouraging one for the MVNO model, at least as it applies to large carriers like Embarq. When hearing news like this, it’s easy to dismiss the MVNO model entirely, but I’m not ready to do that yet. It’s also bad news for Sprint, at least from a PR point of view. Embarq joins Qwest in ditching Sprint as a wireless partner. Sprint’s MVNO business has suffered highly visible partnership failures, including Qwest, Pivot Wireless, and now Embarq. To be fair, probably the most successful North American MVNO play, Virgin Mobile, is also affiliated with Sprint.

While the Sprint MVNO model hasn’t worked for Embarq, for many smaller ILEC’s, the MVNO model is the only game in town, provided a pure play ILEC wants to get in the wireless business. It’s a difficult business to crack. The ILEC partner, particularly small ones, are at the mercy of the larger wireless carriers, and are usually low on the totem poll in priority. Finding the right business model, where both wireline and wireless partner can prosper to their respective expectations has proven to be elusive. Yet, it’s still too early to give up. Wireline carriers recognize that the future of the business lies in wireless and broadband, not in wireline voice. Most ILECs have the broadband part covered. Those who want to also hedge their bets with wireless need to find an MVNO model that works. Early indications suggest that wireless can help maintain competitiveness. AT&T and Verizon are only beginning to maximize their competitive advantage with wireless, and their future looks promising. Recent news also suggests that the cable industry intends to find the right wireless strategy as well. So while MVNOs are taking a lot of heat of late, there could and should still be a positive future with them, provided those who are interested work to persevere and find a winning business model. Good luck!

Embarq Converges Broadband with Home Phone Service

Bernie — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:24:28 -0400

Embarq announced the launch of eGo, which attempts to bridge the value of broadband service with the ubiquity of home telephone service. It's a continuation of a broad Embarq strategy to incrementally add value to traditional home telephone service, making it less vulnerable to being marginalized and replaced with wireless and/or VoIP alternatives. eGo phone handsets will sell online for $129.95 and in Embarq retail stores for $99.95. First reported by Light Reading, the new service provides access to data delivered via a broadband connection directly to a cordless home phone. Initially the service will provide visual voicemail, weather, yellow page directories, movie information, sports scores, and news headlines. The cordless phone has a "fourth screen" to display the information. Embarq hopes that customers will come to see eGo service as a resource to get information quickly, rather than retrieving that information from a laptop, TV, or home computer. Embarq also hopes those customers will then begin to see additional value for home phone service, and consequently be less likely to drop it for wireless only or VoIP service from a competitor. Verizon is looking at a similar strategy with their Verizon Hub service.

Embarq is seen as quite innovative in its pursuit of creating additional value for its core landline service. They are quite aggressive with applications like fixed mobile convergence and unified messaging, both of which make a landline more valuable. eGo is an extension of this strategy and aims to make Embarq landline services more appealing, and ultimately, more competitive.

Embarq Beefs Up Data Center Options

Bernie — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 22:25:10 -0500

Embarq and OnePartner announced a partnership to offer tier III data center connectivity. The data center will be connected with Embarq metro Ethernet circuits and will provide high-availability business continuance, disaster recovery and colocation services. Tier III data centers meet certain requirements defined by the Uptime Institute, including multiple active power and cooling distribution paths, redundant components, and is concurrently maintainable to ensure high availability.

Embarq Launches Online Video Store

Bernie — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:30:57 -0500

Embarq announced the availability of a new online video store, available through their myembarq.com web portal. The broadband video on demand store will offer more than 5,000 movies, 5,000 music videos and 2,000 TV shows that can be rented on a pay-per-view basis, download to own, or downloaded to burn onto a DVD. The cost to rent titles on a pay-per-view basis is $1.99 to $3.99 each, and each title will be available for a single 24 hour viewing window within 30 days after rental. Purchase prices for new videos are expected to be for $19.99, with older titles for less. Embarq’s broadband video store is powered through Cinemanow. Embarq joins fellow independent telco, CenturyTel, with a recently launched Internet video product. Qwest has also stated they intend to pursue a broadband Internet strategy, and will forgo an IPTV powered subscription video model.

Embarq Embraces Satellite Broadband

Bernie — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:32:53 -0500

Embarq announced that they will become a reseller of HughesNet, a broadband satellite service of Hughes Network Systems. Embarq intends to target business customers with the broadband satellite service. They will offer download speeds ranging from 700 Kbps to 2Mbps and a price range of $59.99 per month to $179.99 per month. Embarq joins Wal-Mart who has also signed on to resell HughesNet. HughesNet competes mainly with WildBlue, a Colorado based satellite broadband provider. WildBlue has NRTC and AT&T as distribution partners.

Satellite broadband represents an interesting business. It targets rural areas that have limited to no broadband access. It’s priced somewhat higher than other broadband options, and generally includes significant equipment and installation costs (when compared with other broadband options). That might explain a recent report by SNL Kagan, featured in today’s Sky Report, which says satellite broadband is struggling somewhat. SNL Kagan reports that satellite broadband has only achieved a 6.2% penetration of the 10.8 million rural satellite broadband household footprint. That represents about 670K subscribers’ total. These numbers are relative though. If you talk to WildBlue, those somewhat low numbers have more to do with challenges of keeping up with demand than with a poor business model. WildBlue has had the unfortunate challenge in the past of having to selectively retard new subscriber acquisition, because their satellites (or certain "beams") have reached capacity, and simply can’t serve any new customers. It looks like they may now have some competitive company trying to meet that capacity challenge.