2006 was a turbulent year for the world of IP Communications. As if it’s any indicator, the word VoIP itself became less of a buzzword and more of a technical term. The cable companies are avoiding the word VoIP and even the word Internet to describe their VoIP offerings, while Vonage continues to plow ahead using the phrase “broadband phone” instead of VoIP. Is this about concealing from consumers the nature of voice over IP on the untamed internet, or is it about making the services more easy for them to understand? Not sure yet, but the sinking popularity of the word VoIP was certainly one trend I noticed in the past year.

Another was the emergence of user-democratized video. Of course, there’s YouTube, Google Video, MySpace Videos, and others. But now, with 2007 in the crosshairs, we’re seeing businesses in the late minority phase begin to pop-up. Most notably, Network2, Jeff Pulver’s latest creation, seeks to unify and legitimize user-generated video content in a fashion that borrows ideas from YouTube, Digg, and even TV Guide. Of course, earlier in the year, iTunes began to really turn up the notch on delivery of video content, albeit in a highly 1.0 fashion.

Those of us watching the SIP/WiFi-vs-telco landscape unfold were frustrated again this year, as little progress was made in blanketing the world with WiFi as a means of increasing customer choice and undoing the price-fixed stranglehold the baby bells have on the US last-mile market. I mean, we got help agains the bells, but it came from somebody we really didn’t want it from–the cable operators. So, the WiFi struggle will continue in 2007. Municipal WiFi is one answer, but perhaps not THE answer, as the word municipal also means politics.

As for WiFi SIP phones, though, the picture got better. Linksys, UTStarcom, D-Link, and others all finally got their G-generation products out of the vapor stage and into the marketplace, which is a good thing. The bad thing is, they basically suck. It may take a usability powerhouse like Nokia to solve this problem–or Apple. 2007 will be the year when GSM gets blended into the same hardware.
2006 was the year of the Macbook, and also the year of the Random Shutdown. How Apple avoided a class-action lawsuit is beyond my comprehension. Let’s just say my Macbook stays running now, despite carrying a battery that will no longer charge.

And despite the rumors to the contrary, we did not end up with an Apple store on the west side of Cleveland in 2006. (Although my sources have confirmed that a store will be opening at Crocker Park in Westlake in Q1 2007.)

’06 was also the year we finally got a new console out of Sony and Nintendo. Still very little in the way of useful VoIP. Microsoft seems to be leading that charge with XBox Live. And, oh, good luck getting one of these new plastic boxes before the year is over. The plentiful supply alluded to in the press just didn’t materialize, for the Nintendo Wii anyway.

I watched two episodes of Cranky Geeks this year, and I really admire what Dvorak is attempting with his video program. However, I much prefer the 5-minutes-in-length trappings of Rocketboom, which gives me a laugh and doesn’t tie me up with talking heads for a half hour. Does this attitude make me a cranky geek?
2006 also appears to have been the year in which “Merry Christmas” cards finally outsold “Happy Holidays” cards. Not sure why, but in my neck of the woods, there’s definitely a “reaction” to people who say Happy Holidays. In response to this salutation, you might hear a snappy response like, “which holiday?” or “happy Thanksgiving yourself.”

This year I got to attend two VON events, both of which were excellent. The first was Fall VON, in Boston. My wife and I actually drove from Cleveland (she won’t get on a plane), enjoyed a few prime steaks and Boston Clam Chowder, and visited some notable places from revolutionary American history for the first time. I met many people I’d been communicating with over the Net, and this was highly rewarding. Putting a face and a handshake next to a name is my idea of unified communication. VON Enterprise was also very productive for me–although not everybody appreciated my response. In fact, an executive from InGate called me on my SitoFono link this morning to defend his position on SIP URI directory services, and asked me to clarify. He got the impression I was bashing InGate after a firey debate ensued at one of the VON Enterprise panel sessions. But I guess that’s further proof that click-to-call was one of the more significant VoIP developments of 2006. And, since it was just a matter of me placing my SitoFono link on my web site, the old addage, “if you build it, they will come” certainly still applies as we enter 2007.

For the first time, I am CEO of a profitable company. In late April, I started Best Technology Strategy LLC with my business partner and former boss, Bill. We got fired together from a consulting company that was “exiting” the networking business. Since our former employer didn’t bother to negotiate an exit strategy with its networking clients ahead of time, Bill and I jumped in to fill the void, and the rest is history. In 2007, I hope to add a few smart people to my staff and help to stem the brain drain that’s going on in the midwest. It pleases me greatly that our company now has over two dozen clients, and that many of them do business as far away as Florida, Toronto, and Silicon Valley. Our expertise is in unified business communications and next-generation communication technology. It’s interesting–my most innovative work has come only since I’ve been involved in my own firm, plowing my own pathway.

2006 was the first year in three years’ time that I wasn’t working on a book, and man, what a relief. But I’ve got the itch again. Not letting the cat out of the bag just yet, but expect some news on a new book before long.

This year we also got a peek at what happens when overly vague patents go awry and munny-hungry entrepreneurs go to court. Case in point, Blackberry. Alas, Blackberry’s still in business, just with new ownership.

Well, with 2006 behind us, I’m looking forward with greater enthusiasm than ever towards 2007. This is going to be a great year! So Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkuh, and Happy New Year, a little early.