Crumbs
Rich T finds some tasty titbits you might have missed in the week's news
Monday 4 December 2006, 5:59 PM
Directory enquiries is dead - in theory
Sometimes, the end of an era cannot come soon enough. Much as Ofcom's intentions in dismantling BT's 192 directory enquiries monopoly were honourable, the chaos subsequent to that decision in awarding a confusing rash of 118 numbers met with many critics.
So maybe it's not surprising that amid tumbling numbers of callers (and profits), directory enquiries has now gone free.
What is surprising, maybe, is that it is the industry leader which is doing it.
Conduit Enterprises, which operates 118118 (42% market share), has launched 0800 118 FREE (substitute the letters for numbers) which will provide a single phone number for free. Gone are those days of spending 60-odd pence on getting a number.
Instead, Conduit will make its money from playing an advert to each caller before they can request a number. And of course, callers will have to speak to an interactive voice response (IVR) engine, rather than a human being.
Which begs two questions.
One - what does Ofcom and the other operators make of it, having gone through a painfully long lottery to allocate the best 118 numbers and;
Two - will users have the patience to listen to a) an advert and b) an IVR, to save 60p. Chances are, if they're calling from work, probably not.
Friday 1 December 2006, 6:07 PM
Visa goes WiFi thanks to Starbucks
Fact: Visa has implemented a wireless LAN only because its workers sat at their desks piggybacking on the Starbucks network next door.
It might seem surprising as Visa is one of the rather more security conscious companies on the planet.
But anyway, the process of deploying its WLAN went something like this simple ten-step procedure (credit: Andrew Vorster, head of technology services, Visa):
1) Staff drink coffee in office.
2) Staff realise while drinking coffee that can hack into Starbucks WiFi network (legally, mind)
3) Staff want own wireless hotspot
4) Visa prizes its security
5) Visa doesn't like wireless
6) Visa tells staff to go away
7) Staff VPN in to Visa network through Starbucks hotspot
8) Visa understands hypocrisy
9) Visa implements wireless LAN
10) Workers access Visa network without tunnelling through Starbucks.
Clearly, those who have tried to produce an ROI for such installations have got it all wrong. Mutinies are far quicker.
Full story here.
Thursday 30 November 2006, 11:07 AM
Launch day for Vista
Who'd have thought it? Finally, after all those delays (and considerable hostile fire from several corners of the industry) Microsoft is ready to launch Vista this afternoon. ZDNet UK's reporters are now Weetabixed-up and ready with notebooks and cameras to bring you the latest from the London launch.
We'll have for you the latest news and views from the launch event along with four Special Reports on Vista, Exchange 2007, Office 2007 - and the alternatives to Redmond lock-in.
All upcoming later in the day. Check back on www.zdnet.co.uk for regular updates.
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