Jesse Caulfield

This is one of my favorite history of Science quotes….

“In 1697, Isaac Newton received and solved Jean Bernoulli’s brachistochrone problem. The swiss mathematician Bernouilli had challenged his colleagues to solve it within six months. Newton not only solved the problem before going to bed that same night, but in doing so, invented a new branch of mathematics called the calculus of variations. He had resolved the issue of specifying the curve connecting two points displayed from each other laterally, along which a body, acted upon only by gravity, would fall in the shortest time. Newton, age 55, sent the solution to be published, at his request, anonymously. But the brilliant originality of the work betrayed his identity, for when Bernoulli saw the solution he commented, ‘We recognize the lion by his claw.’”

In a letter to Chmn Genachowki, Sen. Snowe recently urged the FCC to clean its plate before going after broadcaster spectrum.

Snowe also said a spectrum inventory would be “the necessary first step” to creating a policy framework. She is a sponsor of S.649, the “Radio Spectrum Inventory Act.”

“I am optimistic that our legislation will pass the Senate early this year,” she said.

Article:

• Sen. Snowe Digs Up 100 MHz of Unused Spectrum

An interesting article in ARS technica summarizing the FCC’s recent request notice for set top box innovation.

I have some experience here. While at Comcast I oversaw certification and evaluation of all network devices, including next-gen set top boxes like the DOCSIS STB, which uses IP as a control channel instead of the proprietary Moto & Scientific Atlanta back-channel protocols. IP provides the foundation for interactive middleware. Add a CPU and hard drive (DVR) and you have the makings of a real media center.

My company tried (and failed) to introduce a new middleware stack for just such cable boxes. After much effort and burned cash my company learned a few things the hard way:

• Cable companies are like the post office: they deliver someone else’s material and collect a fee for the service.
• Cable technology (especially STBs) are designed to protect content first, distribute it second, and make it convenient to watch third.
• Adding features to a set top box is like adding features to an airplane - the testing and certification requirements alone make it nearly impossible to inovate.

In summary:

If the FCC really wants to crack this nut, and foster innovation in media distribution and consumption, the platform is not relevant. Instead, they must focus on satisfying content protection requirements. Until they satisfy the content owners, innovation in distirbution and consumption is neither relevant nor possible.

Links >

• Cable Technology
  • OCUR has dead pants
• Future of the Set Top Box
• FCC: Comment Sought on Video Device Innovation
• ARS: FCC admits CableCARD a failure

We recently dumped our land line in favor of and end-to-end VOIP solution. For some reason voice networks haven’t received the fully automated treatment IP networks have enjoyed, so it was something os an involved process. The process was not helped by Broadvoice’s “bring your own device” instructions, which are wrong.

The system is very simple: enable a set of SIP IP phones to make and receive calls through our own IP PBX. This was done through a PRI, which we replaced with a VOIP trunk (running SIP) with an external phone company (Broadvoice).

Here’s what we did (after some trial and error).

Set up and configure the Ubuntu 9.04 server with Asterisk:

Very easy: Just install Asterisk.

% sudo apt-get install asterisk

Make a back up of config files. In /etc/asterisk:

% sudo mkdir -p Defaults
% sudo cp * Defaults/

Configure Cisco 7960 IP Phones and Asterisk

There are two ways to configure the Cisco IP phones: via TFTP or from the key pad. Either way, you’ll want to set up the following:

1) On Asterisk server, edit /etc/asterisk/sip.conf

Add the following at the very bottom of the file:

[username] ; this is the phone’s log in username (use something cute like phone1)
secret=password ; this is the phone’s log in password
username=KeyBridge ; this is the displayed outbound caller id
type=friend
user=phone
context=default
qualify=200
nat=no
host=dynamic
canreinvite=no

Note: Do NOT use your Broadvoice phone number for the Cisco username. It will confuse Asterisk. Instead, use something cute like ‘line1′ or ‘frontdesk’.

2) On the Cisco IP phone

First unlock the phone: hit [settings], then [9] Unlock Config and enter your phone password

Then configure your phone:

[4] SIP Configuration

[1] Line 1 settings

[1] Name should be set to the ‘username’ you chose in the asterisk configuration above
[2] Shortname is what this ‘line’ will be called on the local display. Try ‘Line 1′
[3] Authentication Name is the same as [1]
[4] Authentication Password is the ’secret’ you specified in sip.conf
[5] Shortname is what this ‘line’ will be called on the local display. Try ‘Line 1′ (duplicate?)
[6] Proxy Address the IP address of your Asterisk server
Hit the [Save] smart key to save the new configuration.

Getting your Broadvoice SIP password

A word of caution: The Broadvoice portal password you set during account creation is NOT your SIP password. To get the SIP password, log in to the Broadvoice portal, then click [Account] on the tab and [Show Settings] under the My Devices block. Your SIP password follows the ‘auth_password[1]‘ text.

Configure Asterisk to Broadvoice SIP Trunk

On the Asterisk Ubuntu server, edit SIP.conf.

In the [general] section, uncomment the following lines:

disallow=all ; First disallow all codecs
allow=ulaw ; Allow codecs in order of preference
allow=ilbc ; see doc/rtp-packetization for framing options
allow=gsm ; Allow codecs in order of preference

Also in the [general] section, add a register command using the following format. (Note - the Broadvoice instructions are wong - they tell you use use some craziness like PHONENUMBER@sip.broadvoice.com as your username - follow this template).

register => PHONENUMBER:PASSWORD:PHONENUMBER@sip.broadvoice.com/PHONENUMBER

Obviously, substitute your own phonenumber and password.

At the bottom of the file (before of after your Cisco phone - it doesn’t matter) add a Broadvoice entry as follows:

[sip.broadvoice.com]
type=peer
user=phone
host=sip.broadvoice.com
fromdomain=sip.broadvoice.com
fromuser=USERNAME
secret=PASSWORD
username=USERNAME
insecure=very
authname=USERNAME
dtmfmode=inband
dtmf=inband

Edit extensions.conf

Now we’re done with sip.conf. Close it and let’s create the necessary dial plan. It’s easiest to start from scratch. Since we made a backup in ‘Defaults’, delete the file and create a new one.

% rm extensions.conf
% vi extensions.conf

Here is my complete file:

[general]
static=yes
writeprotect=no
clearglobalvars=no

[default]
; Broadvoice Domestic Dialplan
exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX, 1, dial(SIP/${EXTEN}@sip.broadvoice.com,30)
exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX, 2, congestion()
exten => _1NXXNXXXXXX, 102, busy()

; Broadvoice International Dialplan
exten=_011.,1,dial(SIP/${EXTEN}@sip.broadvoice.com,30)
exten=_011.,2,congestion() ; No answer, nothing
exten=_011.,102,busy() ; Busy

; Forward inbound calls to SIP Phone
exten => USERNAME, 1 , Dial(SIP/CISCOPHONE,20,rt)

Again, obviously substitute your Broadvoice phone number for ‘USERNAME’ and your Cisco phone username for ‘CISCOPHONE’

Start/restart Asterisk and you should be able to make and receive calls.

% sudo /etc/init.d/asterisk restart

A few quick confirmations just to see everything is working:

% sudo asterisk -vvvvr

> sip show peers
> sip show users
> show dialplan

Two weeks ago we met with the FCC to discuss our progress in building a TV bands database and to present a set of documents outlining our “understanding of a general industry consensus”. This understanding was based on extensive collaboration with over a dozen companies, industry trade groups and self-represented experts, all of whom have been actively involved in the development of a TV bands database. Nevertheless, verbally and in writing we represented the ideas entirely as our own.

Last Monday Edmund Thomas, representing Dell and Microsoft on this matter, fired off a note essentially saying “don’t count us in.” What’s odd is that neither Dell nor Microsoft have been involved in any Database development discussions but all of their earlier ex-parte comments were incorporated wherever possible.

When we discussed the matter with Microsoft directly, they hadn’t yet read the documents, so this is probably just a what it seems: a clarification that Dell & Microsoft haven’t officially weighed in yet.

It’s worth noting that the letter takes no issue with the substance of our work.

August 24: DELL, MICROSOFT DISPUTE ‘INDUSTRY CONSENSUS’ ON ‘WHITE SPACES’ DATABASE

Dell, Inc., and Microsoft, Inc., told the FCC yesterday that they are “puzzled” by a recent ex parte filing submitted by Key Bridge Global LLC that mentioned there is “a general industry consensus” concerning implementation of a TV “white spaces” database. Key Bridge Global wants to be selected as a database operator. “Although Dell and Microsoft appreciate Key Bridge’s efforts to further the discussion regarding white spaces databases, Dell and Microsoft are puzzled by Key Bridge’s claim that its filing reflects a ‘general industry consensus’ regarding database implementation and operation,” the companies said in an ex parte filing yesterday in Engineering and Technology docket 04-186. “To avoid confusion in the record, Dell and Microsoft wish to make clear that they have not authorized Key Bridge to make any presentations to the Commission on their behalf, including any presentations regarding a putative ‘industry consensus’ on white spaces databases Moreover, Dell and Microsoft note that much of Key Bridge’s 83-page submission discusses specific protocols and standards, which are outside the scope of the White Spaces Order and should remain so.”

August 14: KEY BRIDGE OUTLINES ‘INDUSTRY CONSENSUS’ ON OPERATIONS IN WHITE SPACES

Officials with Key Bridge Global LLC recently met with the FCC’s Office of Engineering & Technology to present their “understanding of a general industry consensus” on a range of issues related to unlicensed operation in television white spaces, outlining details related to a database architecture, security framework, and interference protection methods. In an ex parte filing in ET docket 04-186, Key Bridge, a Virginia company that is seeking FCC authorization to operate a TV white spaces database, said that such a database must do the following: protect incumbent licensees; publish unlicensed availability on a nondiscriminatory basis; maximize customer convenience and transparency; and execute FCC regulations as a neutral party. KeyBridge said it continues to develop its own implementation of the general designs outlined in its filings and that it plans to conduct a field trial later in the fall.

References:

• List of ex-parte filings in 04-186 docket (look for 08/17 and 08/24 filing dates)