Why "The Domain" Still Matters

I just returned from DomainFest, a first-class event put on by Oversee.Net each year in Los Angeles that focuses on Internet addressing.

 

The hot topic for discussion this year was the new, generic top level domains (TLD), as they are known -- up to 3,000 of them -- which are set to be reveled this spring and released in the next year,  generic TLD's like .law, .shop. .nyc, as well as proprietary ones like .ibm, .att., and others, so long as the applicant holds the trademark.

 

Domains tie into toll-free numbers by way of Magnetic Branding -- matching vanity toll-free numbers with Internet domains. Some well-known examples include 1-800-Progressive with Progressive.com, 1-800-Verizon with Verizon.com, 1-800-Priceline with Priceline.com, and even 1-800-Got-Junk with GotJunk.com. A great brand should be like Rome, only all roads lead to you!

 

What matters most is what endures in the minds of consumers. We all know that 800 numbers are considered the standard and everything else -- while functionally equivalent -- is considered second best. It's typical to hear someone say "My 800 numbers is 877-NXX-XXXX," using "800" as the generic name for toll-free.

 

The same is true for Internet domains. When someone asks, "Did you get THE DOMAIN?," they mean the .com domain of the the product or company name. "The domain" will always refer the the .com version regardless of how many TLD's are made available, just like the common reframe, "My 800 number is...." has endure despite having four other options.

 

Where other TLD's have been rolled out over months, if not years, these new TLD's will be released en masse. Releasing thousand of domains head to head will be a grand experiment in commerce.  

 

Movie producers worry about blockbuster status when just a few other movies debut at this same time, so just imagine the affects of having thousands released at once. How does any one of them get noticed? Obscurity and consumer confusion is guaranteed and, given the massive investment to authorize each new domain-- $180,000 just for the application -- many may fail from lack of adoption.

 

So how does one stand out in this brave new world? 

 

Simple. 

 

Smart maketers will go with what's well understood by the masses. Magnetic Brands like 1-800-Progressive and Progressive.com need no further explanation; They include an 800 number and a .com address. 

 

That's what consumers know -- toll-free 800 numbers and .com Internet addresses-- and there is not a domain thing anyone can do to change that.

Visual Telephony

Visual Telephony:

.....And to all a good sight!

T'was the night before Christmas,

For all we could see.

No visual features,

When dialing toll free.

 

Making that call,

Now seemed so quaint.

Where once it was cool,

As Nick is as Saint.

 

Children had Internet,

On mobile machines.

With visions of sugar plums,

Dancing on screens.

 

Connecting by phone,

Seemed utterly trite.

In a sea of colors,

We're just black and white.

 

When all of sudden,

What would appear?

But a PSTN breakthrough,

For all will see clear.

_

"Now Dasher! Now, Dancer! 

Now, Prancer and Vixen!"

Pops on the screen,

voice and pictures a mix'in.

 

_

In a wink of an eye,

at the prompt of a call.

Visual telephony,

Connects us all!

              

We heard Nick exclaim,

As he dialed thru the night,

"Merry Christmas to all

And to all a good sight."

 

....Believe!

FCC-- Workshop 2

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in Transition

The second of two workshops on the PSTN in Transition was held Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at the Federal Communication Commission, 9am Eastern. A replay should be available soon.  

"We're not taking away Grandma's phone," declared the opening speaker. The idea here is that we should refer to the transition as "rebirth and renewal" rather than the sunset of the PSTN. Don't scare Grandma! 

IP Telephony matters. These are the clients of our toll free services. Yet, even of those who have adopted VOIP, the vast majority still use conventional touch tone phones as their interface. 

The reality of the IP world in place today may best be demonstrated by this FCC webcast itself. During the course of Wednesday's six-hour broadcast, the picture froze or disconnected every 10-15 minutes and there was constant buzz in the audio -- even before the sessions began. Was this due to our IP provider? My computer? Maybe the FCC uplink? Who knows, and who would you call if you really needed quality of service?

One speaker likened the PSTN transition to a Quarter-Life Crisis; where adolescence ends and adult responsibility begins. Another noted that social values apply - privacy, public safety, disability access, etc. -- regardless of what technology is deployed. Another lamented that if we can't first agree on values, we will never agree on policy.

"Transitions take time," stated another who offered a striking example: The last hand-cranked telephone was not decommissioned until 1983, decades after it was declared "dead." One speaker called into question the viability of enum as the basis of future addressing, given the necessity of universal adoption (More of that and it's implications to toll free numbers soon).

Despite one speakers observation that the PSTN transition is 75% complete, where we really are may best be summed up by an expression of gratitude at the end of today's session: "Thank you for helping us to begin our planning." 

Sit back. Take a breath. The planning has just begun. Toll Free Numbers are going be serving a parallel universe for quite some time.

A Real Eye Opener!

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in Transition

A workshop on the PSTN in Transition was held Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at the Federal Communication Commission, 9am Eastern. A replay is available on line. A second, all day workshop is scheduled for December 14, 2011.

_

This IP Telephony transition will have great impact on the world of toll free numbers and services. Local callers are the clients of our toll free services, and their interface limits functionality. Most still use touch-tone phones despite having an on-premise VOIP.

 

It was striking at first that this FCC meeting on the PSTN in Transition would open with public safety, disability access, and rural access issues, but once the presentations began it all became clear.

 

Indeed, it was explicitly stated: " The primary mission of the PSTN is first response, not IP Telephony," so let's awake from this vision of sugar plum fairies dancing on our enum handsets anytime soon. Clearly, it's the steak, not the sizzle that will slowly drive the transition from PSTN to an all IP-based phone system. 

 

The thinking by public safety experts is that this "Next Generation" will be wireless, although the current cellular networks are not hardened nor configured for high reliability. Experts envision a fully interoperable "LTE over IP network" where first responders will retain robust access during emergencies while other calls -- our calls, for example -- will be, well, "dropped on the floor."

 

From the disabilities perspective, not so quick. Wireline holds significant advantages over wireless and VOIP, like voice quality, high reliability, no battery charging, ready dial-tone, access to audio directory assistance, tactile keys, and a well-understood user interface. 

 

A move to IP Telephony would be the single biggest change since the transition away from live operators in the 1920's, a time when the phone company came around to schools to teach kids how to dial phones.

 

Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC, reminded the group that we don't want to lose any of the benefits the PSTN currently offer. Further, he noted, that it was the "universialization" of the telephone system that drove economic success in the 50's, 60's and beyond and that this next transition will not move seamlessly without planning, planning which has barley begun.

 

What's new this time is the IP transition will not be ushered in by a monolithic phone company, but by private competitors with proprietary interests. To say this will be like herding cats would be kind. This will be more like herding wolves and sheep and then leaving them alone-- somebody's going to have a bad night!

 

While not as sexy, it is public safety issues along with disability and rural access that will drive the timeframe required to deploy an IP-based telephone network, not deadlines and dreams of visual telephony dancing in our heads.

 

The good news is that the vision is clear and shared by all; we will be moving to an IP based system.

 

Someday.

1-800 Main Street

With the rush of capture 855 numbers last month, what better time than now to put this new toll free code in perspective.

To be sure, all toll free numbers are functionally equivalent. That means whether you have an 800, 888, 877, 866, or 855 number, they all work the same.

Yet, there are remarkable differences in perception and, when it comes to marketing, perception matters. If you’ve been around the toll free world very long, you’ve undoubtedly heard someone say, “My 800 number is 888-782-….” Or, “We have an 800 port request for 877-456-…”  The point here is that “800” is the original toll-free code and – like a “.com” for Internet domains – “800” has become generic for toll-free, and the public uses toll-free and 800 interchangeably. 

Next up was the 888 exchange which not only looks special – given the triple 888 – but was afforded a great deal of a public attention when 800 numbers were replicated in the 888 code and even more when there was talk of auctioning off the replicated 888 numbers. Despite their added publicity and being in-use since 1996, if 800 numbers are “Main Street,” 888’s are still a second level address. Damn nice, but second best.

While 800 and 888 are clearly unique and well known, the rest, 877, 866, and the new 855 numbers, are all confusingly similar to local exchanges and are not universally known to be toll-free numbers. Each of these subsequent toll free codes have at least one active area code that is just a digit off, 877 has 878 (Pittsburg overlay), 866 has 868 (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago) , and 855 has 858 (North County, San Diego), for example, but there are others.

In addition, there was virtually no publicity surrounding the opening of 877, 866, and – as many of you have seen first hand -- the 855 code, so it should come as no surprise that it’s been an uphill battle to win over the hearts of minds of the public-- especially at a time when being “toll-free” has lost any real significance.

In effect, everyone knows that 800 numbers are toll free, and most people know that 888 numbers are as well. Yet, the others are just as likely to be confused with the generic 800 version when the requisite “toll free” label is applied, as they are to be confused with local, geographical exchanges.

To put this graphically, imagine a multi-level building with the street-level, retail 1-800 store open to main street, while the other codes occupy upper levels at the same address. Anyone dialing a “toll free” address is likely to gloss over the actual code and wander into the 800 store,  i.e. dial the 800 version. This confusion exists despite adding the label “toll free” which, by necessity, keys the caller that the published number is not just some out-of-state, local exchange.

When it comes to marketing, these shortcomings make it preferable to use 800 numbers whenever possible to target new customers, i.e. prospecting. What you never want to do is advertise an upper-level address, only to drive prospects to a direct competitor in the retail, 800 space below.

Yet, upper level addressing may be perfectly fine for customer care and other functions where customers are compelled to find you. Here, even if they wander into the main street location, they’ll keep searching.

The bottom line; Neighbors matter.