iPhone 4G and the OSS Gold Rush

Billing & OSS World, Washington, D.C. — You know when you have one of those life experiences that jars you into recognizing what’s important in the grand scheme of things? Well, I just had one of those, and, perhaps surprisingly, perhaps sadly, I found myself thinking pretty long and hard about the OSS market while I was at it. And, at the risk of sounding like an aging hippie on one of those crystals-and-vortexes tours of Sedona, Ariz., the conclusion I came to is that it will be people’s joy and spirit and individualism that kick-starts a new OSS gold rush. Maybe it will be people’s joie de vivre as lived out through the iPhone 4G.

Let me explain: I was just in Ozark, Mo., for my much-loved, 93-year-old grandmother’s funeral. That in and of itself is enough to bring anyone perspective, but what also struck me was the various ways family and friends handled themselves during the visit. Almost everyone trotted out their best Southern manners, and almost everyone realized what they were there for, shelving petty family rivalries and holding their tongues when it came to annoyances and obstacles and even other people’s outfits (usually a favorite topic); everyone just pitched in, did the right thing, and honored my grandmother’s memory. Well, with one notable exception of a guest who shall go unnamed; suffice it to say that it’s never OK to bring cold cuts to the bereaved, only to pack up the leftovers to take home at the end of the day, leaving the receipt behind on the counter to indicate how much was spent. Tacky. But I digress.

And, the presence of smart devices was ever-present throughout it all. My aunt was kind enough to arrange for me to stay with a neighbor, who is one of the more eccentric women I’ve met in my life. In her 70s, she’s no stranger to the peroxide bottle, or to screaming-red nails and lipstick, or to feather boas for that matter. Her house is chockablock with items ranging from the requisite old lady “plastic fruit in crystal bowls” look to beaded curtains, and from a Christmas tree made out of hawk feathers to a ceramic chicken-in-sombrero tableau. And everywhere, everywhere are framed, cross-stitched pieces, posters, embroidery and the like trumpeting the merits of embracing the joy in life. This is also a woman who likes to garden in her bikini and loves to sit in her pick-up truck in the driveway, chilling with her iced tea and reading the paper, calling out to the neighbors to talk a spell as they walk by. You only live once I suppose; better make it colorful.

And Betty, for that is her name, managed to make me just that much better equipped to deal with the loss of my grandmother. The idea of having a long, fulfilled, happy life, as my grandmother did, and as Betty does, is very encouraging.

Betty also wants an iPhone. As does my aunt. And here’s why I think that the future of operations is awfully encouraging too. People, even up into their 70s, are captivated by the idea of what these little glowing rectangles can do. More importantly, how they can help their lives. The iPhone 4G is set to be unveiled this week, with supercharged capacity and the crucial OS upgrade that will allow much-needed multi-tasking, among other things. But it all comes down to personalization and the idea that communications are intrinsic to our lives, beyond being able to make a voice call. I noticed at the funeral reception that our phones have become our camera of choice (iPhone 4G has a 5-megapixel upgrade, incidentally) and from-device Facebook updates about the loss and the passing were simply de rigueur. Inn another example, my cousin wanted to locate a good place for cashew chicken (a local delicacy created by the Chinese immigrants that built the railroad — picture Southern fried chicken, with a rich cashew-green onion-oyster sauce). We found the rare place that was open on Memorial Day, and arranged the dinner outing, all via smartphone.

In other words, personal expression and the way we live our lives is tied in such a core way to our communications mechanisms these days. And during an event that highlights the importance of celebrating life, the sheer happiness that smart devices bring to people’s lives seemed apropos to think about. And this ongoing reality is what will drive a new era of OSS investment; service providers may be dragging their feet (that was a refrain I heard over and over again at Management World in Nice), but eventually, people’s need for a customized communications experience will demand the upgrades and the migrations. The fact that Betty and my aunt, both in their 70s, see value in an iPhone – big value, incidentally – tells me that the tide is just about to be turned. Expect a new gold rush, sooner rather than later.

This week we’re at Billing & OSS World, where this theme of keeping up with the new, individualized communications reality will be firmly in the spotlight. I’m very much looking forward to the conversations I’ll have this week on customer-centric OSS and protecting the carrier value proposition. It’s time to prepare, industry peeps. Get ready. And look into starting a ceramic chicken-in-sombrero collection. It’s good for the soul.