Communication in Brazil
One of the greatest challenges in the “Flat World” is staying in the flat part. By this I mean maintaining communication. Communication and technology are two of the things that have really flattened the world. Unfortunately, it seems that every part of the world accesses technology differently.
The international cell phone that Verizon wireless requires has dual modes. CDMA and GSM. One has to know which to use and how to use it whenever crossing borders. In the USA most companies use CDMA. In Europe and parts of Asia GSM is the standard. China is the exception. Their phones are CDMA. Argentina requires a special Vodafone phone for Verizon. AT & T phones work with the standard international phone (when they work at all). Brazil works (more or less) with the Verizon phone; but setting it is different. One has to select a GSM service to make outgoing calls and the procedure for placing the call is different.
The service provide may have to be changed as one moves about. VOIP (voice over internet protocol) has become my favorite way to stay in touch when possible. It is almost free and very reliable if one has a good broadband connection. A slow or flaky connection means broken or static communication. My wife says that my telephone has the hiccups.
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
Showing posts with label Flat World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flat World. Show all posts
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The Flat World & Telephones
The Flat World & Telephones
I know the last blog promised to share what I learned from my Korean students. The class president is sending me the notes that we made in class. I hope they will come soon.
Often we talk about how the new flat world gives the ability to operate a multinational company from wherever we are. That is of course if we are not using Verizon Wireless as our telephone provider. When I changed to Verizon they touted their great international network. When I went to Argentina, I had to rent a special phone. At the last minute when leaving the states I needed to forward my Verizon phone to the special phone. The forwarding did not work, I sat on hold with “customer service” for 40 minutes until the plane took off. At least I could call out from Argentina.
I was assured the telephone I have would work great in Korea. Always in the past I have had to rent a KTF phone at the airport in Seoul and put the chip from my phone into it. My Verizon phone did not work. I went a week with no phone. I have had to sign up for Vonage service so that I will at least have some connection when I travel. The problem with Vonage is it only works through the DSL connection on a laptop computer. That is not always available. Verizon also says that my phone will work in Bulgaria and Romania. I will let you know next month. I do not have much faith left in Verizon; but I do have another year of contract left.
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
I know the last blog promised to share what I learned from my Korean students. The class president is sending me the notes that we made in class. I hope they will come soon.
Often we talk about how the new flat world gives the ability to operate a multinational company from wherever we are. That is of course if we are not using Verizon Wireless as our telephone provider. When I changed to Verizon they touted their great international network. When I went to Argentina, I had to rent a special phone. At the last minute when leaving the states I needed to forward my Verizon phone to the special phone. The forwarding did not work, I sat on hold with “customer service” for 40 minutes until the plane took off. At least I could call out from Argentina.
I was assured the telephone I have would work great in Korea. Always in the past I have had to rent a KTF phone at the airport in Seoul and put the chip from my phone into it. My Verizon phone did not work. I went a week with no phone. I have had to sign up for Vonage service so that I will at least have some connection when I travel. The problem with Vonage is it only works through the DSL connection on a laptop computer. That is not always available. Verizon also says that my phone will work in Bulgaria and Romania. I will let you know next month. I do not have much faith left in Verizon; but I do have another year of contract left.
David Segrest is a REALTOR in Charlotte NC. His website is http://www.segrestrealty.com His email is david@segrestrealty.com
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Flat World and International Real Estate
The Flat World and International Real Estate
Ever since reading Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat, the implications of globalization have had entirely new meanings. A short summary of the book is that because of advances in technology and attitudes, and because of events like the fall of the Berlin Wall, anyone can have and operated a multinational corporation from their bedroom.
The most exciting implication of this to me, is that the bedroom can be anywhere in the world. There may be a few deep valleys somewhere, where a satellite dish would not work and no other internet service is available; but for the most part any location will work for many businesses.
Some businesses of course are highly localized. These people lose the flexibility that globalization affords; but they also avoid much of the global competition. I really love real estate; because my local business has protection from globalization and increased demand from foreign buyers. My international business gives me personal portability. My hardest decision is “where do I want to be”. Where do you want to be?
Ever since reading Thomas Friedman’s The World is Flat, the implications of globalization have had entirely new meanings. A short summary of the book is that because of advances in technology and attitudes, and because of events like the fall of the Berlin Wall, anyone can have and operated a multinational corporation from their bedroom.
The most exciting implication of this to me, is that the bedroom can be anywhere in the world. There may be a few deep valleys somewhere, where a satellite dish would not work and no other internet service is available; but for the most part any location will work for many businesses.
Some businesses of course are highly localized. These people lose the flexibility that globalization affords; but they also avoid much of the global competition. I really love real estate; because my local business has protection from globalization and increased demand from foreign buyers. My international business gives me personal portability. My hardest decision is “where do I want to be”. Where do you want to be?
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