For all my thoughts - ranting? - about the need for better blog search, I wasn't aware Mark Cuban was behind Ice Rocket until I read his post today. I guess he's an investor in Ice Rocket given he refers to them as "we". Cuban talks about the demand for different and/or better blog search. He said Ice Rocket will "focus on providing a service to the majority of Internet users who don’t blog, or who blog as a social experience. In particular, we will focus on supporting business users who want a continuous feed of fresh information relating to those things that are important to them." I'm not sure what he exactly means but I have tried Ice Rocket and it seems to work well. In fact, I find Ice Rocket and, in particular, Blogdigger to be better search tools than Technorati, which seems to be struggling with its methodology and popularity. Of course, I think we're all waiting for the day when Google unleashes its blog search "beta" or acquires Technorati, Ice Rocket or Blogdigger. Just out of curiosity, does anyone find it interesting Cuban is so enthusiastic about Ice Rocket in the wake of his brief dalliance with troubled Mamma.com last year? Clearly, he's a man on a search for the next search play.

Another day, another new market for Shaw Communications' cable telephony service. Shaw is now offering service in Winnipeg - putting it head to head in telephony and TV with Manitoba Telecom Services, which has enjoyed growing success with its digital TV service in the past 18 months. Shaw, which has signed up more than 20,000 telephony customers since February in Edmonton and Calgary, is offering a discount of up to $15 on telephone service to customers who also buy its digital TV and high-speed Internet products.

At the height of the telecom boom in 2000, BCE Inc. CEO Jean Monty suddenly decided to spend $7.4-billion to acquire the 77% of Teleglobe Inc. that BCE didn't already own. It was another part of his ambitious convergence strategy that would marry networks with content. In hindsight, it was a disasterous move and BCE was eventually forced to walk away from Teleglobe, which went into bankruptcy protection. Teleglobe has popped back into the spotlight today on news India's Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. has made a $239-million bid for the global network operator. For people unfamiliar with VSNL, it is one of the India's leading ISPs, Web hosting firms and its incumbent international carrier. The folks at Light Reading believe the deal is significant because: - VSNL claims it will become the third biggest global player in the international voice market, behind AT&T and MCI. - it bolsters VSNL's international business in light of its previous acquisition of Tyco International's global submarine telecom network. - VSNL is also buying a VOIP wholesale business formerly known as ITXC. Does it seem somewhat ironic the deal is being hailed as a brilliant move by VSNL while it's seen as Jean Monty's Waterloo? It probably has to do with the fact VSNL paid about 2.4% of what Monty did for Teleglobe. To be fair, Monty's convergence strategy wasn't flawed as much as it was probably ahead of its time. For some good insight into the VSNL-Teleglobe deal, check out Om Malik, Ronald Gruia and Light Reading.

Here's something that really bugs me: the insistence of North American wireless executives to cite penetration rates with Asia and Europe when talking about growth prospects. Point in case is Bell Mobility's Jim Jaques who took this position yesterday with the launch of a new youth-oriented brand called Solo Mobile. Jaques talked about how there is plenty of room in North America for growth because only 55% of young people in Canada and 66% in the U.S. have wireless phones. This compares with more than 90% in Asia and Europe. Okay, stop right there. This is an apples to oranges comparison because it doesn't take into account some major cultural differences. In Asia and Europe, for example, most people don't live in single-family homes where they spend hours sitting in front of home entertainment units. Instead, many live in small apartments. As a result, they tend not to be home as much - making a wireless phone a necessity to stay in touch with friends and family. As for why only 46% of Canadians have wireless phones, it may have something to do with the lack of competition with only three national carriers. The MVNO model has also gotten out of the gate slowly with only Virgin Mobile in the game.