They become, after all, financial companies, juggling their statements for no apparent reason other than meeting analysts expectations and grow. Because as we now, its all about growth. So, whatever happened to nice profits. That doesn’t matter anymore. It is all growth. Doesn’t matter from where, just grow. Specifically Nortel, for example, bought Synoptics a few years back. A company that had the upper hand over Cisco. Where did they go… nowhere. Focus is lost.

Their phone system business, I am not an expert, but you are. When we were looking for a new system, Nortel had nothing that addressed my business. We had to compare to newcomers like Switchbox and Shortel. And even now, services like Google, ring central and skype will start taking the upper hand as Avaya and Cisco don’t seem to address the real VOIP. I know I am forever the gadget guy, but I do want something more than what we get and other smaller companies seem to be addressing it. I want to be able to talk on skype via my cell, or my desk phone. If I’m in the office and have to leave, I want to transfer the call to my cell. And have 1 number for everything, with 1 voicemail box that I can check anywhere in the world. From a browser. And also use whatever computer (Mac would be a nice start, but linux too) to dial from the address book email or CRM system. to call via skype or cell or landline. Hard it is, otherwise it would be widely available. But just wait a bit and someone will offer it soon, just look at Asterisk.

If the Avaya’s of the world and others don’t start addressing this issues, they will all have to face Nortel’s situation at some point. This closed systems that they develop are not good for everyone and catering to wall street will not produce better systems either.
And the new players will take over. Specially in the small business market.

They wanted us to sign a contract before they would even tell us what we’d get for it. Their quotes were vague about what features we’d be getting – and they’d never get back to us to confirm.

One of the key features we wanted was a simple programming API – something we could tap into to pop customer information up on the screen when they phoned. They told us repeatedly that they had it, and that they’d get back to us with the details. When we refused to sign the contract without that information, they finally admitted that the API required a separate – much more expensive – contract, and that we wouldn’t be allowed to see if it was suitable until after we signed and paid.

In the end we replaced our old Nortel system with a new Mitel system. The details on the pop-up API were faxed to me before we signed, and it was all I needed. Other programming APIs were publicly available. The system has worked very well.

Oh Nortel, how you once were so great.
I just kept on believing but
you kept having to RESTATE.

For the analyst, Nortel was their top pick.
The stock just kept rising
and then it would split.

Roth bought companies, Nortel would never use.
Buying Nortel stock
meant you just couldn’t lose.

But did we know, that the future was cursed?
Nortel financed all their orders
then the tech bubble burst.

Those dot com’s never earned a dime,
Nortel stock price plunged
and investors all whined.

It will be okay, all the analysts said,
John Roth was CEO of the year
or haven’t you read?

Roth resigns with millions says he’s not well
So here comes Frank Dunn,
he has the same smell.

Dunn was the CFO, while Roth was the boss,
Roth & Dunn are mostly to blame
for the billions Nortel loss.

Slowly Nortel stock began an upward steady climb,
from sixty odd cents to
twelve bucks shy by a dime.

But haunts from the past they would await,
Dunn and his friends
are caught in “bonusgate”

They inflated the revenue from previous years,
Nortel was a laughing stock
amongst all of its peers.

Dunn and his friends, are fired with cause,
Now they all hide behind
Our lenient Canadian laws.

Millions of investors we’re all fed up.
but wait, in walks the Admiral
and another RESTATE.

He did not do much we all can agree,
He also left with millions
The Admiral just headed out to sea

But alas, the rumors could they be true?
Here comes our best CEO
What the rest couldn’t he will do.

He has a foreign name; it’s looking real sunny,
But Nortel must wait cause
Motorola wants lots of money.

So again Nortel pays millions, BOD says he will be great.
Meet Mike Zafirovski and by
the way another RESTATE.

We will do what is right, we will be squeaky clean,
I’ll hire the right people,
we will get real lean.

Mike it’s been over three years look what you.ve done
Nortel’s market cap is now
Is virtually next to none.

The stock is now worth ZERO cents
the pensioners wonder where
all of their money went.

To settle the lawsuits, you just printed more shares,
Mike you killed all the bulls,
In stormed all the bears.

You promised Nortel would again be great
Three to five years is what you
asked investors like me to wait

Throw in the reverse split, the layoffs and cuts
Nortel kept bleeding billions
But giving yourself that big raise took real guts

Analyst once screamed Nortel “it’s a good buy”
last one turn out the lights
After a hundred years of history sadly Nortel its good bye.