So I asked a panel of cable providers talking about "The Digital Lifestyle" about the notion of creating an ecosystem for M2M and they offered some differing views.

Reza Kamran of Telus says that M2M ecosystem already exists and that carriers should not try to create a new one, particularly one that is siloed to their networks. He compared that view of things to the early days of the Internet when AOL and others thought they could provide all the news, entertainment and communications that consumers needed from the Internet.

At this point, Kamran says, it would be better to join third-party developers -- which, to be fair, is what the wireless operators were also talking about - and not try to create the platform on which they will build their apps.

Stefan Galloro, who is the M2M lead at Rogers Communications, says there is already a B2B ecosystem for M2M, but what still has to develop is a secondary ecosystem that will allow consumers to turn up multiple different devices on their wireless service provider's network via portals or other easy-to-use methods. Galloro says that is still about five years out.

This could well be a case of different perspectives from different parts of AT&T, but the speaker was very clear about the ecosystem bit - wanting to partner, etc.

I would be surprised if AT&T didn't do a connected home play - it would be a major missed opportunity. But maybe they are realizing they don't have all the expertise and will sign up partners to be part of their offer.

I'm not sure AT&T is telling the truth there, at least not for the connected home where its strategy is very much to be the branded service provider with AT&T Digital Life. I think Verizon is leaning this way too. Lowell McAdam talked up the carrier's plans for health care yesterday at the UBS conference: http://www.innovationgeneration.com/author.asp?section_id=2557&doc_id=255454&