LAS VEGAS--In his keynote address at TelecomNext today, Cingular President and CEO Stan Sigman tried to keep the feet of the telecommunications industry planted firmly on the ground given all the heady talk the last two days about its future.

While taking pleasure in acknowledging that the communications industry is unstoppable and that people have a need to communicate that the industry just can't turn off, Sigman said there are no sure things in this world.

"We should have a sure thing, but I have been to races where a sure thing didn't even place or show," Sigman said.

Without preaching, he urged people not to lose focus. "Sometimes people get so focused on the future they lose their common sense," he said. "We have to focus on the basics. Without paying attention to their very detail, we will never turn our vision into reality. The basics will enable our future success every bit as much as new technology will."

The basics, according to Sigman, are: building the best network with no short cuts and no compromises; creating unmatched distribution and finding ways to deliver services in a customer-friendly channel; delivering compelling products and services; and providing great customer service.

With each basic tenet building on the other, Sigman said, "Even with the best network, the best distribution and compelling products, things can go wrong and we have to be there for our customers. Nobody ever wakes up and says, 'I want to call the phone company.'"