Conference Program

Abstract

The networking industry is currently undergoing a major shift, as the lines between wireless and wireline telecommunications providers, cable operators, and even web-based businesses are blurring and shifting. Wireline carriers are making significant investments in bringing faster bandwidth to customers; telecoms and cable providers are increasing their service portfolios and fighting for the same customers; and new market entrants are emerging with dramatically different business models built upon advertising dollars rather than subscription revenues. Each player is aggressively looking to increase the average revenue per subscriber, but the shifting market dynamics are creating uncertainty and confusion. 

Amidst this chaos, there is one constant: service providers are looking to next-generation IP architectures as the way to emerge from this confusion. Over the course of a year, these new architectures have moved to the forefront not only in conversations among carriers, but to actual work being conducted by standards bodies and forums, as well as initial trials and production networks. Many providers are evaluating or deploying the various next-generation standards, such as TISPAN (wireline), IMS (mobile), PCMM (cable), and the IPSphere initiative, as well as various vendor proprietary NGNs. All of these approaches share a common objective: how to get more revenue out of an existing customer base.

This presentation discusses these next generation architectures, and evaluates the strategies for implementing an agile, open, and customized multiservice network capable of increasing revenue per subscriber and ensuring competitiveness in a shifting market landscape. Specific topics will include:

• Evaluation of various architectural approaches.
• Building a sustainable foundation for future architectures.
• Key attributes of an agile and open service delivery network.