|
INTRODUCTION
In the communications industry, convergence refers to the integration of all forms of communication - data, voice, and video - onto a single (IP-based) network. From convergence, more advanced and efficient means of communication emerge. For its part, the industry has spent a considerable amount of time and money on developing what it labels as “convergence” solutions. While captivating, this industry activity can also be disconcerting to business organizations if they are left to wonder whether service provider solutions reflect the same set of objectives as they, the business organizations, do with regard to convergence. We believe that to alleviate this uncertainty, the convergence objectives put forth by the industry must tightly align with the objectives of business organizations. This, however, may not be entirely present as communication service providers (CSPs) can have their own set of inward-focused objectives and constraints as to what comprises and how to offer convergence. To test the tightness of alignment between a CSP and enterprise customer objectives, a CSP’s convergence objectives should be measured against how well they support the following customer-centric objectives: • Strategically Enabling - Contributes to the business organization’s strategic goals such as penetrating new markets, enhancing company and employee productivity, deepening customer relationships, advancing new partnerships, improving the use of company assets, and adapting quicker to the dynamics of a competitive market. • Cost Justified - Assists the business organization in being cost efficient in its capital investments and operational expenditures without impairing the organization’s pursuit of its strategic goals. Integral to this objective are fluid and cost-justified transitions to new communication technologies with minimal impact on critical business operations. In addition, administrators of the converged communication infrastructure need effective and time-efficient management tools. • Secure - Continuously safeguards intellectual property and private information that are conveyed through a converged communications network. Reaching comprehensive alignment with these objectives is not an easy task. Yet, we believe when a CSP integrates these customer-centric objectives into the design of its convergence solution, the business organization will no longer need to ask if the solution will meet its objectives. Rather, the question becomes one of execution: how and when to move to a converged communication solution. It is the purpose of this paper to describe the attributes of a true customer-centric convergence solution. From these attributes, a framework to measure and compare CSPs’ convergence solutions is constructed. We will conclude with an attribute review of Sprint’s approach to true convergence.
|
