Business Strategies for the Next-generation Network

Carriers and service providers have united around the concept of the Next-generation network (NGN). Although leveraging a broad basket of Internet technologies is not being planned as the next-generation Internet. In its intention and architecture, it is more accurately described as Broadband-ISDN release 2.0. The book begins with a detailed description of the technologies and capabilities supporting "new wave" services, focusing particularly on multimedia interactive services, TV, and Video-on-Demand. The author looks at the IMS layer and how it interworks both downward into the QoS-enabled IP transport layer and upward to enable new kinds of applications. However, equal attention is addressed to the business models of players in the new value chains. The author then examines how carriers have attempted to remodel themselves as IP companies along the dimensions of people, processes, and IT automation systems, describing the lessons to be learned from numerous failures. The final part of the book analyzes in detail the business strategies that will lead to success.