The evolution towards full IP is forcing a rethink of the traditional dividing lines between computing and telecommunications1.
Businesses and large administrations are returning more and more to their core business area for reasons of in-house expertise and financial efficiency
• Businesses began by outsourcing their computer systems, before taking a look at their telecommunications
• Companies have a vast array of outsourcing options available to them: definition of geographic perimeters and functions, outsourcing contracts, the take over of assets and personnel, creating joint ventures.2.
Now having to contend with a decline in revenues generated by classic corporate services (telephony, corporate network), operators need to redefine their service portfolio
• In addition to corporate network management, what services to market: hosting, LAN-WAN integration, messaging and collaborative work tool management, CRM platforms…
• Which strategies to choose: strategic alliances with software publishers and hardware manufacturers, short-term partnerships, develop software companies operations through takeovers or internal expansion…3.
As a result of applications’ convergence towards IP, software companies are seeing new opportunities arise
• Managing all of a companies’ servers, including VoIP
• Developing unified messaging and collaborative work applications
• Managing the WAN and contracts with telecom operators