Telecommunications Convergence

Part 1 Introduction - playing in the convergence whirlpool: telecommunications - the Big Bang and the collapsing Universe; changes in managerial hierarchies; attendant changes in network hierarchies. Part 2 Convergence - a definition: convergence of technologies; convergence of services; convergence of companies; so what? technological biases; the "do what you know" trap; the technology overlap phenomenon. Part 3 Implications of convergence. Part 4 The technology: a network overview; access; 56Kbps modems; LMDS; MMDS; GSM/variants' FDMA/TDMA/CDMA; others; transport -building the cloud; GEO; MEO; LEO; HALE; microwave; SONET/SDH; facilitating technologies; signalling schemes; SS7/IP, ATM, frame relay Internetworking; management of optical issues. Part 5 The services: service types; integrated services; unified messaging; virtual private networks (VPN); quality of service (QoS) issues; QoS protocols; network management. Part 6 The companies: the evolution of the service provider; product and service issues - from value chains to hyperchains; the new competitive model; relationship between strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats; the rise of the virtual community; acquisition drivers; putting it all together; relationship between technology, corporate, serviced convergence; how to achieve critical competitive mass; what do your customers do? an understanding of all three is necessary for success; data mining; enterprise resource planning; relationship management systems; services providers; addressing the role of company convergence. Part 7 Summary: customers no longer care about technology - they care about having the right services at the right time in the right place for the right price; virtual communities are the new competitive entities; formerly, technology and money were the differentiators - no longer! knowledge is key; data mining, relationship management (based on proper use of technological underpinnings) make the competitive difference.