Peter Bernstein
July 2011
You are browsing the archive for July 2011.
Securing IP Communications Requires a Network with a High IQ
By Beecher Tuttle
If this year has taught us anything, it is that network security is a vital part of the health of any organization. This is especially true for service providers, which are facing cyber threats that they couldn't have imagined just a few years ago.
The ever-increasing reliance that businesses have on mobile devices, next-gen communication services and Web apps has made security even more paramount for service providers. These broadband technologies provide additional revenue opportunities for carriers, but they also give hackers, malware purveyors and spammers greater opportunities to find cracks in network armor.
Failing to prevent or mitigate the effects of a cyber attack will lead to considerable short- and long-term costs for operators and their customers.
Cloud Solutions Can Give Network Service Providers the Tools to Compete
By Beecher Tuttle
The cost-effective, scalable and highly flexible nature of cloud-based solutions has made them extremely popular among businesses large and small. With cloud services, enterprises and SMBs can deploy low-cost, business-critical applications that can be securely accessed from any Web-enabled device, giving employees the ability to take work outside of the four walls of their office.
The inherent benefits that cloud solutions provide businesses have helped the market grow exponentially in recent years. In fact, Forrester Research estimates that the total U.S. market for cloud services will exceed $25 billion in 2011.
Success Depends on the Customer Experience Transformation
By Susan J. Campbell
Data usage patterns clearly demonstrate that consumers today have a rapidly increasing appetite for advanced communications and multimedia capabilities. Emerging broadband and data services are fueling this appetite as they promise a new and better customer experience. The communications industry is feeling the pressure to deliver on this promise or lose market share.
A recent white paper by Alcatel-Lucent, Listen Up: Is Servicing Customers a Cost or An Investment?, explores this phenomenon. It has become clear that simply expanding the network to handle increased demand is not enough.
Give Me Captivating Conversation, Not Captive Communications
By Susan J. Campbell
The communication definition is rapidly changing with the increased use of SMS, video, MMS and social networking. It is vital that users have access to a better way to support highly mobile, multimedia lifestyles. All-IP networks are based on IMS architecture and provide the answer for more captivating conversations. Service providers can leverage unprecedented opportunity to reinvent communications for richer and totally new conversations.
Today’s communication technology restraints are served by IMS as it helps to create the conversation that is intuitive, convenient and always available.
Creating Success by Transforming Customer Experiences
By Mae Kowalke
Without customers, there would be no business.
Service providers know this implicitly, of course. But as the market gets even more competitive, the stakes are increasing to make sure every customer interaction results in a better customer experience.
Inspiring loyalty, generating opportunities and attracting new customers – they are all goals of services providers. But it can still be a challenge to satisfy every customer every time.
Internet of Things: Opportunities in Machine-to-Machine Communications
By Mae Kowalke
All signs point to continued growth in the machine-to-machine (M2M) communications sector. M2M, technologies that allow both wireless and wired systems to communicate with other devices of the same ability, helps companies be more efficient by automating tasks, but it also has applications in the consumer market.
In the language of M2M, devices capture events and relay that data through a network to an application, which translates the event into meaningful information. For example, in retail a sensor may be triggered when a particular item is out of stock, and someone who monitors inventory is alerted that the item needs reordering or refilling.
In a recently published white paper, The Internet of Things, Alcatel-Lucent predicts that this technology will connect 15 billion devices by 2015.
Accelerating the Positive Impact of Mobility in Developing Nations
By Beecher Tuttle
Widespread access to mobile communications is a well-known signifier of economic and social prosperity in the developing world. In fact, a recent study by the World Bank found that every 10 percent increase in mobile penetration correlates to a 1 percent increase in a developing country's gross domestic product (GDP).
Bell Labs, the research arm of telecom giant Alcatel-Lucent, believes that an appropriate mix of action and investment can accelerate the impact of mobility well beyond this model.
Research experts from Bell Labs and the World Economic Forum’s Telecommunications Industry Global Agenda Council recently conducted a series of studies that show how certain strategies can boost the impact that mobile communication services can have on a nation's GDP, by up to 36 percent.
The model – born from studies in Bangladesh, Kenya and Venezuela – identifies three key mobility issues that can have the greatest impact on economic and social growth.
Achieving LTE Transformation and Reduced OPEX through Wireless Network Optimization
By Mae Kowalke
Long term evolution (LTE) has emerged as the dominant technology for enabling 4G wireless broadband networks. The question for operators is no longer which technology revolution to join, but rather how to optimize their networks and reduce operating expenditures (OPEX) using LTE.
Focusing on network optimization is the key to successfully adopting LTE. With this lens, it is possible to create a migration strategy that addresses service level agreement (SLA) key performance indicators (KPIs) and other business concerns.
In a recent Enriching Communications article, Wireless Optimization Makes Good Business Sense, two analysts from Alcatel-Lucent’s LTE Services division (Christophe Blachier, Director, and Olivier Guéret, Senior Marketing Manager) cited figures from a January 2011 Global Mobile Suppliers’ Association report, which support the observation LTE is the future of 4G.
Enabling Enterprise Opportunities with Smart Sensors
By Mae Kowalke
In most industries, metrics of some sort are used to gauge the success of a particular endeavor. Often, sensors that measure things like humidity, pressure and temperature play a role in metrics. Enterprises and organizations in a myriad of fields, including healthcare, green building, supply chain and oil & gas use sensors to enhance their operations.
The trick with sensors, though, is getting measurements to the appropriate destination quickly and accurately. This is where a new concept, the smart sensor, is playing an increasingly critical role by increasing operational efficiency, cutting costs, protecting the environment, and even saving lives.
Creating a Smart Grid Using Advanced Communications Technology
By Mae Kowalke
Increasingly, today’s consumers expect to be given choices in the goods and services they consume. This trend is spilling over into many areas, including the energy sector. As it does, utilities are compelled to provide real-time information that helps consumers make choices about how much energy they use, as well as where and when.
Smart communications technology is required to provide that real-time information. This technology is coming to bear in the creation of what’s been dubbed the ‘smart grid’ – an electrical supply system that predicts and intelligently responds to the actions of electricity users (suppliers and consumers).
Keeping Current with Technology Imperative to Quality, Profitability
By Ed Silverstein
Design and innovations are vital in response to the massive use of mobile broadband networks.
Consider the current trends. Mobile broadband network traffic is projected to double each year for the foreseeable future, according to a study from Tolaga Research.
The growth is being driven largely by the popularity of smartphones, new technology, standardization of software, and IP-based networks, according to information from Alcatel-Lucent.
All of that demand is leading to a lot of capacity being placed on mobile broadband networks.
In addition, there will be a great deal of competition among service providers.
Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs, WEF-TIGAC Study: Increased Mobile Access can Accelerate GDP Growth in Developing Countries
By Peter Bernstein
Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs on June 13 released a comprehensive white paper developed with support of the World Economic Forum’s Telecommunications Industry Global Agenda Council (WEF-TIGAC) entitled, Putting Broadband in the Palm of People's Hands. It is a fascinating read.
The report provides the supporting data on ALU’s initiatives in the area of helping developing countries deploy ubiquitous mobile networks that are environmentally friendly (while being energy efficient) which can act as economic and social accelerators with significant multiplier effects. ALU featured highlights of the study in its online publication Enriching Communications in a February 7 article, “Accelerating the Mobile Impact,” and an April 11 article, “Bringing Mobile Networking to the Masses,” emphasizing its partnerships and commitments to making promise reality.
The paper provides rich food for thought on the impact widespread mobile access can have on economic and social growth in developing countries globally, and takes an in-depth look at Bangladesh, Kenya and Venezuela.
Multiscreen Video: Catching the Online Wave
By Ed Silverstein
The Multiscreen Video Platform lets cable operators and telcos reach subscribers, as well as new devices and diverse locations via TV and video services, according to Alcatel-Lucent.
“It helps service providers create a more personal, seamless and social experience across every Internet-connected device,” according to a solution sheet from Alcatel-Lucent.
In addition, it provides a path to next-generation pay TV and more revenue, the company said, as well as offers new media business models. Alcatel-Lucent and thePlatform, have formed an alliance for cable and IPTV providers to offer a new generation of video services to subscribers’ TVs, PCs, tablets, and mobile phones, the companies said.
The alliance provides video management capability and video distribution via a content delivery network (CDN) used by the service provider.
End-to-end LTE Opens Doors to New Business Models
By Mae Kowalke
Today’s mobile operators are simultaneously adopting new technologies and new business models based on the idea of ubiquitous access to wireless. Investing in technologies like end-to-end (E2E) long term evolution (LTE) opens up many opportunities to grow the customer base, increase revenues, and deliver types of services not possible previously.
In a recent Enriching Communications blog, Ken Wirth, President of Alcatel-Lucent’s End-to-End Network Solutions division, said E2E LTE offers two main business opportunity advantages for wireless broadband: bandwidth and latency.
Because they are all-IP, Wirth explained, E2E LTE networks “can deliver three to four times the bandwidth offered by 3G networks.”
There’s also the speed advantage.
“E2E LTE networks dramatically reduce latency; compared to 3G networks it’s almost non-existent,” Wirth said in the blog.
Innovation Key to Mitigating Effects of Urbanization: GII Report
By Beecher Tuttle
Telecom equipment giant Alcatel-Lucent was recently selected by INSEAD to take part in the creation of the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2011, a collaborative report that identifies the innovation capabilities and results of 125 economies.
The goal of the newly published report is to provide a non-partisan resource for policymakers, global organizations and other international stakeholders.
Topping the list of global innovators is Switzerland, which moved up from the fourth spot in last year's rankings. Following closely behind were Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland and Denmark. The United States and Canada finished seventh and eighth respectively, while the Netherlands and the U.K.
Case Studies Demonstrate Application Enablement
By Susan J. Campbell
Application Enablement is getting a lot of attention in certain portals as of late as service providers are seeking new ways to optimize their current environments to drive new revenue opportunities. While it is critical to leverage key assets that service providers already own within their networks, not all understand the value in Application Enablement and what it can do for their business model.
This AE Multimedia Use Cases explore real-world scenarios of how Application Enablement can work across multiple industries such as healthcare and insurance. For example, a loyal subscriber discovers that his favorite news portal offers a free application that allows viewers to upload live news video. Through a free application, the TV station partners with its viewers to build a social community, based on viewer-generated news.
