Changing landscapes

These days everything is changing. In the past days press releases were distributed about the changing landscapes of telecommunication companies and internet providers.
Telecom companies
In a detailed and wide-ranging report The European Telecom Review by Atos Origin, it is predicted that within five years, the European telecommunications landscape will have radically changed. The concept of a fixed connection for consumer voice will have eroded and enterprises will be buying hosted telecommunications services


Report The European Telecom Review

According to the report, telecommunications operators are engaged in a battle for enterprise value added services and customer attention. The convergence of fixed and mobile infrastructure and telecommunications and information technology is enabling operators to sell bundled services to consumers, including voice, TV, Internet, and mobile services. In addition, operators are forced to move up the value chain, caused by decreasing margins on basic network services.
The report highlights a number of key current trends, including: the relentless move to IP-based products and services by enterprises; growth of broadband access and increasing bandwidth; and the growth in wireless communications networks.
The report has a horizon of five years, which is sensible. The research is based on interviews with Chief Information Officers and Chief Technology Officers of major European telecommunication organizations including BT, Cable & Wireless, Cegetel SAS, Grupo Auna, France Telecom, KPN, O2, Swisscom Mobile, Telecom Italia, Telefonica SA, Versatel and Vodafone. This looks like the people to ask. But whether this is the smartest group to ask, is another question. I do not doubt their intelligence, but I wonder about their scope. Did they have this five year vision, when internet came about? Now, triple play is the buzzword. In two years it will be part and parcel of the telco’s offer and the buzz word will be gone.



Internet providers
Another claim was made by Tiscali this morning. The internet provider claims to step right up in the ranks of the internet providers with a new package, named Tiscali Plus, for a personal, carefree online environment. The package bundles a popular internet services, which are accessible from one personal online desktop. It is like a control panel with icons and navigation options. Through your own safe Tiscali Plus website, inclusive of spam and virus protection, users can get on the internet easily and start e-mailing, maintain diaries, save photographs and websites.
The package contains: 1GB disk space, powerful e-mail service, one time log-in, synchronisation of PDAs, calendar and Outlook, building of websites and storing photographs as well as the Tiscali Communicator, SMS and fax.
It sounds impressive, just the 1GB (although…). In fact the package is said to be a primer in European internet providing. In the Netherlands this type of package has been offered to business people by the business magazine Quote. It was not a success. Now Tiscali in the Netherlands is offering a similar package to consumers. I wonder whether they will buy it. They are probably as stubborn as I am and work with all the separate packages. Why pay an extra 4 euro a month. The jury is out, but will return a verdict.