Imtech Telecom observe the following trends:
• Convergence
• Consolidation
• Internationalisation
• Outsourcing

Triple Play
The Telecom market is a dynamic market, currently driven by getting end-user (consumer) market share with attractive Triple-Play offerings (combination of Voice, Video and Data/Internet). All traditional players from the Voice, TV/Video or Internet world, are adopting this Triple-Play model to protect their revenues, thereby creating a highly competitive playing field. The end user’s demand for more bandwidth (speed), increasing reliance on mobility services, and the end users’ assessment of cost versus performance, are the drivers in this dynamic market. More Triple Play Opportunities here.

Next Generation Networks (NGN) (back to top)
NGN’s will allow networks to cost effectively support a new suite of sophisticated services by building on core competences related to traditional transport services. In addition, a unified and consistent NGN approach will help reduce costs by eliminating the inefficiencies of current service-specific, proprietary, and non-reusable solutions. NGN will also reduce the time to market and life-cycle costs of offering new services.

NGN’s will enable operators to deploy advanced services, allowing them to remain competitive as well as expand their capabilities to enter new markets. The bottom line is that, in addition to their wholesale transport business, public network operators should (and must) pursue Next Generation Service Architectures to offer added-value services.

Convergence (back to top)
The trend in countries with a developed Telecom market is clear. Traditional Telecom operators have started to offer audio-visual programming and internet access.

Cable TV operators are rolling out a variety of Telecom services, including voice (telephony). Cable modems are deployed to provide high-speed Internet access. Broadcasters are switching over to program bundles, pay per view and experiment with digital transmission.

Business support systems and customer relationship management (CRM) architecture are at the threshold of major change. Vertical integration by Operators allows for Service bundling, whereby tracking of customer usage and profiles is aimed at rewarding customer loyalty.

In the not too distant future customers would settle for nothing less than an economic and efficient single-point of contact for all communication needs. These include various technologies of communication (such as the land line, wireless access (incl. Wireless in the local loop, WLL) and Internet) and a `single-window' where all information pertaining to these services could be obtained instantly. Services include: POTS (Plane Old Telephone Service); 2G and 3G Mobile services; Internet; IP/Data services; Broadband and Backbone services. For this reason Technology providers, Media and Telecom service providers all need to move to the multi media arena.

Consolidation (back to top)
Driven by internationalisation, focus on growth and costs efficiencies, consolidation takes place. Operators that are aiming for the business market, where outsourcing of CT (Communication Technology) is a growing trend, will need to offer more managed CT services and therefore
need System Integration skills. Operators without a triple-play offering need to develop this soon in order to keep their position in the market and prevent churn. Operators will focus more on
the international market as international communication is perceived as attractive business. The national market will consolidate to only a few service providers per country (volume). The number of virtual operators will increase (special interests user groups).

Internationalisation (back to top)
Most key players are positioning themselves to play in the International Market. The convergence of Telecom services to IP (Internet Protocol) and the adoption of International standards, have removed the National boundaries of technologies. The open borders of the European Union are fuelling international traffic. End-users, either residential or business, are crossing borders more and more frequently. In this highly competitive market cost optimisation, volume, differentiation of offerings and selling value to the business market is key. The Telecom market used to have a decentralised structure and local players where able to make their own strategy-, technology-, market- and purchasing decisions. This has changed to a centralised model, where strategic market and technology decisions are made at corporate or competence centres.

Outsourcing (back to top)
Driven by cost and corporate focus (Brand vs. Operations), Service providers will more and more outsource certain (operational) processes.