With operators worldwide scrambling to bring triple - and quadruple - play services to market, every player is in a transitional and flummoxed state. The addition of VoIP services to cable and satellite packages has caused fierce competitive pressures for traditional telecom service providers, who are now rushing towards the rollout of their new IPTV services, which they hope will bring them enormous revenue opportunities.
And it is not just the telcos that are racing against time - mobile telecommunications providers are also stepping up to the mark, with fixed mobile convergence set to be a reality sooner rather than later. By building relationships with those companies who are already on the verge of triple-play successes, mobile operators are making plain their intentions to develop quadruple-play packages, combining their services with the TV, broadband and fixed-line telephone offerings provided by their telco/cable and satellite counterparts.
In order to compete in the market, everyone seems to have realised the importance of discovering and developing new products and services, but the margin for error is minimal.
As these previously unrelated companies wed, a plethora of new players are suddenly entering the market, and consumers are finding themselves bombarded with new and exciting innovations at competitive prices. Established operators are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on grandiose advertising campaigns in a bid to keep their companies' name at the forefront of the consumer's mind, while their more recent competitors fight to convince the market that old friends aren’t always the best. The result is a baffling array of barely differing opportunities, which the average consumer has little hope of deciphering without the assistance of the appropriate "Which…?" guide.
However, difficulties are looming on the horizon, as whilst fighting to remain a visible player, focus is shifting away from where it is most needed – in the development of these new services. Consumers are already in change mode, having recently accepted DVD, digital television and music players, broadband Internet and the like. They are open to new ideas, no longer afraid to test new waters – and a disappointing show from their life-long service provider could well be enough to push them into the hands of the fresh, new competition. It is imperative that struggling telcos realise therefore that failure to deliver on advertised promises could spell the end.
Projects are unpredictable, no one can know what the future holds, which makes planning an impossible task. It is not unusual then that completion deadlines are widely missed and budgets are blown. The effects and handling of numerous problems and challenges can ultimately make or break the reputation of all involved. This could be an exciting time for the telecoms industry, but it is imperative that projects are kept on track. One tactic, which could and should be deployed, (yet is worryingly infrequently discussed) is a project management IT strategy.
By employing project management facilities, surprises can be eliminated and managers afforded the necessary, immediate visibility into ongoing work, allowing them to identify areas of risk and take action before projects spiral out of control. Efficient project management is essential to create a disciplined environment, conducive to the successful delivery of projects - both on time, and on budget.
Through the use of effective project management systems, managers are once again allowed to manage, rather than having to spend their time filing reports and pushing papers. Unlimited access to up-to-date information affords them the ability to respond as and when necessary – thus cutting time wasting and preventing problems from escalating. The provision of IPTV/triple-play services requires the deployment of complex network technologies, which are bound to cause countless headaches. In addition, IPTV depends on a large number of disparate, multi-vendor elements – from network components to service applications and home networking devices – that result in a lack of end-to-end visibility and control over potential issues. If telecommunications providers fail to deliver a quality service, especially having made such splendid promises, consumers simply will not buy into the technology. The only way to combat this is to employ management systems and ensure that projects go to plan.
