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Networks & Infrastructure
SOFNET 08: Exciting times for wholesale telcos
Keynote speaker Davis says wholesale is far from ’lackluster’
by Kendrick Struthers-Watson
The thought that offering wholesale services was one of the more
‘lackluster’ activities of telecoms has been challenged by the CEO of
BT Wholesale, Sally Davis.
“We’re in a time for new telco business models, and this is providing
wholesale providers with exciting opportunities.”
Davis maintains that the majority of telecom innovations were driven
initially by corporate needs — email, voice mail, etc.
“Now, the domestic consumer is calling the shots as seen with
community-based applications, such as Facebook — which currently
don’t exist in the business world. Consumers are now the driving force
behind service innovation.”
The mantra of ‘anywhere, anytime, anyway’ has been said by many, but
achieved by few. Regardless, Davis claims that wholesale is the key to
making this notion of ’A3’ become a reality: “For example, we’re only
just starting to see full-length video downloads, but this traffic is
set to increase significantly as consumers become aware of video
download catalogues that are only now becoming available. Wholesale
will underpin these new services.”
Keen to become involved, BT Wholesale has signed a number of deals
with service providers coming to market with new, and sometime unique,
business model.
“We’ve won contracts with providers that are very ‘network light’
leaving the company to focus on making their application or service a
success without worrying about network issues,” said Davis. “Some of
these new deals include providing a ‘while label’ service where BT
Wholesale does almost everything while the application or service
company focuses on providing the company brand on the Web page.”
Davis maintains that telecoms innovation is happening at all levels.
“We will see some unusual business models, and I don’t know which will
be successful. All I do know is that wholesale is the key enabler to
this new world.”
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