Talking about the future

CXO. ‘Next generation communications’ is a catchphrase that we hear more and more frequently. What does it really mean?

Stuart Curzon. The phrase ‘next generation communications’ is broadly held to refer to the underlying technologies that enable the deployment of a converged communications technology infrastructure to support business-critical applications and services.

Converged, or ‘unified’ communications solutions enable voice and data applications – such as telephony, email, conferencing, Instant Messaging and presence information – to be converged on a common IP platform, and accessed through a single user interface.

The key added value is the ability to share features and functionality across applications. This improves information availability across the organisation, enhancing collaborative capabilities and overall productivity.

Mark Bath Next Generation Communications is essentially about IP based technologies that are 100 percent presence aware. By ‘presence aware’ we mean applications, like video, voice, IM and email that are location-independent and seamlessly integrated. They enable us to improve the levels of our productivity by instantly recognising if we are accessible by voice, or in a meeting.

Matthew Finnie. I agree with the ITU definition: “Service related functions are independent from underlying transport related technologies”. This is fundamentally different way of thinking about telecoms where the access or phone line or even SIM card all closely associate the service with the method of transmitting the phone call or data delivery method. Next generation networks are basically “connectionless”, so the service is derived from a platform not the type of access. It’s an altogether more powerful concept and means that if deployed and scaled correctly it opens up the possibility of sea changes in how services are delivered to carriers, enterprises and ultimately consumers.

Joe Kelly. The key difference between next generation communications and what has gone before is the role software has to play in the development of services. Developing services in software will allow communications providers to offer end users with much greater levels of flexibility in the way their services are used and changed. They will provide end users with greater control over their services. It also means that new services can be created much more quickly than ever before.

CXO. Why are these new communication networks so important to the modern enterprise? What benefits and possibilities do they offer to users?

SC. Global organisations are increasingly looking to realise the benefits of collaborative solutions in order to seamlessly integrate their business communications solutions with their operational goals. The objective is to enable employees all around the globe to collaborate easily and naturally, with all elements of communications working together as a coherent package.

By leveraging the potential of IP-based applications, businesses are able to bring together their voice and data networks in a single structure. There are obvious cost efficiency implications - companies’ network management costs can be reduced at a stroke, and also network training and other personnel-based operational costs. Economies of scale can also be achieved in the purchasing and procurement of any equipment that utilises such networks. But IP also has significant implications in terms of the added value functionality that data networks can provide, as well as overall network control and management.

Essentially unified communications can enable enterprises to improve workforce productivity and mobility by providing real-time, anytime and anywhere access to corporate communications.

JK. The key benefit to modern enterprises will be the ability to become more efficient. For example, the flexibility of next generation services will allow enterprises to use communications in new ways, to change the services they use in real time. Also, next generation, software-driven services are global in nature, meaning enterprises will have access to the same services wherever they operate across the world, bringing greater consistency to the way they use communications to engage and deliver their services to customers.
Finally, next generation services will be accessible from anywhere, on whatever device the customer wants to use. This means having full access to information when mobile or working remotely.

MF. The modern enterprise lives in an indeterminate world. Every year, organisations re-shape their five-year plan. So how can the IT guy run definitive programs with a two – three year project plan when their goal keeps moving? Many are driving to more service-aware ways of deploying solutions: small, rapid deployments with continuous feedback. NGN or platform oriented networking allows an enterprise to offload the basic delivery infrastructure of network, communications, hosting, security and content so they have a flexible, secure and reliable platform to deliver services from. It removes the cost, time and resource risk that plagues big IT projects and makes for a flexible approach.

MB. New communication networks are becoming more and more important to the modern enterprise for fairly basic reasons: Collaborating on-line, whether audio, video or voice, by globally dispersed teams reduces travel costs and thus lowers your total cost of ownership. The flexible solutions are secure so the integrity, confidentiality and availability of information is ensured.

CXO. What technologies are at the forefront of the increasing prevalence of next generation communication networks? Have you experienced particular success with any parts of your business?

SC. IP is the core of any next generation communications infrastructure. The key IP differentiator is it permits connections of voice and data devices and applications using a mix of network technologies: Ethernet, ATM, FDDI, Wi-Fi etc.

With a network-based IP communications platform, telephony and data signals are processed in the same way. IP client devices (IP phones, PCs or notebook PCs) connect to the LAN, and communications, whether voice or data, follow users around in the same way as email does. What’s more, the client devices can be wireless as well as wireline – the medium could hardly be more flexible.

The potential of IP-based communication is essentially about building flexibility to improve current business efficiency and support future business success. It’s no surprise that Private IP and VoIP are Verizon Business’s fastest growing services. We’ve also seen very strong demand for managed network and security services as well as Ethernet-based services. Demand is growing by 28 percent annually.

Verizon Business offers multinational organisations clear migration paths to a more collaborative way of working, enabling them to manage their journey to unified communications at their own pace. We deliver a full portfolio of integrated IP communication applications and collaboration services from a fully network-based, hosted platform, accessed via an integrated customer interface.

MF. The success of NGN networks and the platforms they support is down to keeping it simple. The sensible thing is to pick out standards that are not influenced by the limitations of any vendor: architecturally independent standards that make sense when you think about services in terms of transport, presentation and session. From this perspective MPLS/IP, ethernet and SIP make great sense. Underpin this with a model for development and delivery that is web services like and abstracting away from any niggling proprietary elements or specific vendors and you can create almost any environment your customers are looking for without killing yourself.

MB. Ubiquitous IP capabilities lead the technologies currently at the forefront of next generation communication networks. Global Crossing has already experienced the associated cost savings and improved productivity levels and continues to plan further deployments in 2008.

JK. The key 'technology' in next generation services is Internet Protocol, or IP. While it's more of a standard than a technology, IP networks allow multiple services, al created in software, to be distributed across one platform. Historically, different services used different platforms. Converging these services across multiple platforms was both difficult and expensive. Software developed services delivered over common IP platforms will enable customers to enjoy the benefits of convergence.

CXO. What are the biggest challenges involved in designing and constructing next generation communication networks? How do you cope with the all-important issue of security?

SC. The biggest challenge is accurately anticipating and addressing the evolving needs of businesses around the globe. The bedrock of any successful global organisation is worldwide connectivity. Expanded global reach means that organisations need to become more flexible and adaptable to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace. Fast expanding data needs require secure, reliable and high-speed connectivity to keep up with the demands of round-the-clock business operations.

Adequately supporting such networks is also a challenge – it demands a new skill set that few organisations have in house, hence the rise in customer demand for managed services. In addition to competency, outsourcing network management to an expert partner like Verizon Business can also lead to additional cost savings and productivity efficiencies.

Quality of service is also an ongoing concern – and can only truly be guaranteed from the network upwards. By working with a provider that can integrate the provision of applications and services with the delivery of the underlying IP network itself, organisations will find themselves in the best possible place.

With regards to security, this has to be integrated beyond the network and across the organisation itself. Business critical data is stored in more diverse geographical locations, and has to be available not only to employees but also partners, suppliers or customers, around the world and around the clock.

Verizon Business’ security solutions focus on securing this global information flow. Our approach demands a fundamental reappraisal of ‘traditional’ approaches to security, which focused on securing the business perimeter. Security today should span the entire IT stack, including the network, data, applications and users. Security decisions should be based on an effective assessment of risk, not simply on threats and vulnerabilities.

MB. Today, the biggest challenges associated with designing and constructing next generation communication networks turn up during the anticipated migration from legacy networks to IP. Often times a complex process, the willingness to migrate is hampered by the perceived challenges associated with the various technology, security and support requirements. Getting buy-in from the CEO and CFO is also sometimes a challenge – as the costs of migration are perceived as too high. However, with the proper business case, the powerful return-on-investment statistics of a full migration are made clear.

Global Crossing’s approach to security is methodical and comprehensive. Basic components of security, including physical separation, ring-fenced networks and an intelligent use of firewalls are in place. The company utilizes multiple, independent and interlinking layers of security to provide greater protection than each of the controls provide individually. This security method is known as a “defence-in-depth” strategy. Additionally, Global Crossing has a Network Security Agreement (NSA) with the US Government that governs the security practices for Global Crossing’s US operations. Similar agreements are in place as associated with Global Crossing’s presence in EMEA.

JK. The biggest issue for BT is that it is the first incumbent communications company in the world to implement a truly end-to-end next generation network. Being first brings benefits, but also means that theirs is no manual it can consult on how to do it.

So it's technically and operationally challenging. But the biggest issue is the human issue. Next generation networks can transform businesses, but also threaten the way things are today. It takes huge levels of communication, consultation and engagement to help get people comfortable with a radically different future.

MF. Shifting from the silo world of legacy networks to a unified operational and delivery model is the largest challenge facing most operators. It’s a wrench and managing multiple services over common infrastructure requires a different way of thinking. One mistake commonly made is applying traditional connection oriented ways of thinking to NGN, which creates more complexity, giving people a poor experience and leading many to ask “where’s the efficiency saving”. At Interoute we were lucky to be born after it was a viable option to pursue the traditional model, so we are NGN to the core.

CXO. There has been massive growth in companies offering next generation communications in recent years. What are the features that make your solutions stand out from the crowd?

SC. Quite frankly, there are very few truly global network-based companies. We build on the power of our extensive global network to deliver business solutions for our enterprise customers. That’s what makes us truly stand out from the network provider who may have a strong presence in one country or even one region of the world. By contrast, we have a global IP footprint that serves 2,700 cities in 150 countries.

Using this global network as a foundation, our goal is to enable multinational enterprises to deliver optimal business performance. We can provide a service on a transactional basis. However, increasingly our global customers are looking for business solutions. That requires us to become a partner with our customers; to learn about their business, so together we can devise communications and computing solutions that make them more competitive in a global marketplace

For our customers, the continued globalisation of business is driving their communications requirements. As the world moves to IP, communication infrastructure will become even more closely embedded in the heart of the enterprise. This in turn is driving the convergence of communications and computing or IT.

Verizon Business is at the heart of where networking and IT converge, making us a powerful force in the delivery of solutions worldwide.

MF. In a nutshell: integration and flexibility of service. The Interoute offer is defined as corporate out tasking, and carrier outsourcing. Corporate out tasking is about taking the key elements of corporate IT out tasking; network, security, communications, content and hosting and making it simple and fast to expand your infrastructure. Our carrier customers are building services for enterprises and consumers so need to have scale and access to the optimal cost base, so typically look for greater levels of control. These services are increasingly delivered through a consistent interface that allows the customer to manipulate the platform as if it was their own.

JK. The key difference for BT is the fact that its NGN is truly global – and available across 164 countries worldwide making it the world's largest NGN. And BT's NGN is not simply a technical implementation but a root and branch transformation of all aspects of BT's business and the way it delivers services to customers.

MB. Global Crossing’s network was purpose built for IP. The converged IP network architecture represents essentially one network, for any service. Global Crossing is the leader in MPLS-based IP core networks, the first to provide converged IP solutions (VoIP, IP Video, VPN, etc) and the first to deploy IPv6 globally. Our IP VPN traffic growth is above industry averages and we were the first to provide a global Multicast IP VPN Service. On the ‘human’ side, however, in addition to our innovative firsts and powerful, flexible network, Global Crossing recognizes that our premier service and support capabilities are what really differentiate us from the rest of the crowd. While the customer service surveys indicate that more that 95% of our customers are ‘satisfied’, it’s the fact that customers specifically cite our ability to listen; our nimbleness, enhanced user control and our proven IP performance, as wrapped around our cost-effective, customised choices, as key differentiators.

About the contributors

Matthew Finnie is CTO of Interoute and drives the company’s advanced services strategy, including developing the platform that has allowed the company to launch its industry-leading VOIP, Ethernet and Media products. Trained as an electrical engineer, he helped develop early IP-product innovations, including one of the first commercial applications of VOIP a decade ago. As head of the Enterprise Service Development Group at Vocaltec, he worked with European/US carriers and multi-national corporations to launch converged communication services. Matthew was also the co-founder of US-based Internet start-up Insitu, which developed real-time IP collaboration tools. Finnie has degrees in electrical and electronic engineering and marketing.

Joe Kelly is director of communications for BT's 21st century network initiative, widely regarded as the world's most advanced NGN implementation. He has spent the last 15 years managing strategic communications programmes for a range of blue chip enterprises around the world, including Xerox, Olivetti and Marconi.

Mark Bath has 15 years experience working in the Telecommunications Industry and has held posts on Operations, Engineering and Product Management.
 
Mark joined Global Crossing in November 1999 when they acquired Racal Telecom. Since October 2005 he has held the position of Director IP Services and is responsible for the IP Product and Services strategy for the UK business with particular focus on Hosted Services. Prior to this he worked within the Global IP Engineering team as Senior Network Architect with responsibility for development, testing and deployment of network Infrastructure to support the Global IP network and delivery of the IP-VPN, VoIP and Video services over it.

Stuart Curzon is Regional Vice President Sales for Verizon Business and is based at the company’s international headquarters in Reading, UK. He is responsible for the delivery of services in UK and Ireland, the Nordics and Africa.

Curzon joined the company in March 2004 with responsibility for U.K. and Ireland sales teams. He has been working in the IT/telecoms industry for more than 20 years and has significant industry expertise in managing corporate and government sales teams. This includes broad experience in managing direct sales teams and channels to drive sales order volumes and market share.