True convergence difficult

SA is seeing a new paradigm in communications convergence, according to Andre Maree, MD of KSS.

Maree says while convergence for businesses is relatively simple to do in a contained environment, to achieve business efficiency-orientated goals, true convergence in the consumer space is harder to achieve.

“To be profitable, service providers need to be able to serve up, and users need to be able to access these new services in a fast, inexpensive and simple manner,” says Maree. The answer lies in the creation of an integrated multimedia sub-system (IMS), an IP multimedia system or a next-generation network, he says.

“Creating such a platform is easier for service providers without legacy systems and services, which is what is currently threatening to turn SA's traditional telecommunications hierarchy on its head,” says Maree. “Vendors that support legacy systems face the challenge of integrating the new IMS platform into the existing infrastructure, possibly leading to compromised solutions. However, newer service providers have the benefit of a completely new infrastructure that is not hindered by any need to accommodate older technologies and services.”

Service provider giants such as Telkom, MTN, Vodacom, Infraco and Neotel are putting plans in place to make the best use of emerging technologies, wireless technology and new infrastructures, he says. In the next six to 24 months, two additional undersea fibre-optic network cables will bring competition and will drive the costs of international bandwidth down.

“IMS translates to more services, more choice, and lower costs, as it makes use of a much simplified infrastructure to deliver services on a national basis to both consumers and commercial enterprises. With all the pieces hopefully in place in the near future, all we need is adoption.”