Telkom has affirmed its commitment to offering converged solutions, but says it will take time and require increased investment.
Group CEO Reuben September noted that, while Telkom recognises convergence as a lifestyle enabler, the complexities mean it could take time for the operator to offer fully-converged solutions.
Speaking at Satnac 2009, held in Swaziland, this week, September said the process should be about the user experience and that the emphasis would be on simplicity.
“There is a quest within Telkom to drive convergence and bring forward the true power of the assets we have. We would like to see things move faster, but in order for it [convergence] to be successful, there needs to be simplicity for the customer. The complexities need investment and will take time,” he said.
As customers blur the lines between traditional service offerings and there is increasing integration between traditional telecommunications companies and the IT space, Telkom has to make appropriate changes to keep up with changing trends, he added.
Complicated process
September noted that, while every area of operations is under attack with the rise of convergence, it's important to continuously search for new opportunities. He said Telkom will focus increasingly on areas of growth and enter new areas of operation, but there are still concerns which need to be addressed.
The operator's recent decision to exit subsidiary Swiftnet was a result of its focus on new growth areas.
Regulators still needed to address several questions to ensure the successful adoption of convergence, he explained. These include voice regulations when voice transverses fixed and mobile services, security standards when voice services are provided through cloud solutions, and ensuring service providers are adequately compensated for their development drives.
“There still needs to be a clear incentive for infrastructure development.”
He added that government's concerns about bridging access inequalities will be allayed through cloud computing. Current business models do not actively address challenges and innovative solutions have to be found, he explained.
The focus for Telkom will be on running the business optimally and this will drive costs down over time, September noted.
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