Today's Telcos to
Die; the Telcos of the Future. Over the next five to 10 years, most of
today's traditional big telcos (landline and wireless) will wither or disappear.
They will collapse into a few IP-level operators providing raw IP connectivity,
who compete on price and quality of service. Some will also provide content, such
as TV programs and movies.
This will happen because:
- Telcos have no choice
but to offer IP connectivity.
- Most telcos won't be
good at understanding applications other than voice.
- Voice is simply one
Internet application among many, and as voice goes over the Internet, it's
quickly becoming a low revenue generator. Illustration: Some operators block
or deprioritize VoIP packets -- they know it's a threat to their income.
So who will the big voice
carriers of the future be? Think of companies like Skype, Apple, and Google.
... David Ferris