Through the Pipe:
Corporate Deployment Roadblocks
By Stephen L. Smith
DecisionOne Corp.
from the June 18, 2001 issue of Broadband Week
Stephen L. Smith is practice leader and vice president of Network Services Consulting for technology support provider DecisionOne Corp., which serves more than 50 percent of the Fortune 1000. Smith has more than 32 years of experience in the technology service industry and has held his current position since last September.
We're hearing more talk of DSL deployment than ever before, and less actual implementation. Factors beyond the technical have limited rapid deployment. While it's no secret that service providers are hard-pressed to deliver on the promise of DSL for businesses, the issue is becoming more acute. Telco providers share the pain, with many falling short of business projections for DSL markets.
With today's telco providers increasingly stepping beyond their traditional "footprints," or old network boundaries, no single ILEC or CLEC can provide nationwide service. What's more, the service delivery model that served the telco well in "the phone business" days may not be enough to bring a suite of customized DSL offerings to corporate America. The needs are distinctly different.
Telcos have three basic options when addressing the DSL conundrum. Training field technicians in the computer system skills required for DSL installs raises cost and logistical issues. Developing self-install kits for businesses to deploy among their employee base is dependent on the user's knowledge and comfort level, and is likely to tax the help desk function. The third option is engaging outside help from professional technical service and support companies -- preferably those with nationwide capabilities.
The third option makes the most logistical and economical sense. How would a partnership between a telco and professional service organization benefit businesses seeking access to DSL technology? First and foremost, the large-scale service organization by its very nature is remarkably well equipped for the requirements of corporate DSL. Specialized functions such as planning, design, help desk, logistics, order management, provisioning, installation, VPN set ups, both software and hardware installation, and post-install support all can be addressed effectively. And, with help from the support company, the DSL program can be rolled out as part of a broader broadband strategy that includes other transport alternatives based upon user need, such as cable, ISDN, and wireless.
What's more, the professional support provider can order and provision from multiple providers and provide a common installation and support function, establishing a national "foundation" that retains consistency across business locations. This is a very important point for large, geographically dispersed organizations. Support providers are able to professionally configure the end-user work site, addressing such issues as CPE, VPN, browser and PC configuration.
Finally, professional support companies are well suited to train end users, far exceeding what most telcos currently can offer their customers. An important side benefit: the service delivery model for independent technology support organizations differs greatly from the telco model usually inherited from the old "phone company days." Independent providers often are able to schedule exact installation times with the customer rather than broad six-hour windows, resulting in far fewer missed appointments and delays in rescheduling.
It will take leadership to develop the right deployment strategies and a concerted effort to identify effective technology support partners that will benefit both telcos and their customers. But it can be done. Corporate America rightfully is becoming impatient, as the right price and performance currently are available only to the lucky few that can make it through the order/turn up process.
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