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Convergence: How far you gonna go?

Anonymous Coward

Bit Pipes 

IMHO, in order to be successful business service 'convergence' must include:

Flat rate data billing

WiFi consolidation and convergence

Operators would be more successful if they behaved like Utilities companies rather then all pervasive branded Big Brothers. They are just bit-pipes after all..

Anonymous Coward

Please define your term 

It appears convergence means different things to different people. We are deploying a "converged" service across multiple distribution centers throughout eastern US (Florida to Maine and west past Illinois). The service links our facilities and provides ISP-managed VoIP, privately routed WAN, and internet access via connections ranging from 4 T1 lines to multiple T3 over SONET. The vendor calls that "converged" services. Cellular and wireless are not part of the deal.

Depending on the context, convergence is like Web 2.0, a slippery, vague, potentially hazardous concept, complete with attached unreasonable expectations (usually different ones for different members of senior management/Board of directors). Easy to get fired for excessive ambiguity.