Advances in technology are disrupting established industries and business models and creating a wealth of new opportunities in existing markets and in new ones.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo compete in these markets, speed is everything,\u201d says Wayne Cullen, Cisco senior manager, service provider architectures.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether you want to roll out new content, expand geographically, introduce new applications, or develop a business model for a new customer segment, you need to act fast.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuccess will be measured by how fast you can enter a market, establish a leadership position, and capture improved profitability early on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cullen emphasizes that you need to continue to innovate, dream up new things, and get them to your customers quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s OK if every effort isn\u2019t successful. Quickly move on and repurpose any technology investments you may have made.\u201d<\/p>\n
The major challenge for any service provider today is their networks, as most were built for another era, when launch speed wasn\u2019t a priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo take advantage of new and emerging opportunities today, you need to migrate to a much more flexible network,\u201d Cullen says.<\/p>\n
Such a network should operate more efficiently\u2014at lower cost and by being simpler to manage.<\/p>\n
Modernizing your network prepares you to compete in the intense global competition for markets and consumers.<\/p>\n
Innovations like software-defined networking (SDN)<\/a>, network functions virtualization (NFV)<\/a>, and open-source software make it possible to act on opportunities faster.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll deliver cost-effective services, get them to market more rapidly, and lower the cost of your customer acquisition.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re a digital business with the network at the center of your innovation, you need to move rapidly wherever the market is going,\u201d Cullen concludes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe technology you choose is the platform for your business success, so choose wisely.\u201d<\/p>\n