AT&T is headed in the right direction with IMS. The challenge lies ahead to create Quadplay offers and Mobile media and content distribution platforms for both consumer and enterprise markets. Lastmile bandwidth crunch will soon be a major issue to deliver even Triple Play services with QoS and meet customers' expectations with ease and common experience across any device. IMS will solve the access issue with any media. But, the service blending and application layer will have to be carefully developed to reap the REAL BENEFITS of IMS platform. Application vendors will play the key role to develop an Ecosystem with SPs to leverage the "Revenue before CAPEX/OPEX" models.

They will have to eventually create applications and bundles such as UC and FMC to enhance the uptake from SMBs and enterprise customers. Their competition is not as much with Verizon as it is with Google and IBM in the enterprise market.

IMS is only the first step towards convergence. There are many more moving parts to convergence - SOA, WEB2.0 and GRID computing. How all of these competing platforms will be added/integrated with Telco's and Wireless carrier's existing legacy TDM based networks and OSS platform will determine the pace of innovative applications.

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