* Why aren’t enterprise network engineers talking to applications experts?
Today, we’ll take a look back to see how we did a year ago in predicting what would happen with convergence in 2006.
1. We predicted that “enterprise network engineers and applications experts would be forced to talk to each other.”
End of year (EOY) update: We’re still waiting for physical evidence.
2. We predicted that “talking about VoIP technology in 2006 would become boring and the hot topic would be how will IP telephony get integrated with other user interfaces.”
EOY update: We made that prediction rather well.
3. We predicted that Web services will become another hot topic, and may even be offered by one or two progressive service providers.
EOY update: 1.4 million mentions according to Google and 25 articles in Network World in the last six months so we were right about this being a hot topic. But we’re still waiting for a tier-one service provider to offer Web services because the service innovations still rely on the expertise of enterprise infrastructure suppliers.
4. We predicted further consolidation of telephony service providers and infrastructure providers in 2006.
EOY update: See these pairings: Alcatel/Lucent, Siemens/Nokia, AT&T/BellSouth; looks like we were right on this one.
5. We predicted a debate about device-level convergence (integrating PDA, camera phone, cell phone, MP3 player, and mobile video terminal technologies) as a valuable business tool.
EOY update: No debate, it just happened.
6. We predicted some clever company would create a tool belt that can holster and provide power for up to five devices for those who don’t want or can’t afford a “converged mobile terminal.”
EOY update: No further need as this would be addressed by item No. 5.
