ITU Says Traditional Telco Biz out of Sync IP-based Communications

The move to IP-based communications is irreversible – and the timescales for business models, regulatory frameworks, development cycles and infrastructure investment in the Internet world and that of traditional telecommunications may be dangerously out of sync.

This is one of the critical findings drawn from in-depth analysis of debates at ITU Telecom World 2012 now available online in a comprehensive Outcomes Report.

ITU Telecom World 2012, the leading global platform for the ICT community, explored the current transformation of the ICT sector over five days of debate in Dubai last October.

 Influential leaders of industry, government, regulatory bodies, consultancy and academia highlighted the cultural and generational gap between Internet companies offering "over-the-top" (OTT) applications and conventional telco operators.

"How traditional telecommunication players should best adapt business models to embrace the IP era remains a key question," said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré.

"The ITU Telecom World 2012 Outcomes Report serves as an introduction to the central issues such as this, and as a springboard to further debate both online and at ITU Telecom World 2013 in Bangkok this November.”

This finding is drawn from ’Features of the New ICT Landscape, one of a series of ten themes arising from more than 55 panel sessions, workshops and keynote speeches held during the course of the event.

 Further themes include Changing Business Models; Broadband Supply; Broadband Demand; Big Data; Privacy and Trust; Innovation; Open Source; Cybersecurity; and E-health