The BT Convergence Services Report examines the experiences of UK medium and large-sized organisations from the finance, manufacturing and construction, government and retail industries in employing third-party service partners to support their converged networks. A converged network supports both voice and data communications, which previously required separate infrastructures.
Cost effectiveness is the prime driver of the improved satisfaction levels, with 70% of respondents highlighting this as the main reason for improvement. Break-fix maintenance - often sold as long-term assurance contracts - and managed Wide Area Networks (WANs) are the services most commonly sourced from third party providers.
Jim Norton, senior policy advisor for the Institute of Directors and a key contributor to The BT Convergences Services Report, said: "Organisations can benefit from embarking on IP convergence by taking advantage of this unique opportunity to update the way they manage their infrastructure. As convergence is such a defined change, it allows them to draw a line under all of their old processes, configurations and work-styles and approach them in a more efficient and effective way."
The BT Convergence Service Report finds that just over one-quarter of all organisations that have invested in convergence now completely outsource management of their network to a third-party supplier and 36 per cent have become more inclined to use managed services since investing in convergence. Nearly half believe outsourcing services frees-up internal resources, allowing them to concentrate on core business activities.
Expertise in voice technology was a prime consideration of the companies surveyed in choosing services partners to support their networks, with 83% of respondents continuing with their previous voice networks services supplier, against 61% continuing with their former data network support supplier.
Tom Craig, President, UK Corporates, BT Global Services says: "As the number of essential business processes that run on converged networks increases, the strategy concerning how an organisation supports its infrastructure becomes increasingly important. The BT Convergence Services Report gives organisations a valuable insight into the real-world benefits that convergence can deliver while emphasising how important credible services partners are to realising business goals."