Managing Internet-Driven Change in International Telecommunications

Rating:
Summary: Unique survey of international trends in convergent communic
Review: This is an up-to-date survey (as of July 2001) of how traditional telecommunications models are evolving because of the influence of the Internet. The author takes an international view, which is important because trends differ from country to country, and there are lessons to be learned about the cultural factors as well as the way markets for services have evolved and taken root.

Although the author does not hesitate to get into details about technology and infrastructure, the main value of this book is the author's assessment of how the technology will evolve and converge into differentiated value-added services. His assessment is based on an array of complex interrelationships and factors, each addressed in individual chapters that are presented in the following sequence: understanding international telecommunications in an internet-driven/information economy (this introduction sets the theme for the entire book), past and present models in international telecom, developing models, technologies, international telecommunications and trade policy and U.S. telecommunications and trade policy. The final two chapters address private enterprise in telecommunications and developing trends.

The two main audiences for this book are convergent service provider marketing executives and board members of major telecommunications service providers, especially those that are already offering an array of services to meet customer demands (at the consumer and business level). The former group will especially benefit because the theme of the book is strategic in nature and the trends, factors and issues will give a clear macro approach of where the industry is headed. Overall this book is unique in that it balances technology with policy and economy, and does so on an international scale. In some parts the author went too far (in my opinion) into technical detail, but he rectified this by bringing up issues that showed an astute understanding of complex changes taking place.

Rating:
Summary: Unique survey of international trends in convergent communic
Review: This is an up-to-date survey (as of July 2001) of how traditional telecommunications models are evolving because of the influence of the Internet. The author takes an international view, which is important because trends differ from country to country, and there are lessons to be learned about the cultural factors as well as the way markets for services have evolved and taken root.

Although the author does not hesitate to get into details about technology and infrastructure, the main value of this book is the author's assessment of how the technology will evolve and converge into differentiated value-added services. His assessment is based on an array of complex interrelationships and factors, each addressed in individual chapters that are presented in the following sequence: understanding international telecommunications in an internet-driven/information economy (this introduction sets the theme for the entire book), past and present models in international telecom, developing models, technologies, international telecommunications and trade policy and U.S. telecommunications and trade policy. The final two chapters address private enterprise in telecommunications and developing trends.

The two main audiences for this book are convergent service provider marketing executives and board members of major telecommunications service providers, especially those that are already offering an array of services to meet customer demands (at the consumer and business level). The former group will especially benefit because the theme of the book is strategic in nature and the trends, factors and issues will give a clear macro approach of where the industry is headed. Overall this book is unique in that it balances technology with policy and economy, and does so on an international scale. In some parts the author went too far (in my opinion) into technical detail, but he rectified this by bringing up issues that showed an astute understanding of complex changes taking place.