March 8, 2017: Volume 1, Issue 2

For years, enterprises have relied on the PSTN to serve as the foundation of their telecom

environments. However, due to an FCC order calling for the transition from PSTN to IP en-

vironments, organizations will soon have no choice but to adopt an IP-based technology.

Within the spectrum of IP, enterprises can choose options such as MPLS and SIP trunking.

But when it comes to firms with hosted VoIP and unified communications in place, SIP

looks like the better choice. That’s because SIP quality has greatly accelerated, said Dieter

Rencken, senior product manager at ShoreTel. With this improvement comes technology

that is easier to use, as well as more flexible and scalable. Not to mention, SIP often saves

money, which provides the initial appeal. “Customers are looking at SIP as a way to save

costs,” said Jim Price, CEO at ICOMM Inc. But, as with many aspects of communications,

financial gains only skim the surface of what can be gained from a SIP implementation.

The Benefits of Switching to SIP Of course, money provides a direct way for telecom to affect the bottom line – when companies switch to SIP, they

can save up to 50 percent each month. On top of that, SIP introduces features and

functionality such as:

Increased flexibility;

Improved redundancy and reliability;

Consolidated network;

More efficiency throughout the network; and

Control returned to the enterprise.

With a SIP network, enterprises can supply employees with email, collaboration

services, voicemail, and instant messaging all through one service provider. “You

can bring all feature sets to multitude of enterprise subscribers in a very standard

way,” said Vic Bozzo, co-founder and CEO of Pareteum.

In This Issue

Is Moving to SIP Inevitable? 1

Editor’s Letter 2

Verizon Goes Drone 5

Windstream Owns EarthLink 7

What if Sprint, T-Mobile Pair? 8

In the Cloud 10

Is Voicemail Dying? 11

Weighing the Pros and Cons of

Migrating to SIP

This feature aligns with the following

Efficiency First® Framework Principle:

Consider all technical, financial, operational and

business benefits to adequately justify

technology transformation initiatives.

Continued on page 3

AOTMP Telecom Management

Industry Newsletter

Publisher

Tim Lybrook, CEO

Editorial

Kelly Teal, Editor-in-Chief

Carolyn Crowcroft, Associate Editor

Research

Stacy Hiquet, Chief Content Officer

Tim C. Colwell, SVP Efficiency First® Adoption

Scott Lawrence, Director, Research & Business

Analytics

Ashley E. Kelm, Vice President, Global Enterprise

Services

Kim Warren, Vice President, Vendor Program

Management

Sales & Advertising

Bill Hinton, Vice President & General Manager,

Vendor Practice

Stephen Farinelli, Business Development Director,

Vendor Practice

Marketing

Lori Wildman, Director of Marketing

Kerri Pinger, Marketing Manager

Can We Talk?

Editor’s Letter

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 2

We meet again. From now on, you’ll hear from me in these first-of-the-month issues; in the meantime, I would love to hear from you via email and have an interactive conversation. Above all, I’m keen to learn which telecom/IT/mobility management issues are top of mind in your world so we can address those in this newsletter. In the month of March, we’re talking about SIP and the challenges enterprises face with that particular technol-ogy. It’s a simple idea that can invite some complications. Feel free to share your SIP-implementation experiences with me. As you read this update every other week, keep in mind that

we are looking for your expert contribution. Feel you have something to say about your specialty as it relates to telecom/IT/mobility management? Willing to write a piece that could be controversial or funny, or just straight-up informative, but never a commercial for your company? Let me know. Take care and stay warm if you’re in those colder climes.

March means a stretch of weather in the 90s here in my corner of the country. It’s always too soon.

Until next time,

March’s Fun Photos

Break Time. Welcome to the

Four Peaks wilderness area near

Phoenix. These gents and I lucked

out with a day of perfect weather

for dirt biking in late February. I

love Arizona (in winter). Some of

the terrain that day, not so per-

fect. But that’s at least half the

fun!

Worth It. All I had to do to get

this view was dirt bike through

miles of sandy washes and rocky

roads. No biggie (that’s a lie).

This helps the telecom department manage vendor relationships but SIP offers more than

that. “IP networks are inherently more efficient,” said Mack Greene, senior product manager

at IntelePeer. “SIP provides mechanisms to allow networks to efficiently use internal re-

sources for delivery and the transportation of calls, which provide cost savings for the end

users.”

SIP further works well for multi-national organizations and employees because it unifies

inventory across carriers and countries, Price said. “Functionality, reliability, redundancy and

administrative ease of managing [SIP] have taken it to the next level,” he said.

Is SIP a No-Brainer? Not So Fast Considering all the positives, it might seem impossible to find a reason why an enterprise would not want to use SIP.

Still, many organizations haven’t yet, and for good reason.

For many companies, not evolving to SIP is simple – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Greene says similar to the vintage phone in a grandmother’s apartment, many firms

don’t see the need to replace something that continues to function well.

“Organizations have spent capital and operational expense to build out their phone

system,” he said. “If it’s still working, why change it?”

In other instances, enterprises may want to change, but contract terms punish clients

who leave their current vendor. When companies buy PRIs, they usually sign a contract

for up to three years; jumping ship to adopt SIP is either legally barred or may incur

penalty fees, said Wes Rogers, COO of NexVortex.

Another reality is that end users still feel trepidation when it

comes to securing SIP. SIP requires enterprises to share one

Internet connection with all of their services and locations.

And for companies without strong, knowledgeable IT depart-

ments, this poses more risk for a breach.

Despite those potential problems, most security concerns

stem from SIP’s primitive days when the technology was less

stable than traditional connectivity. “In the legacy world,

when a site lost a PRI, the other sites were fine,” Price said. “In

the early iterations of SIP networks, whole regions would go

down.”

Over the years, SIP networks have seen drastic improvement. For example, carriers

such as AT&T and Verizon have gotten better at deploying and supporting SIP, and they

have built redundancy to provide an extra layer of backup.

Looking for

More?

Join AOTMP and its enterprise attendees April 9-13 at the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World for the latest Fixed & Mobile Telecom Management Conference. Take part in the enterprises-only session, “Lessons Learned in VoIP/SIP/UC Implementation,” to ensure your company uses a proactive, not reactive, approach to this critical area of practice. View the agenda and register for the entire event.

Feature Story

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 3

Continued on page 4

NexVortex’s Wes Rogers

OTG’s Jeffrey Pearl

The Future Will Be SIP SIP has not been adopted as quickly or openly as expected. As Bozzo said, in the year 2000,

industry experts predicted every call would be made over IP or VoIP by 2010, but “here we

are in 2017, and we’re not there yet.”

People tend to take time adopting new technology. SIP has proven

no different.

Add that to the costs of implementation and enterprises have a lot

to consider.

But once it’s established that installation costs are outweighed by

the ROI, the move to SIP happens more swiftly. Bozzo attributes

this shift to finances and the flattening of the globe. “Almost every

company is required to do business everywhere in the world,” he

said. “That’s what will drive adoption faster.”

And as SIP becomes more integral to the enterprise, management will take notice. Jeffrey

Pearl, CEO and founder of OTG Consulting, said when firms don’t know what is available,

they have no incentive to move to SIP. But as SIP deployments grow and the results speak for themselves, that will all

change.

“It’s a matter of time,” Pearl said.

–By Carolyn Crowcroft

Adopting SIP Without

Losing Your Mind

With any transition to something new, there is potential

for hiccups. Knowing from the outset what could go

wrong can help avoid delays –

or at least temper their frustra-

tions.

IntelePeer’s Mack Greene says

enterprises should enter into a

SIP implementation knowing

the process may not move as

quickly as hoped. While SIP

does hold a reputation for

installing on a fast timeline, firms often don’t account for

the extra hours needed to train employees on the new

services and features. And remember to plan a cushion

for moving landline phone numbers from the incumbent

to the SIP provider – this can take as long as four weeks.

Installation difficulties also can arise from hardware SIP

standards, said ShoreTel’s Dieter Rencken.

“Interoperability can be an issue,” he said. In an ideal sce-

nario, the SIP vendor will vet these possible holdups dur-

ing the RFP process. If a phone won’t talk to the network,

for example, the enterprise

likely will have to buy new

equipment. Adding a

“miscellaneous” category to

the SIP transition budget might

come in handy.

Finally, more hurdles can pop

up if an enterprise hasn’t taken

a full inventory, said ICOMM’s

Price. Make sure to tally all the numbers and accounts

that will link to SIP; without that information ahead of

time, the project will become harder to manage.

–By Carolyn Crowcroft

“Interoperability

can be an issue.” —ShoreTel’s

Dieter Rencken

Feature Story

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 4

Pareteum’s Vic Bozzo

IntelePeer’s Mack Greene

Industry News

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 5

The use of drones in business is not new but it has come

with challenges that were difficult to surmount without

significant resources. Given all of the planning and regula-

tions involved, an enterprise would need big money and

the right people to pull off a drone strategy by itself. That’s

changing, as Verizon’s recent purchase of Oregon-based

drone firm Skyward indicates.

The deal, announced in mid-February, gives Verizon heft

in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector by connecting drone

operators with information about regulatory standards

and approved routes. Pair that with Verizon’s certification

and wireless service for LTE in-flight connectivity and end

users now have a single platform for designing, deploying

and managing drone operations. Capabilities include:

Mission planning

Workflow

FAA compliance support

Rate plans on Verizon’s network

Of course, other carriers will follow Verizon’s lead as the

IoT space heats up. AT&T, for example, has been con-

ducting drone trials and working with NASA although it

had yet to announce, by press time, an acquisition or ap-

proach along the lines of Verizon’s.

Nonetheless, as IoT becomes a viable, affordable business

tactic, enterprises in a range of industries can turn to

drones to save time, and improve operations and safety.

Doing so also means learning what to expect from a ser-

vices management perspective.

The first step will be to use a WMM or MDM provider

with a “clear knowledge” of carrier contracts and IoT-

specific pricing, said Christine Kruze, subscription services

manager at AOTMP. AOTMP Research shows that only a

select number of vendors offers this level of expertise, and

even fewer customers are relying on it. That will require

vetting options with care and thoroughness (see

“Resources for Enterprises” sidebar).

The next will require expertise in information security.

“There is a huge amount of data required to control and

Droning On: Verizon’s Skyward Buy Targets Enterprises IoT is Becoming Big Business

Continued on page 6

Organizations crafting and deploying a drone or

other IoT strategy need help identifying the right

WMM/MDM provider. After all, not every such

vendor can handle IoT-centric needs or, if one

does, the fit may not be correct. Consider these

options for learning more about IoT and deciding

on a management supplier:

AOTMP Fixed & Mobile Telecom Management

Conference IoT Sessions

“Unlock the Potential of IoT,” Wednesday, April

12, 3 p.m.

“Dealing with IoT: From Devices to Connectivity,”

Wednesday, April 12, 3:45 p.m.

View the agenda and register for the entire event.

AOTMP Advisory Services

Talking with an independent subject matter expert

makes all the difference when deciding how to take

advantage of an opportunity such as IoT. AOTMP’s

advisory services give enterprises access to research

authorities who provide guidance and deliverables via

monthly teleconferences. Learn more here.

Resources for Enterprises

Industry News

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 6

Sectors Ripe for Drone Use Here are some industries, with three

specific examples, where drones pay

off.

Agriculture (“Drones have been used

in agricultural practice since the

1980s,” said AOTMP’s Christine

Kruze. “They are used for planting

seeds more cost effectively, spraying

crops with more accuracy, taking soil

samples, checking for moisture levels

in the soil and using infrared light to

detect fungal infections in the leaves

of plants. There are ever-expanding

ways that drones can and are being

used for agriculture.”)

Construction

Film Production

Insurance (“Drones can be sent into

dangerous zones for evaluation of

claims, or sent into remote areas for

inspections. Due to the speed at

which drones fly and the amount of

information they can capture, it re-

duces the need for adjustors within

the insurance company. Or, if a spe-

cialty contractor would be needed to

access internal structures, a drone

can be used instead,” Kruze said.)

Media

Mining

Oil & Gas

Real Estate (“The use of drones al-

lows faster, more accurate recording

and evaluation of potential land de-

velopment or housing project devel-

opment,” Kruze said.)

Telecommunications

monitor drone use,” Kruze said. Drones, like any Internet-

connected device, come with the risk of hacking and loss

of pilot control and/or data, she added. Skyward (and simi-

lar companies) brings software to

the Verizon deal for managing

these concerns.

Even so, enterprises should ex-

pect a variety of challenges as

drones become part of the busi-

ness world. Those include:

Security concerns about the

drone itself

Security concerns about the

information captured by the

drone

Potential liability

Network capacity requirements

Data storage for the vast amounts of data captured

Purchase, maintenance and device lifecycle manage-

ment for the drones themselves

Regardless of the WMM or MDM platform in use, employ

some additional best practices for dealing with these is-

sues. Kruze advises the following:

1. Explore all of the options for security of the drone

technology and weigh the ROI of using the highest

level of encryption to secure both the device and the

data it captures.

2. Compare, analyze and maintain all levels of insurance

necessary for the drone use that your enterprise has

enabled. All kinds of potential losses might occur from

an incident involving drone usage;

consider how the technology is

being used when evaluating risk.

3. Analyze and compare costs

relevant to the kind of data that

will be captured by the device,

what access will be needed for

data analysis, what long-term

storage requirements will be

needed, any recovery require-

ments and the level of security

needed for storing the data long-term.

On the whole, be aware that drones do not necessarily

save money. “There could be a significant upswing in how

much data will be used, how much network capacity an

enterprise will need to manage new deployments and how

much it will cost to scale up as your enterprise expands,”

Kruze said.

In other words, an enterprise must ensure a drone strate-

gy fits into and benefits the business. One simple metric:

“If you can assign the work of five people to one drone

and one operator, then it is cost-efficient,” said Kruze.

–By Kelly Teal

“If you can

assign the

work of five

people to

one drone

and one operator, then it is

cost-efficient.”—AOTMP’s

Christine Kruze

Q&A: What Should Enterprises Expect From the

Windstream-EarthLink Merger?

Industry News

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 7

Now that Windstream has completed its $1.1 billion purchase of EarthLink, many an organiza-

tion relying on one or the other’s services will want some guidance on how to proceed. Pro-

tecting network costs and arrangements is paramount, as is understanding the new capabili-

ties supported by merging the two providers. Timothy C. Colwell, senior vice president at

AOTMP, provides some answers.

Why does this deal matter to AOTMP’s enterprise telecom/mobility management audience?

TC: As happens with any vendor merger, the question of impact on customers is always specu-

lative. As the companies combine, there are likely to be point-of-contact changes and changes to customer workflow

for service ordering, technical support, solution engineering, etc. Some customers will see no change in the day-to-day

interactions, while others will experience changes. It is imperative for customers of each vendor to engage their respec-

tive sales and account management teams to discuss known and potential changes that alter business engagement

protocols and practices.

What impact might readers experience from this combination?

TC: The merger appears to be positive for the market, and will expand and round out nationwide offerings. The current

solution offerings of both companies are complementary; customers and prospects are likely to see a broad set to meet

network service needs. As a single company, increased fiber route miles, along with voice, Internet, advanced network

connectivity, SD-WAN, and managed services improves the new company’s competitive position in the market.

As a result, what should enterprise readers do?

TC: Review current contracts with Windstream and EarthLink to determine options available for renegotiation or, if

necessary, termination due to the merger. Accelerate quarterly business review meetings and ask your account team

or teams to brief you on the advantages the merger will yield. And, be proactive in addressing all concerns and oppor-

tunities with the newly merged vendor.

AOTMP is looking for enterprise telecom management and business professionals to join the Enterprise Research panel.

Share your knowledge and professional expertise to shape, trend and evolve the

telecom management industry.

Earn points for completing questionnaires, polls, referring colleagues, and more.

Redeem your points for gift cards or donations to charitable organizations. Join today!

Be Heard

Industry News

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 8

Possible Sprint-T-Mobile Deal Could Be Another

Nextel Disaster Enterprises Using Either Provider Should Remain Alert

As the Trump administration continues to roll out, rum-

blings of movements and shakeups among telecom ser-

vice providers are beginning to take place. One possible

union reported by Reuters and storming through the sec-

tor – a tie-up between Sprint and T-Mobile. While Sprint

has gone to great lengths in recent years to serve enter-

prises with mobility and network connectivity and infra-

structure, few overall likely would feel a direct impact if

this merger does materialize. Still, the effects on the in-

dustry could be felt by all.

In February, news emerged

that the parent companies of

Sprint and T-Mobile – Japan’s

Softbank and Germany’s

Deutsche Telekom, respectively

– once again want to try to

bring their U.S.-based wireless

carriers together. In 2014, Soft-

bank offered $32 billion for T-

Mobile, a deal shot down by the

Obama administration’s Department of Justice. Now,

though, circumstances could change. Late last year, Soft-

bank president Masayoshi Son met with President-Elect

Trump and emerged from the conference “with a big grin

on his face,” according to PC Magazine. Of course, that in

itself does not signify a done deal but when Sprint-T-

Mobile talk revived this past month, the pieces started

fitting. Keep in mind that neither Sprint nor T-Mobile le-

gally can approach one another until about April. That’s

when the FCC’s latest wireless spectrum auction will have

wrapped, assignments and all; providers are not allowed

to hold merger discussions when they are both vying for

airwaves.

From a strategic standpoint, Sprint could gain a lot from

this merger. While it operates on a CDMA network, like

Verizon, T-Mobile uses GSM, like AT&T. Most of the world

runs on a GSM network, mandated throughout Europe in

the late 1980s. This would give Sprint, the fourth-largest

wireless carrier, some much-needed strength in the U.S.

market, and somewhat internationally.

But Sprint investors may need to beware, recalling the

company’s disastrous Nextel merger of 2005. As a T-

Mobile combination would do, this merger saw two com-

panies operating on different

networks attempting to unite.

Nextel used the once-popular

iDen technology, most often

found in the transportation and

logistics industries. When these

two providers attempted to be-

come one, cultural, not just

technological, disparities began

to halt progress, said Stephen

Farinelli, director of business

development, vendor practice, at AOTMP.

“Nextel was always viewed as an entrepreneurial and

free-spirited company with a focus on customer support,

while Sprint has long been viewed as a bureaucracy with

industry-worst customer service,” Farinelli said.

These variances impacted the performance of both ven-

dors. Working from separate headquarters, Nextel staff

was often required to receive Sprint approval on projects

they weren’t equipped to handle. Subsequently, Nextel

saw an employee exodus, and Sprint decommissioned the

iDen platform eight years later.

(Continued on page 9)

“Be prepared

by first

acknowledging

that change is

forthcoming.” —AOTMP’s

Stephen Farinelli

Calling All SMEs! If you’re looking to share your unique industry knowledge with enterprise

readers, send a proposal to Kelly Teal.

What We Will Run: Insightful columns/commentary that help enterprise

readers of all kinds and sizes make decisions related to telecom, IT and

mobility management. In-depth examination of a topic as it affects a par-

ticular vertical or challenges common assumptions or otherwise intrigues

is welcomed.

What We Won’t Run: Company commercials, pieces published in other

media outlets.

What to Know: All contributors must sign a publishing agreement, and

all contributions will be subject to editing and other vetting at the editor’s

discretion.

Industry News

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 9

The Sprint-Nextel merger was “easily one of the indus-

try’s worst marriages,” Farinelli said, echoing long-held

industry sentiment.

A Sprint-T-Mobile deal also could see cultural and mana-

gerial clashes. But what adds fuel to the fire this time is

the contentious relationship between T-Mobile CEO John

Legere and Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. Anyone who fol-

lows either of these men on Twitter can read their con-

tempt toward one another – Claure has referred to T-

Mobile and its plans as “crappy,” while Legere called

Sprint’s All In plan “a swing and a miss.”

Beyond the drama, though, what would this rumored

pairing mean for the enterprise? For the many organiza-

tions that use Verizon or AT&T, the effects of this partner-

ship would be negligible. For those working with either

Sprint or T-Mobile, Farinelli would expect a stressed

workforce as employees grappled with the probable fall-

out, including layoffs, re-origination, salary adjustments

and relocations. In addition, the stress could impact cus-

tomer satisfaction, quality of service and innovation for

both vendors.

“An enterprise client can be prepared by first acknowl-

edging that change is forthcoming,” Farinelli said.

So, if Sprint and T-Mobile make an announcement, what

would enterprises do to protect their interests?

If locked into a contract, maintain a dedicated and edu-

cated internal headcount. This would help in navigating

the uncertainties of the merger as Sprint and T-Mobile

identified areas in which to cut costs.

However, if an enterprise had no long-term contracts

with either vendor, it would want to consider shopping

around at AT&T or Verizon. If a Sprint-T-Mobile union

comes about, Farinelli predicts AT&T and Verizon will ex-

tend aggressive offers to enterprises as fear, uncertainty

and doubt run rampant.

–By Carolyn Crowcroft

In the Cloud

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 10

The Cloud and Mobile Security: ‘That’s a Very Scary World’

Last month, AOTMP’s Telecom Management Industry Update started exploring mobile security and enterprises’ ten-

dency to react to intrusions and problems, rather than employ proactive strategies. One area that stood out was the

question of how the cloud impacts mobile security. Turns out, there’s a bit to consider. For one thing, using the same

approaches for cloud as for traditional IT security will not suffice. Here, experts explain.

“The perimeter is dead,” said Santosh Krishnan, chief product officer for Lookout. “Devices were in

the wall and so were the assets.”

Not so anymore. “Now devices are leaving and assets are in the cloud,” he said.

“And that’s a very scary world.”

Thus, any mobile security strategy must take the cloud into account; it cannot re-

strict itself to the building or campus.

There may be some complications to overcome but employing mobile security

within the cloud contains at least one big benefit: The cloud aggregates usage in-

telligence and threat analytics, said Michael Covington, vice president of product

at Wandera. “The cloud is an essential component in developing those technologies and making

them available globally,” he said.

All of this, of course, invites its own set of challenges. For one, enterprises must rethink infrastructure security. “Ten

years ago I would buy a firewall and put it at the edge of the organization,” Krishnan said.

Trying to do the same now will cause problems. Namely, IT won’t be able to see mobile traffic because the devices

and assets live outside of the bounds. “You must have a cloud- and endpoint-based solution now,” Krishnan said.

Given the amount of data in question, and the complications of securing mobility from the outside in, the ideal

approach will use a vetted, knowledgeable, respected vendor.

–By Kelly Teal

Lookout’s

Santosh

Krishnan

Wandera’s

Michael

Covington

Looking to Reach Enterprises?

If you’re a vendor specializing in telecom/IT/mobility management, then Telecom Management Industry Update

is the place to advertise. Enterprises around the globe are seeking outside expertise as fixed and mobile environ-

ments grow more complicated, and as more assets and data are at risk than ever before. As the only publication

specifically targeting the telecom/IT/mobility management sector, we are the outlet for your message.

For rates and sizes, contact Bill Hinton (bhinton@aotmp.com; +1 317-275-7205) or

Stephen Farinelli (sfarinelli@aotmp.com; 317-982-3980)

Opinion

March 8, 2017 aotmp.com 11

From the Desk of

Timothy C. Colwell Voicemail Is Dying. What’s Next?

Several large financial institutions are eliminating voicemail and many companies are

poised to follow. The motivations for this action range from pure cost-cutting to strategic

transformation of business communications. Eliminating unused and redundant services,

systems and applications is a standard optimization play, but how does removing

voicemail address strategic transformation?

Simply put, progressive companies are deconstructing the fixed and mobile telecom

environment, and compiling the pieces in a new way to address business communica-

tions requirements. This strategically transforms the telecom estate into a business-

acceleration platform.

Many traditional telecom systems likely will sunset in the near future and I believe telephone desk sets are next. Does

everyone really need a phone on their desk? In a time when a smartphone is as useful and powerful as any endpoint

device available, I wonder why I have a desk phone. Sure, it’s an IP-phone with robust features as phones go, but do I

need it? Do I use it? Give me a smartphone with a Qi power dock and a wireless speakerphone and I am set.

The thought of eliminating telephone desk sets may be heresy to telecom purists, but the reality is that mobility –

endpoint devices, services and applications – fulfills all business communications needs better than a desk phone. The

PSTN is rapidly changing and will soon become a shell of its former self, so isn’t it time to rethink the endpoints we use

as well?

On March 22...

● Our View on Industry News Affecting You

●The Skinny on SIP Security

● Take My Vendor?

●And More