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Integration on the next-gen network

VARs and integrators should be the first to benefit from newer networking opportunities, says Andy Hollingworth

Hollingworth: Manage available bandwidth as required with your own version of next-gen networking

Next-generation networking technologies give VARs and SIs the chance to become more autonomous. They may expand into areas such as running their own networks or developing their own dedicated partner channels.

Through application programming interfaces (APIs) and layer-two access, partners are given access to the network to create their own offerings. VARS and integrators with the right skills can create customised offerings and do quick updates without third-party involvement.

This can be much cheaper than owning your own in-bound platform and allows partners to act as virtual network operators, helping them to operate at a technically more proficient level.

In the in-bound telephony space, there are user-friendly portals that can manage customers of in-bound numbers and services in real time.

All next-generation network services offer manageable, scalable offerings. Partners with the internal technical capability to manage their own IP networking may get connectivity delivered to a partner's own infrastructure using layer-two tunnelling protocol (L2TP), or a managed internet and L2TP service.

You can manage available bandwidth as required and adapt the offering quickly to customer needs. IP VPN means you can put all of the customer's voice, data and video services on one network. At the simplest level, a cheap copper connection can offer large-scale voice connectivity.

VARs and systems integrators should be the first to own this market, by the very nature of what they do.

Andy Hollingworth is director of wholesale at Opal

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