Caution! Don't put all your eggs in VoIP service bundle

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Infrastructure Monoculture

Well, maybe it's overkill to think in those terms. After all, after a hurricane, most people will have a lot of other things to think about.

When it comes to rebuilding businesses and economies after a disaster a service bundle that includes radio (wireless and/or cellular) has the advantage of offering an alternative path for business data. It may not be ideal, but it usually takes a lot less time to repair and most customers will be in the same boat - so their demands are unlikely to be detailed and difficult to support with limited communications early on.

Also, you believe that virtual service operators (e.g. VoIP services) could target vulnerabilities in service bundles. Maybe. I can see that working if they get into the infrastructure business. They wouldn't have to do that directly of course - they could franchise with office-suite suppliers and disaster recovery specialists, which is what you appear to be suggesting.

However, in the disaster scenario you used, they would be just as exposed by a lack of underlying infrastructure as the bundled services suppliers - so its difficult to see how they might improve on that. Indeed, those in the infrastructure business will, usually, be in a far better position to offer temporary office and business comms backup services...

More to the point: Are bundled services being offered with good QoS backup? Buyers of bundled services both potentially lose and gain in disaster scenarios. Lose, because if you lose one line (and there is no radio infrastructure in the service bundle) you lose everything. Gain, because the telco (some are called Cable Operators) only need to fix one link and you get everything back.

But, to get back that one link requires:
- Wire;
- Poles or Ducts, and the machines to put the wire on/in them;
- Trained People to do the work;
- Transmission systems and testing gear;
- A plan to connect;
- A plan to retrospectively reinstall wire and transmission management gear;
- A co-ordinated plan with other highway users and local authorities;
- etc. etc.

As always:
- Get advice;
- Read the Contract;
- Ask questions, and get the answers in writing; and
- Buyer beware!

The upside is, if you do the work ahead of a disaster you WILL be better off. To paraphrase a Bank of New York Exec., talking about 9/11 and the aftermath: "You plan and plan for a disaster. You never get the disaster you planned for, but everyone still understands the basics without having to be told - and the plan can then be easily adjusted to fit the exact situation you're in when a disaster actually strikes".

Posted by: Stephen Wheeler   Posted on: 11/07/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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