Partner-Fest Shakes Up Voice-Over-DSL Landscape
11:51 a.m. Jul 20, 1999 Eastern
STERLING, Va., July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- In order to capitalize on the demand for integrated voice and data over DSL connection solutions, DSL Vendors have gone partner-happy, according to a new Advisory Report issued by Current Analysis, a leading source of IT and telecom competitive intelligence, that examines these new-sprung partnerships and their emergent-competitive playing field.
The allure of packetized voice and data services over DSL for DSL vendors has sparked more than 35 separate partnerships over the last three months in the "voice-over-DSL" arena. "The sheer number and overlapping nature of these partnerships, in conjunction with architectural alternatives, have created a great deal of confusion in the market for solutions that provide integrated data and voice transport over DSL," said John Freeman, principal analyst, Current Analysis.
According to Current Analysis, voice-over-DSL solutions are, in reality, voice-over-ATM (VoATM) or voice-over-IP (VoIP) solutions, but will be sold to DSL service providers and their subscribers as "voice-over-DSL" solutions because DSL technology makes low-cost, high bandwidth connections viable.
Start-up vendors Jetstream, CopperCom, and TollBridge, dubbed "The VoDSL Three," have emerged as leaders in the "voice over DSL" space by providing integrated voice and data solutions. These three start-up leaders have formed 27 individual partnerships that Current Analysis forecasts may be extended or end in full-fledged acquisitions resulting in increased product integration and value proposition for ILEC and CLEC customers (Figure 1).
AccessLAN; MCK; and Paradyne, A.G. Communications, and Lucent have also capitalized on this voice-over DSL opportunity by forming strategic partnerships surfacing as viable contenders. The A.G. Communications/Paradyne/Lucent partnership generated the Paradyne/A.G. Communications integrated voice/data solution, SuperLine, which promises to enable inexpensive voice/data services bundles for the mass market.
"There are still a number of DSL vendors that are missing from this 'partner-fest' and do not have a viable packetized voice component to their DSL solutions," said Freeman. "Among the most conspicuous are Orckit/Fujitsu, NEC, Pulsecom, Newbridge, Adtran, Interspeed, 3Com, Tut Systems, and Cayman. Given the relatively low level of effort necessary to complete a base-level of interoperability work, we would not be surprised to see a number of these vendors join one or more of the partnership groups within the next several months."
According to the report, this latest partnership trend in the "voice-over- DSL" space has allowed for the rapid development of integrated voice and data solutions and is financially compelling to both service providers and customers. It will become crucial for DSL service providers to offer integrated voice and data services in order to remain competitive, forcing greater innovation, functional integration, and industry consolidation.
About Current Analysis
Current Analysis, Inc., currentanalysis.com, combines expert industry analysis with collaborative software capabilities to enable clients in the business, financial, vendor and end user communities to rapidly analyze market events, develop responses to competitive actions, and share knowledge internally as well as with partners and customers. The Company has built a world-class analytical team, each member with a combined average of 20-years experience in their respective industries: Internet commerce, internet business services, information security, enterprise infrastructure, carrier infrastructure, network services, wireless network services and data warehousing. Clients include 3COM, Alcatel, BellSouth, Cabletron, Cisco Systems, InterWorld, CertCo, GTE, Fujitsu, IBM, Lucent Technologies, Netscape, Nokia, Nortel, Oracle, Paradyne, Siemens and Xylan.
Figure 1
Voice-over-DSL Partnerships
Voice-over-DSL Vendor Jetstream CopperCom TollBridge
Category Partners Partners Partners
ATM-based Alcatel, Alcatel,
DSLAM Vendors Cisco, Nokia, Cisco, Nokia,
Promatory, Pairgain,
Westell, Westell
Nortel
Non-ATM-based Paradyne, Copper Paradyne,
DSLAM Vendors Copper Mountain Copper Mountain
Mountain,
AccessLAN,
Telmax,
ATM-based Flowpoint, Flowpoint,
DSL Endpoint Efficient
Only Vendors
Non-ATM-based Ramp, Netopia Ramp, Netopia Netopia
DSL Endpoint
Only Vendors
Others Redback
Figure 1. Three main voice-over-DSL vendors have established relationships with multiple DSL vendors. SOURCE Current Analysis, Inc.
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