The Fixed/Mobile Broadband Battle: Is It Time for "Smart Broadband"? (PDF 407KB)
Broadband offerings are undergoing an evolution, with significant opportunities for operators able to provide the most compelling proposition. Smart Broadband has the potential to be that solution. Operators that embrace it can deliver greater value to their customers, as well as further distance themselves from their competitors.

Optimizing Customer Experience through Operational Excellence (PDF 374KB)
Following a recent study conducted by the Cisco® Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), we estimate that MSOs could achieve a 30 percent to 35 percent reduction in technical support costs by improving their product-installation processes. IBSG's analysis can assist MSOs and service providers in identifying the key drivers of technical support costs that can be addressed through improved installations. The actions we recommend will help them recover these costs and improve their positioning to tackle other operational challenges

Digital Media: The Next Web Frontier (PDF 1.22MB)
The digital media industry is changing rapidly, with profound impact on the value chain. The most rapidly growing revenues are now coming from Internet ads and online gaming. User-generated content is competing with professional content, and both require a means of distribution. The digital media exchange (DME) is an ideal vehicle for providing digital media distribution, and provides a number of possible revenue models. This Point of View explores the industry landscape and shows how DMEs are emerging as distribution vehicles and revenue engines, using Singapore's new DME, NexMedia, as an example.

The Prosumer Segment: A New Growth Opportunity (PDF 338KB)
Prosumers are individuals who have so blended their professional and personal lives that traditional work/life boundaries such as time, location and device are blurred to the point of irrelevance. William Gerhardt, Cisco IBSG SP, explains what Service Providers need to know and do to reach this golden group of consumers.

Web-based Video: A New Frontier for Telco Service Providers (PDF 247KB)
The web is becoming more important to consumers. Video is a key reason for this phenomenon, with user-created videos showing the most growth. To continue video growth, however, service providers must address three areas—bandwidth, viewing experience, and mobility. Cisco IBSG believes telco service providers should collaborate with web service providers to overcome these challenges. By doing so, Cisco IBSG estimates telco service providers can generate up to $1B in cumulative revenue over five years.

"In the Cloud" Information Technology Creates New Opportunities for Network Service Provider (PDF 1.05MB)
Service Providers have an opportunity to increase revenues and reduce the EBITDA gap by taking advantage of the assets they already possess. Third Generation providers can compete by providing "in the cloud" services such as software-as-a-service (SaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) to the underserved but ready SMB marketplace.

Unlocking the Value of Service Provider Assets to Win the SMB Customer (PDF 1MB)
A "new breed" of third-party providers with offerings such as software-as-a-service (SaaS), infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), and hosted service-oriented architecture (HSOA) is beginning to penetrate the SMB market through increased scale, "one-stop shop" delivery of services, and intense focus on customer experience. Increasingly, the network is becoming the delivery platform for this next generation of services. The growing consumption of multitenant, on-demand infrastructure and applications creates an opportunity for integrated SPs to address SMB customers in new ways.

Leaving the Walled Garden: How Mobile Operators Can Survive in an Open World (PDF 121KB)
Traditionally, mobile devices have been tightly tied to a particular mobile network. The move to more open platforms and increasing customer demand for new and "cool" devices, however, is making many mobile operators nervous about their future. The erosion of the traditional "walled-garden" world will fundamentally change operators’ businesses and their relationships with customers. We believe that mobile operators can embrace the opportunities presented by an open world, while mitigating risks to their businesses.

Connected Life: Transforming service Providers in Experience Providers (PDF 2.92MB)
 

Western European Consumers Are Ready for a Connected Life: Cisco IBSG Primary Research (PDF 368KB)