Nemertes Impact Analysis:

Scope Alliance: Refreshing Carrier Infrastructure?

The Scope Alliance, a consortium of carrier-infrastructure providers founded by Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), Huawei, Motorola (NYSE: MOT), NEC, Nokia-Siemens is seeking to promote the deployment of off-the-shelf hardware and open-source software as carrier-grade infrastructure. Part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' Industry Standards and Technology Association, the Scope Alliance is hoping to leverage widely-available technology to accelerate development (and reduce costs) for carrier control-plane management (including power management). The strategy is to reduce the investment by carriers and equipment vendors alike into redundant but not particularly value-added carrier management systems, such as power management. Scope's members hope that by crafting a common technology for commodity services, they can focus development efforts on differentiation--leading to faster deployment of lower-cost solutions. (Minty-fresh flavor optional).

Impacts:

Enterprises: Keep an eye on Scope's efforts, particularly if you're a utility, transportation company, or other enterprise operating "carrier-grade" networks. The specs may highlight ways to use off-the-shelf technology to reduce costs and accelerate functionality.

Vendors and service providers: If you're not already involved in Scope, you might want to investigate the project--there's no sense wasting development effort on capabilities that may shortly be commoditized.

Investors: New intellectual property or commercial developments are unlikely, but engagement in Scope may be a future indicator of upcoming strategic directions.

Johna Till Johnson, President and Senior Founding Partner

http://www.scope-alliance.org

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