But when you look at the proposals, it seems all we've gotten are rehashed ideas. The idea is to use local fiber to deliver services like high-speed Internet access or transparent LAN services. VoDSL is the other promising service that industry experts say will explode on the scene this year. One of the challenges for small to midsize businesses is that they are not being served by either traditional phone companies or ISPs. That's what VoDSL seems to promise to deliver.
Customer retention is a huge incentive.
ISPs that only offer data services have high churn rates. But whether IT managers will actually buy VoDSL and DWDM services remains to be seen. For many, the new services will revolutionize the way they connect their branch offices and remote users. Perhaps the best advice IT managers can heed also comes from Yogi Berra. Without a solid game plan, IT managers could drown under the wave of announcements from providers wanting a piece of their business.