VanillaPlus and Frost & Sullivan survey

Answer 10 Digital Transformation questions for a chance to win a pair of Beats by Dre® headphones!

In this VanillaPlus and Frost & Sullivan survey we are looking for your views and experience of network transformation and digitalisation. Just answer 10 short multiple choice questions, and you will be in with a chance to win a beautiful pair of Beats EP headphones from Beats by Dre®, worth UK£90.00 / €105.00*.

The survey has been drafted by analysts Frost & Sullivan exclusively for VanillaPlus, and is designed to show the latest thinking about digitalisation among communication and digital service providers internationally.

The winner will be chosen at random by an independent third party.

* The headphones will be mailed to the lucky winner, free of charge.

All Questions marked * MUST be answered.

Question Title

* 1. Do you have a market-ready microservices strategy for OSS?

a. Yes, and we are fully engaged with it

b. Yes, but we are still evolving our implementation approach

c. No, but we are looking at options

d. We have no current plans to use microservices for our OSS-focused needs

Question Title

* 2. Do you have a market-ready microservices strategy for BSS?

a. Yes, and we are fully engaged with it

b. Yes, but we are still evolving our implementation approach

c. No, but we are looking at options

d. We have no current plans to use microservices for our BSS-focused business needs

Question Title

* 3. How confident are you that management silos can be eliminated in hybrid physical/virtual networks in order to create a unified view and management capability?

a. It is impossible

b. Not confident

c. Somewhat confident

d. Confident

Question Title

* 4. Are you currently engaged in any Central Office Re-architected as a Datacenter (CORD) efforts?

a. Yes, and we are fully engaged with it

b. Yes, but we are still evolving our implementation approach

c. No, but we are looking at options

d. We have no current plans to engage in Central Office Re-architected as a Datacenter (CORD) efforts

Question Title

* 5. How significant an advantage does AT&T have with its "first to market" ECOMP virtual network platform, through which other CSPs can connect?

a. Immaterial. All major carriers will develop their own platforms

b. Somewhat significant. AT&T learns valuable lessons, gains significant mindshare

c. Significant. AT&T puts itself in a position to influence the direction of industry development

d. Very Significant. AT&T becomes the leader in digital service delivery and multi-party, cross-industry solutions

Question Title

* 6. Will open-source tools be used to support semi-proprietary, quasi-open platforms or will open source be the platform?

a. They will support platforms

b. They will be the platform

Question Title

* 7. Hybrid virtual / physical networks are the order of the day for now. When will virtual networks (working combination of NFV, SDN, and Cloud) become the majority provider of services?

a. 1 year

b. 3 years

c. 5 years

d. 7 years

e. 10+ years

Question Title

* 8. What becomes of the decades-long effort to reduce the need for Systems Integration Professional Services?

a. It no longer applies, because virtual / physical network management is difficult and the pathway for enabling a hybrid architecture is uncertain, therefore the need for Services is accelerating

b. The need for Services will increase slightly in order to facilitate the compatibility of legacy and next-generation software solutions

c. Nothing has changed; services have always been part of any software implementation

d. Automating processes will reduce the need for Services

Question Title

* 9. Where is the most immediate network-based need for automation?

a. Proactive parameter changes in the Radio Access Network

b. Self-healing core network

c. Self-healing broadband access network

d. Enterprise customer portal for self-provisioning & activation

e. Enterprise portal for Service Assurance and Service Level Agreement Enforcement

f. Fulfilling consumer services

g. Reconfiguring and activating/deactivation virtual network functions

h. Partner revenue management and compensation

Question Title

* 10. What is the most immediate business management need for automation?

a. Customer self-care

b. Monetisation of hybrid network services

c. Accounting for virtual network licences

d. Increasing pricing flexibility to address changing market demands

e. Enabling and accounting for partner interactions

f. Product and service catalogue that supports partners and virtual network functions

g. Posting of customer service usage compared with commitment

Question Title

* 11. Do you want to take part in the Prize Draw?

a. Yes

b. No

RULES:

1. The prize is as stated. There is no cash alternative.
2. All satisfactorily completed entries are eligible to win. The winner will be notified by VanillaPlus.
3. All reasonable efforts will be made to deliver the prize promptly. Please allow time for international shipment.
4. The winner will be chosen at random by a third party, not employed by VanillaPlus or Frost & Sullivan.
5. All responses to questions will be treated anonymously. Names & email addresses may be shared with selected relevant partners. Alternatively, entrants may opt out of receiving the prize if they wish.
6. The anonymised answers given will be used to inform decision-making by VanillaPlus and Frost & Sullivan, and may be used anonymously to inform future articles and analysis.
7. The Publisher of VanillaPlus shall ensure that the winner is chosen independently. No correspondence shall be entered into.