The Telecom Industry: Intelligence But No Glory
The image you hold of yourself is a powerful determiner of what you shall be.
Children with high self-esteem get better grades in school. Business executives who exude confidence attract followers and mentors.
In fact, the same psychology affects whole industries. Garbage collectors used to hang their heads low. Today they earn respect as waste management and environment recycling professionals.
Telecom Industry Self-Esteem
Self-esteem matters, which is why we in the telecom industry need to stop referring to ourselves as "dumb pipe" providers -- or even suggest telecoms are in danger of becoming dumb pipes.
The dumb pipe moniker actually originated in the IT industry and it's a deprecation that implies a telecom's contribution to next generation services is nil. For over a decade you've heard the story: the Googles, IBMs, Amazons, Microsofts and Apples will soon suck all the value out of communications industry. Telecoms will be marginalized by the technologically savvy computer firms -- so the theory goes.
Yet despite the holier-than-thou keynote speeches of the IT industry elite, their theory is completely false.
Telecoms never have been and never will be dumb pipe providers. What telecoms sell is a highly intelligent pipe, even today when their sale of value-added content is negligible. Yes, it may be a passive pipe, but it's still highly intelligent.
Otherwise, what's the purpose of the tremendous investments in routers, switches, DLAMs, billing, provisioning, assurance, Carrier Ethernet, wireless broadband and the rest?
Communications -- Behind the Curtain
Why doesn't the public at large recognize this? Perhaps it's because the power of communications is masked by the end user devices. The iPhone and HP Netbook get the glory. And the communications network? Oh yeah, I guess you do need to connect that cool device to something.
Maybe telecoms would earn more star power if their technology wasn't hidden in obscure central offices and ugly cell towers. Why can't people see that the technological engine telecoms build and maintain is as marvelous as a Boeing 747 soaring above the clouds?
Do telecoms want to become more than pipe providers? Absolutely. They're eager to win a share of the content commerce that flows across the same electronic highways they supply for the world's businesses and people.
But even if telecoms should end up playing second fiddle in wireless advertising and content, they still have their communications provider hat to fall back on.
Like a stage crew working silently behind the scenes, the telecom industry's intelligence -- and intelligent pipes -- are what enable the big show to go on. It's just a shame that somebody else gets all the applause.