Telecom Infrastructure Moves to The Forefront

Once considered a mundane and somewhat transparent "utility" framework for basic voice communication, telecommunications infrastructure has moved to the forefront as the crucial physical transport for the dawning of borderless global electronic commerce.

Certainly, the rapid emergence, progression and populous embrace of the open-ended global internet movement is indicative of the high expectation and thirst for monumental social and economic changes potentially made possible with the creative application of available telecom infrastructure, and associated computing and information technologies.

But, make no mistake, the internet is relatively simple -- by design -- and it's the creative applications on the periphery that actually make it appear smart.

In simplistic terms, the overall network architecture of telecom infrastructure can be characterized as being international, national, regional, and local in nature. Ironically, one could easily argue that "local" telecom infrastructure evolution has typically trailed the rapid advancements that have spurred the revolution of pervasive new infrastructure deployment in the regional and national telecom network domains.

In the recent past, Inter-Exchange Carriers (IXCs) have been responsible for the provision and delivery of what is generically referred to as long-distance communication services. The IXCs thereby interconnect the Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) that are responsible for the provision and delivery of local communication services.

However, given recent merger, acquisition and alliance events in the U.S. marketplace, and the recent trend of carrier service offering cross-over, the distinction between IXCs and LECs is blurring. In fact, the Super-Carriers of tomorrow will increasingly attempt to be all things to all people, by delivering a comprehensive menu of communication-related service offerings (essentially providing the positive benefits of multiple service options, without the negative implications of an absolute monopoly).