Operators are having to face up to the consumer challenge of wanting everything – from gossip, news and market data, to getting consumer goods and business services in an instant.

According to industry commentators, we are living in the era of the Instant Gratification
Generation (IGG). The lifestyle and mindset of the Instant Gratification Generation (IGG) is having a dramatic impact socially and economically.

Actually more a pervasive cultural shift than mere target demographic, it's the tendency of people to be online or accessible at almost any time. It's the desire to want everything – from gossip, news and market data – to be up-to-the-second. It's also the need to get consumer goods and business services in an instant.

The IGG trend presents a challenge to operators: How to deliver services quickly and cost effectively enough to satisfy customers' desire for the latest features, services and mobile applications. To compete, operators are migrating from legacy systems to next generation networks that give them new levels of speed, efficiency and performance.

Looking to the Future
Legacy messaging systems were based at one end on email platform for data messages and monolithic voice messaging system at the other end. These communications systems were standalone and based on proprietary technologies. They are inflexible and expensive (purchasing, maintenance and upgrade). However, all this is changing. Profiting from the web architecture, a new architecture is born, based on open standards.

Next generation communications platforms are open, converged solutions based on IP Networks and incorporate common standards such as VoiceXML, HTTP, LDAP, or SIP. They are cost effective and allow Service Providers to deliver maximum ROI, positive cash flow and answers to customers’ needs and marketing’s dreams.

Messaging leading the Charge for Market Share!
Given the success of SMS, messaging is widely regarded as critical in the battle for market share. Unified & Convergent Messaging will take hold and evolve over 2007/8 and many European operators will invest heavily. Their key priorities are likely to be:

• converged messaging solutions between internet, PSTN, VoIP and mobile
• mail to voice, mail access to voice messages
• push mail and mobility access
• premier SMS
• voice portal

Eric de Paris
Director of the Operation – ISP & Unified Messaging – Atos Worldline
Eric De Paris is responsible for Atos Worldline’s Unified Messaging solution and BPO contracts with ISP customers. He has 20 years experience in the IT industry, having joined Atos Origin Multimedia in 1997 as a technical manager. Eric is currently in charge of the Next Generation Messaging solution.