Title: A holistic framework for the implementation of a next generation network

Authors: Christian Czarnecki; Myra Spiliopoulou

Addresses: Detecon International GmbH, Oberkasseler Str. 2, 53227 Bonn, Germany; Faculty of Computer Science, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, P.O. Box 4120, D-39016 Magdeburg, Germany. ' Faculty of Computer Science, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, P.O. Box 4120, D-39016 Magdeburg, Germany

Abstract: As the potential of a next generation network (NGN) is recognised, telecommunication companies consider switching to it. Although the implementation of an NGN seems to be merely a modification of the network infrastructure, it may trigger or require changes in the whole company, because it builds upon the separation between service and transport, a flexible bundling of services to products and the streamlining of the IT infrastructure. We propose a holistic framework, structured into the layers 'strategy', 'processes' and 'information systems' and incorporate into each layer all concepts necessary for the implementation of an NGN, as well as the alignment of these concepts. As a first proof-of-concept for our framework we have performed a case study on the introduction of NGN in a large telecommunication company; we show that our framework captures all topics that are affected by an NGN implementation.

Keywords: next generation networks; NGN; telecommunications; IP-based networks; product bundling; streamlining; services; implementation; holistic framework; strategy; processes; information systems; enterprise architecture.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIS.2012.046291

International Journal of Business Information Systems, 2012 Vol.9 No.4, pp.385 - 401

Published online: 16 Aug 2014 *

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