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The 'Agile Titan' – an Advanced Supplier Model to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Networks![]() The need to stay ahead of the technology curve is integral to developing networks that can meet or exceed the bandwidth demand of consumers. Within the broadband industry, we've seen first-hand the approach leading equipment providers have taken, which is to acquire companies that will help fill product or service voids and absorb them into their corporate megastructure. Of course, many of the small firms that are targeted for acquisition had succeeded largely because their ideas can be quickly moved through a simple design process, and then pushed to production. These products are easily adjusted for a particular customer or application because decision-making within the small company is simple as well. By comparison, a large corporate supplier takes advantage of economies of scale to create products that meet a need at a lower cost. Their size, diversity of customers, and vast resources provide assurance of their longevity to service a network provider's needs for years to come. In today's environment of constantly changing technologies and priorities, perhaps the ideal supplier is one that brings together the advantages of both the large and small suppliers, while minimizing their disadvantages.
Small suppliers – agile and nimble Because a small supplier depends heavily on every sale in order to cover costs and turn a profit, they are willing to provide more personal, customized service. The positive aspects of small vendors include:
Thus, small companies that each supply a minimal number of products, can bring agility and speed to the process of building communications networks. Large suppliers – steady and solid In the communication networks market, several large companies typically dominate the supplier landscape. Their depth of resources and breadth of customers ensure continued presence in a competitive environment. Their size allows them to fund R&D, ensuring that innovation continues to shape the future. Large equipment suppliers can take advantage of diverse operational locations, and modern manufacturing technology, to build products with high quality at a low cost. Large suppliers have:
Large multinational manufacturers are equipped to bring a solid foundation and steady growth path to service provider networks. These large firms are the ones that identify "holes" in their product offering, then purchase and absorb a smaller supplier that can fill that need. The smaller firm subsequently loses its identity, and likely some of the key employees that made its product such a success with customers.
"Agile Titan" – Small company "feel" with large firm resources This "Agile Titan" is a conglomeration of many businesses, each of which services a defined set of customers through a "storefront." Each business unit retains the autonomy that comes with its own P&L statement, while also having access to the resources of the entire corporation. Additionally, the personnel that built each original small company, now business units within the corporation, continue to operate it, ensuring that customer's will still be dealing with the people that understand their business. Amphenol is such a company, with Amphenol Broadband Solutions serving as its storefront into the broadband market, while Amphenol Procom and Amphenol Antenna Solutions serves the wireless market. In serving its customers, each have access to the entire portfolio of products from Amphenol's 100+ businesses. Agile Titans may be the wave of the future. Nimble enough to dedicate resources to the development of a new idea but with the bankroll to ensure that the company's very survival does not depend on the success of a single project. Solid enough to ensure that network standards and norms are adhered to, while simultaneously cultivating the new ideas that come from true entrepreneurship. As we enter a new decade, it becomes ever clearer that building networks, and relying on the same mega-corporate suppliers to do so, may not present the most efficient path to continued success. Instead, a new breed of supplier, the Agile Titan which combines the strengths of both large and small vendors, may be the answer. — Josh Hirschey, General Manager, Amphenol Broadband Solutions and Mette Brink, General Manager, Amphenol Procom & Amphenol Antenna Solutions EMEA & APAC |
Here's where you can find episode links for 'The Divide,' Light Reading's podcast series featuring conversations with broadband providers and policymakers working to close the digital divide.
First used for indoor, short range and fast data downloads, unlicensed spectrum is evolving to fill last-mile gaps between wire hubs and buildings, and providing continuous mobile connectivity on trains.
With WiFi 6, service providers are equipped to give subscribers high-quality support without the overhead associated with truck rolls or technician visits, writes Greg Owens, senior director of product marketing at Calix.
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