Legacy Networks are a Problem; Sometimes You Have to Fire Your Customers

Telecom service providers are used to technology transitions, but that doesn't mean it always is easy, especially when existing customers need to be weaned off current legacy technology as an older network is shut down.

The public switched telephone network, for example, will be shut down, and replaced by IP network services, at some point. The issue is when. At that point, all end user gear and carrier switches and gear based on PSTN standards will be rendered useless.

The analog mobile network was shut down and replaced by second generation networks using several air interfaces, including time division multiplexing, code division multiple access, PDC and iDEN. Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) and iDEN. 

Now the 2G network faces its own sunset, by about 2017, in AT&T's case. 

That means users have to be encouraged to migrate off legacy protocols and onto the newer networks. 

"If you look at technology change, we have been in the IP world for a number of years, but we still have customers that are on IP/VPN, frame and ATM, but they have to go away," said Shammo. "We can't continue to invest in those networks and we can't continue to dedicate resources to that platform."