Service Provider Information Technology, or SPIT, is Light Reading's term for the evolving set of non-traditional telecom (and data networking) technologies that allow for a greater degree of flexibility in the creation, management, delivery, and monetization of new-generation communications services.Learn More
SPIT Infographic
What exactly is Service Provider IT and how does it relate to the communications ecosystem? Here's a graphic that'll give you a snapshot of what we're talking about and appeal to your inherent aesthetic sensibilities
SPIT Manifesto
What is SPIT, why is it 'hot stuff' and how does it relate to the major challenges facing communications service providers today? The updated SPIT Manifesto answers these questions and achieves the near impossible task of giving a slime green splat a happy home.Learn More
SPIT Video
For operators looking to develop, deliver and monetize new services, run their companies more efficiently and provide an overall better experience for their customers, Service Provider IT, or SPIT, is just as important as the network.Learn More
Ericsson has been handed a testing Service Provider Information Technology (SPIT) role by Telefónica Digital. The Spanish giant's new services division is building a Global Video Platform (GVP) to deliver all manner of video services to its fixed and mobile customers in Europe and Latin America and is using technology from multiple vendors, most notably Microsoft, as well as its own R&D labs. Ericsson, which has plenty of in-house video platform expertise from its acquisition of Tandberg TV some years back, will be the prime integrator for the GVP, providing systems integration services, a range of OSS and BSS systems and managed services. The Swedish vendor, which has been building its telecom software business with a series of acquisitions, is very keen on developing SPIT-related relationships with communications service providers (CSPs) as it sees this as the major growth area for its managed services business. (See Ericsson to Integrate Telefónica's Video Network, Telefónica, Microsoft Build Global Video Platform , Euronews: Ericsson Boasts IT Services Progress, Ericsson to Buy Telcordia, Ericsson Buys More OSS Smarts and Ericsson Gets IT.)
In another video services deal, Accenture is to develop and manage KPN Telecom NV (NYSE: KPN)'s video services for the next five years, using the Accenture Video Solution. The global services and consultancy specialist recently acquired telco video assets from Nokia Siemens Networks, the long-time supplier of IPTV technology to KPN. (See NSN Offloads More IPTV Assets, NSN Confirms IPTV Asset Sale and KPN Sticks With NSN for IPTV.)
Huawei is to invest €70 million (US$90.7 million) over five years in a new R&D center in Helsinki, Finland. Initially, around 30 employees will be hired to work on software development for smartphones, tablets and other "rich-media" devices, though Huawei expects the headcount to top 100 in time. Huawei claims to have more than 70,000 employees engaged in R&D worldwide. (See Huawei Starts Mobile Device R&D in Finland, Euronews: Huawei Buys Optical R&D Lab and Huawei's Next Move in Europe .)
Transmode, the Swedish packet-optical networking specialist, has been chosen by MS3, an independent U.K. infrastructure company, to deploy a new enterprise access network in the northern British city of Hull. Services offered by MS3 will include 10 Gigabit Ethernet. (See Transmode Wins UK Deal and Transmode Sticks to Growth Path.)
Wipro Ltd. (NYSE: WIT), the Indian IT services company, has beaten IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM), Accenture and others to a $200 million services contract with an unnamed European telecom equipment maker, according to a report in The Times of India.
— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading
I'm still currently trying to figure out how Telefonica's Global Video Platform is going to be managed -- Ericsson certainly appears to have a long-term managed services role once the initial integration is completed and the video delivery network is up and running, but quite what that role is appears to be a little blurry...
Whether it is a partial or full outsourcing, this is a big job for Ericsson, managing (or at least helping to manage) the delivery of IPTV and OTT video traffic to fixed and mobiel devices... that's got to be a very complex job, especially when working with a host of diff tech suppliers.
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