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Are ISPs under threat?

These days there's very little difference between the services of one internet service provider (ISP) to the next. So where is the growth potential for today's ISP? Rather than thinking about expansion, should they be trying to protect themselves from content and application providers muscling in on their space?
Written by Phil Dobbie, Contributor

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These days there's very little difference between the services of one internet service provider (ISP) to the next. So where is the growth potential for today's ISP? Rather than thinking about expansion, should they be trying to protect themselves from content and application providers muscling in on their space?

(Credit: Phil Dobbie)

In ye olden days we wondered whether ISPs would morph into application service providers (ASPs). These days ASPs have become cloud service providers, dominated by major online players, like Google. In the US Google is already experimenting with the provision of access — could this be a sign of things to come?

Even if they manage to protect their core services from attack, what opportunities exist for growth? IPTV is often mentioned as one, but what else can they be offering? On today's program we also ask whether ISPs can survive without a mobile service.

You'll hear from:

  • Michael Malone — managing director of iiNet
  • Martin Duursma — vice president of Citrix Labs
  • Tony Cripps — principal analyst, Devices and Platforms, at Ovum
  • Robbee Minicola — CEO, Hybrid Television Services

Running time: 25 minutes, 10 seconds

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