Tech Trends: The Wholesale Communications Market Comes Of Age

The wholesale market was created by the liberalization of the communications sector — a process that began in the mid-1980s in the US and the UK and has since spread across the globe. For 20 years, this initial phase of the market met most of the needs of the time despite its imperfections. A second evolutionary phase has emerged, characterized by new networks, more efficient operations, increased competition, and demands for new services to rectify these imperfections. This phase is characterized by higher demand for wholesale services, next-generation network (NGN) rollouts, and changes in regulation. As the pace of change accelerates, we see a third evolutionary phase emerging where the bold can prosper by embracing the opportunities created by video, mobility, and other new services enabled by new networks, systems, and technology. Those less brave are at risk of becoming commodity providers.