News
Sprint CEO: Run the Business
- By Scott Bekker
- May 11, 1999
LAS VEGAS – Network managers should devote less time to running networks and focus more on networks running the business. So says William Esrey, Sprint chairman and CEO, who kicked off Networld+Interop with the opening keynote this morning.
He explains that there’s a great demand for CIOs and managers to "turn data into intelligence." Esrey says the problem in IT shops today is that admins are spending too much time supporting their existing services instead of investing in core technologies. Companies such as Sprint are taking on this role of providing the support for routers, switches and the bandwidth they require.
Last June, Sprint launched its Integrated On-Demand Network (ION) to provide high-bandwidth services for customers ranging from home office users to enterprise network administrators. Sprint provides a proprietary Integrated Service Hub that connects the desktop, phone and fax machine.
During his demo at the keynote, Esrey went live to Sprint’s Kansas City office where he showed the hub handling a live video conference, telephone call and Web browsing simultaneously. The hub converts all the separate protocols into ATM packets that can be used with any ATM machine. And because of ATM, users can assign which tasks get more bandwidth. Sprint says it will support that hub through its entire lifecycle making sure it’s always on top of the latest bandwidth technology.
"Network managers worry about if the router’s up instead of the applications that are going over those routers," Esrey says. He called out for all application developers to design software that utilizes more bandwidth because he says it’s now available.
In line with this services approach to IT, Sprint also announced today its strategy to deliver network-hosted applications on demand to businesses. Sprint reports that business customers will be able to "rent" a variety of applications over Sprint’s data network. Along with the applications, Sprint will supply businesses with network services that include network design, implementation and operation, and support for advanced enterprise applications. - Brian Ploskina
About the Author
Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.