Are you a dumb pipe?

Have you read any articles, or heard a conference speaker admonish #network #operators to avoid being dumb pipes?

This is a pretty common warning. But give a thought about what a dumb pipe actually is.

Here are some characteristics of a dumb pipe, and the related Telecoms qualities.

📲Delivers its content from point A to point B. Service Quality
📲Content delivered is the same as the content provided. Robustness
📲Delivery happens quickly. Low latency
📲Delivery occurs every time without intervention. Reliability

Clearly, not everything about a dumb pipe is bad.

Often these same articles or speakers will advocate offering higher value-adding services. “Moving up the value chain” or similar.

But any value-added will be on top of an existing dumb pipe.

The dumb pipe has to come first.

Keep that in mind when you’re warned to avoid Dumb Pipe Syndrome™

Comment with any experience you’ve had being called a Dumb Pipe.

👉 #TelecomTribe: Follow me on LinkedIn, Russell Lundberg, for more updates, insights, tips, tricks, and tactics to love a career in Telecoms.