Isn't that special? Outsourcing vendors customize service packages

For some service providers, outsourcing networking and service needs is an easy sell. The concept is particularly enticing for those anxious to rapidly deploy network infrastructure for certain services. By outsourcing, providers can deploy, turn up and operate a new network in - theoretically - less time, with fewer headaches and legwork.

While most larger equipment vendors are adding services to their list of value-added offers because of sheer economic opportunity, the "network services" umbrella may be too broad for some. In turn, vendors are fine-tuning service packages to cater to certain service providers rather than offering the same suite to all.

This week, Lucent Technologies will unveil ServiceWorks, its plan to attract competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs) by tailoring its NetworkCare offering to better serve CLECs' needs. The plan combines NetCare assets from the Ascend Communications acquisition and assets from the Integrated Network Services acquisition under the new NetworkCare name.

ServiceWorks offers an end-to-end solution for CLECs, incumbent carriers expanding out of region, interexchange carriers wanting to offer services locally and data LECs seeking to offer data services locally, said Rosalie Larkin, managing director for service provider solutions for Lucent's NetworkCare.

"It is really an end-to-end services solution for service providers looking at offering voice and data in the local exchange market," Larkin said. "Because there has been so much growth in the CLEC segment, there just aren't enough resources to go around."

By outsourcing, service providers theoretically can wash their hands of those worries. The ServiceWorks plan includes marketing and business planning, program management, network engineering and deployment, security, and network operations and management.

"Our staff is there to help CLECs quickly and efficiently move into those markets," Larkin said. "Providers have historically focused on building a network and [network operations center], but when they are going fast and furious, things are different, and with this, all the parts can be integrated into a comprehensive, efficient plan."

One of NetworkCare's customers, TelePacific Communications, is an integrated communications provider using the program to plan, design and implement its co-location program. Although Lucent supports and works with other vendors' products as part of NetworkCare, TelePacific already had strong equipment ties to Lucent.

"Lucent has been with us from the beginning," said Phil Puccio, executive vice president of operations and engineering for TelePacific.

"We had predominantly Lucent equipment in our network, and it made sense to leverage our purchasing power to carry into NetworkCare."

Beyond the equipment ties, TelePacific chose NetworkCare because it could support the rapid growth pace TelePacific wanted.

"Where we didn't have our own teams, Lucent provided them to us at a low cost," Puccio said, noting that TelePacific also negotiated with Lucent to rectify areas where pricing was off.

But beyond the standard outsourcing pulls by tailoring the offering, NetworkCare gave TelePacific a way to better fit its needs, Puccio said.

"Everyone has differences and handles business in different ways, and Lucent has taken a step to understand our business to tailor those services to our individual needs," he said.

Cisco Systems' Cisco Powered Network program also is part of the trend to specialize service offerings. But unlike the NetworkCare program, Cisco's program requires that its equipment comprise virtually 100% of the providers' networks.

Cisco detailed its application service provider (ASP) initiative with the program several months ago, but the vendor further specified the program last week to target application infrastructure providers supporting ASPs.

"The tailoring of the offerings is really a reflection of the maturing of the industry," said Richard Steranka, senior director of marketing for Cisco's applications technology group. "It is about the delivery of solutions vs. just trying to build back-end infrastructure."

While NetworkCare currently offers network operations and management, Cisco plans to include these features its program.

"There is a clear demand for that going forward," Steranka said.