Contact Information: Media Contact: Peter Brockmann Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (617) 854-5234 peter.brockmann@aberdeen.com
Cost Remains #1 Challenge in the Face of Bandwidth Demands
94% Expect Bandwidth Needs to Grow Over Next 12 Months
| Source: Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
BOSTON, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- February 14, 2007 -- According to a new report, "Wide Area Network
(WAN) Benchmark Report -- Latency Matters," the cost of WAN products and
services is the number one challenge for 55% of organizations, especially
in the face of the enormous demand for more bandwidth. The new report,
based on the responses of 126 networking executives from around the world
and published by Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE : HHS ), defines a
class of users who have broken the traditional rule of networking -- more
costs more.
"The best-in-class actually get more bandwidth without the cost. These
organizations, representing the top 20% of Aberdeen survey respondents, had
no expectation for bandwidth cost increases and less bandwidth growth than
the market average or laggards," said Peter Brockmann, Vice President and
Research Director, Communications, Aberdeen. "They also knew more about
their WAN than any other class of users. These organizations measured more
attributes of their WAN, more often and on a more detailed basis, than any
other class of users and had fewer service defects to show for it."
The report goes on to highlight that the best-in-class expect 63% less
bandwidth growth with no spending growth compared to an average 7% growth
for the others. This class of users also had a complex environment -- using
legacy network services such as frame relay, Asynchronous Transfer Mode
(ATM), and IP Virtual Private Networks. They also leveraged new services
such as Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) and Ethernet WAN services.
"Eighty-eight percent of the best-in-class organizations have made
convergence of voice and data the highest priority compared to only 65% of
the others," said Brockmann, who added, "Having the technologies to control
and manage the WAN equipment as well as the operational tools, processes
and disciplines to measure and manage voice services are key to
best-in-class business performance."
The report also presents service purchase intent, factors in service
provider consideration, factors in equipment consideration, challenges,
responses, and recommendations.
The WAN Benchmark Report is underwritten by Orange Business Services and
Yipes Enterprise Services. A complimentary copy of the report is available
at http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=3854
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.