14 DAY TRIAL // Wireless carrier AT&T recently announced that it started making a series of changes to the way it “sources new technology for its core network,” and that it has launched a new program, called Domain Supplier. According to the company, the new program is meant to provide a more collaborative relationship with its software and equipment suppliers, while also being aimed at enabling the carrier to deliver the best technologies to its customers.
“Customer expectations for network reliability have increased, and they are demanding speed to market for new technologies to satisfy today’s ever-changing landscape,” said Tim Harden, president, Supply Chain and Fleet Operations, AT&T. “We must continually challenge and collaborate with our equipment and software suppliers to improve their quality and step up to a higher level of performance. Our goal is to ensure that each investment in network infrastructure accelerates our move towards a network that enables the full promise of the Internet and other game-changing technologies.”
The new Domain Supplier program is also targeted at enabling AT&T to make network technology investments that will transform its airwaves into a network best fitted for the future. There are a series of “domains” that the company established, which are characterized by a certain technology set. There will be two suppliers for each domain, AT&T announced, while adding that the suppliers will probably be selected for a multi-year period.
According to AT&T, the new Domain Supplier program is expected to:
- Accelerate spend on future-oriented equipment categories, while reducing expenditures on legacy systems. - Achieve competitive cost and highest performance by increasing supplier competition within a domain. - Take advantage of the latest technologies and R&D efforts. - Focus development on collaboration around system capabilities versus component purchasing. - Stay in tune with innovations and the evolving market place. - Expand its best-in-class sustainability and supplier diversity programs.
The wireless carrier also stated that suppliers would work closely with it, and that each would be enabled to “expand the award beyond its initial scope.” Among the responsibilities that each supplier will have, we can count integration, testing, support and delivery of the entire solution meant for the equipment or software in that domain. Suppliers will also have the opportunity to work with third parties to deliver the solution, the carrier added.