DT to lead industry shift to new ‘telco plus’ strategy?

Deutsche Telekom (DT) may have become the first of the big telcos to step up and admit that it plans to be something more than a telco down the line.

The shareholder speech of the CEO indicated that DT will be transitioning into something that includes being an Internet company, and that mobile will lead the way into this new “telco plus” role. We’re not surprised by this; there are in fact at least three more giant telcos who are looking to do exactly the same thing. The question they’re all wrestling with is how to go about it.

Insight is being sought in two primary areas; the strategy of the next-gen telco and the technology investments that will be best to get to that strategy. Precious little is being offered; the early focus of DT in the app store area represents one place where there is vendor support available. This issue is going to be huge by the fall, so be ready for more telco and vendor announcements as the time passes.