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HP, Macromedia to Help Carriers Deliver Triple Play
[September 06, 2005]

HP, Macromedia to Help Carriers Deliver Triple Play


By ROBERT LIU

TMCnet Wireless and Technology Columnist


Macromedia’s recently introduced, solutions-centric Flash Platform received a favorable endorsement as key programming model and developer toolset for the telecommunications field when Hewlett-Packard announced it will jointly integrate and market the software package as part of its HP Services Delivery Platform (SDP).





In its press release, Macromedia said the partnership will enable carriers, network equipment providers, and telecommunication ISVs to streamline the creation of new communications, messaging, and collaboration solutions across fixed, mobile, and broadband networks.



Flash Platform is a package that Macromedia introduced in June that is designed to leverage the massive Flash player install-base by tying in popular software titles like the Flash MX design tool, Macromedia Flex for applications development, Macromedia Breeze for delivering online communications and Macromedia Communications Server for two-way audio/video streaming. Using those software tools, Macromedia engineered industry-centric vertical solutions in a service-oriented architecture (SOA) approach, making the partnership with HP SDP a natural fit.


Macromedia and HP are clearly hoping to capitalize on the urgency of telecom service providers to roll out next-generation communications that unify voice, video, and data. For example, instead of working with say IBM and its IMS solutions partner Ubiquity to create and deploy multimedia IP services, carriers can tap into the lightweight and widely distributed Flash technology to speed deployment. In fact, the solution has already been deployed by Telecom Italia, which has deployed a video chat application called “Rosso Alice” and Telecom Italia’s CTO Stefano Smareglia has previously stated that Flash has enabled its “Rosso Alice” to compete “with other entertainment channels and platforms.”


"Carriers investing in multi-service IP networks will accelerate time to market for the broad adoption of services by leveraging the instant 'network effect' of Macromedia Flash and the reach of the HP SDP, while still maintaining strong brand control and differentiation," said William Stofega, senior research analyst, VOIP Services, IDC. "The Flash Platform combined with the HP SDP creates a robust, multiplatform solution for the enterprise that is suitable for stringent, mission-critical environments across the telecommunications network."

As part of the joint initiative, HP will offer turnkey systems integration services to the growing number of telecommunications service providers deploying Flash Platform products in their networks. Macromedia and HP will initially target their joint sales efforts to major carriers around the world that have deployed key elements of the SDP. As part of their professional services engagements, HP will resell elements of the Flash Platform, including Macromedia Breeze for delivering online communications and Macromedia Flex for developing rich Internet applications.

Most logically, the first application based on Flash to be integrated with the SDP is Macromedia Breeze, which has already been tightly integrated with popular platforms such as Salesforce.com’s customer relationship management (CRM) solutions. Cable & Wireless, KDDI, and Verizon have also been working to deploy the Macromedia web conferencing solution within large enterprises for internal training and communications.


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Robert Liu is Executive Editor at TMCnet. Previously, he was Executive Editor at Jupitermedia and has also written for CNN, A&E, Dow Jones and Bloomberg. For more articles, please visit Robert Liu's columnist page.

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