However, according to Duncan Wilkinson, Head of Wholesale, THUS, it seems the vast majority of businesses are blithely unaware of – or at least haven’t actively considered – the consequences that this will have on their corporate networks.
“Mention to senior managers that the boss could be on a conference call that keeps dropping out because employees are live streaming a match, or that employees could not be able to access applications like email or CRM systems and many suddenly look visibly worried.
What is even more surprising is that most of the channel has let this chance to up-sell network services and capacity pass them by.
There may still remains a golden opportunity for resellers to help their customers prepare for the inevitable impact the World Cup will have. Increasing bandwidth at short notice is easy for customers who already buy Ethernet based services and resellers can still offer consultancy on prioritising business critical applications on the existing network and even enhancing network security – employees could be clicking on all sorts of World Cup related links without thinking. This is also a time to demonstrate expert knowledge of this area, perhaps by helping customer formulate network usage policies for the duration of the World Cup.
Whatever it is you choose to do, you only have a couple of weeks left to capitalise on this opportunity before it disappears for another four years. And who can accurately predict how we will be watching the 2014 World Cup or what technology will be in place then. So resellers, carpe diem…..”
(ed. That’s Latin for ‘Sieze the Moment’)