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The Network-centric ICT Forum was a success event. More than 300 peers form leading companies, IT partners and Belgacom exchanged their newest ideas and thoughts on ICT. Some reactions:

Olivier De Weerdt, telephony manager for the Department of Defense

“With network-centric ICT, we think of ICT that is explicitly geared towards supplying more and better services to the end user, based on a centralized infrastructure. Like for any large organization, the network is essential for all of our communication. It is through the different forms of communication – and therefore, thanks to the network – that our staff is able to collaborate more effectively. What we expect from the network partner is that they will make sure that the technology does what it is supposed to do. In addition, the partner also needs to monitor the infrastructure. In this way, Network-centric ICT becomes more of a question of people than strictly technology. An organization like ours needs to have a clear vision for the long-term. At the same time, we want to be able to maneuver quickly in the short term. That is why a good collaboration with partner like Belgacom is crucial.”

Johan Van Bever, delivery manager at Isabel

“We use networks to supply services to our clients. Without a network, our business wouldn’t exist, it’s that simple. That is what makes the availability, performance, accessibility and security of the network so important. In principle, it makes no difference to the end user which technology is behind the service provided, as long as the quality is guaranteed. That is why we have to be able to count on a network partner. It is this partner that helps ensure that we can guarantee our clients a certain level of service. At the same time, the partner needs to be able to think along with us about our present and future needs, so that we will be able to rely on the network when the time comes to expand the services offered to our clients. However, the fact that the network is only growing in importance is causing us to be a little bit more cautious. In the future, we will probably have to make agreements for quality levels per sub area of the network-centric ICT, and not simply for the complete network itself.”

Bart De Wachter, manager IT Infrastructure, Operations & Support at De Post

“The entire applications portfolio of De Post is evolving in the direction of network-centric ICT. There is a clear trend in the ICT-world to go back to housing the entire infrastructure within a central datacenter, and to use thin client applications from there. Naturally, in this way the network becomes one of the most important components of the ICT-environment. That also means that we need to be able to rely on the network. The network supplier has to be able to offer an available, secure and flexible solution. They also need to be a partner that will take responsibility, who will immediately provide a solution when a problem arises. It is clear that we also need a network that is future-oriented. Naturally, no one knows what the world will be like five years down the road. But we can already take measures now to avoid ending up high and dry. That is why we need a network partner who can offer a clear vision, also on the longer-term, and who can judge what the technological impact of new trends may be.”

Rudi Verheyen, ICT Manager at Callataÿ & Wouters

“I see network-centric ICT as the opposite of egocentric ICT. I find the applications related to collaboration and Unified Communications especially appealing. These are concrete solutions that allow employees’ competency levels to be increased through better communication. Of course it takes some technology to do this, but it’s not simply technology for its own sake. That is why we expect the network partner to provide a solution that is above all stable. More than ever, the network has become the backbone of the company. The partner has to have a good insight into the activities and needs of the company, so that the client can expect that they will offer an appropriate suggestion at the right moment. The last thing a company needs is a partner that bides their time and waits until the last minute. In our context, the international nature of our activities is also an important factor. The network partner needs to be able to guarantee us the right services within an international context.”

Remi De Brandt, ICT director at the Nationaal Verbond van Socialistische Mutualiteiten

“We have just shy of 5,000 employees working behind our information counters using our company applications via the network. That gives you an idea of exactly how important the network is for us. The quality of the service provided to a customer at a counter depends to a great extent on the quality of the network. We also have mobile healthcare providers who use mobile applications. Time and again, the role of the network partner consists of offering an environment in which the service provided to the end user can run as smoothly and professionally as possible. The best technology is the kind that is invisible to the user at that moment, so that they can concentrate fully on carrying out our core business. In order to support our core activities, therefore, we expect a network that is high-performance and flexible.”

Peter Demets, CIO for the group A.S. Adventure

“For us, the network is highly business-critical. The network connects all of our locations. In this way, it forms a platform that allows us to better manage our shops, and in this way increase the level of service to the end-user. Belgacom also offers us the advantage of an end-to-end solution, based on the right technology and infrastructure, with a high service level. A.S. Adventure has always taken a certain pride in being an early adopter of new technology. For us, cost reduction is never the primary objective. We used the innovative nature of new technology to create added value for our business. If that has a positive effect on the costs, all the better. Of course, we cannot stay on top of all of the latest developments ourselves. After all, ICT is not our core business. That is why we want to be able to rely on a partner who can keep us well informed. If an opportunity arises, then we want to get on the bandwagon.”

Jean-Marc Vanhove, LAN & Telecom Unit Manager at Carrefour

“The network forms the heart of the company: it allows access to the company’s applications and data, at any moment and from any location. That is why it is important that the infrastructure can support different technologies – wired, Wifi and 3G – and offers sufficient bandwidth. The network partner must be capable of offering a solution in function of the company’s needs. That is only possible when the partner is well-versed in the company’s business and processes. The basis for the solution is a reliable network, of course, combined with clear SLAs and an attractive price. In addition, the network needs to be able to evolve along with us, for example, in the near future, when we will be making more online transactions, and using the network for distributing internal information by e-mail, intranet and video. At the moment, we still use different types of networks within the company– for tasks such as managing electricity, refrigeration, alarms and telephony – but ultimately, these functions will all be brought together on an IP-network.”

Arnaud Maes, manager for Architecture, System & Support at Mensura

“Personally I expect that the concrete added value of network-centric ICT – for example the application of Unified Communications – will probably only become truly apparent in a year or two. But of course that doesn’t diminish the fact that already today, the network is part of the indispensable core of the business. First of all, the network supplier needs to be able to provide a reliable and stable solution. That’s why the network supplier has to develop into a true partner, with insight into the strengths and weaknesses of its own solution as well as the situation of the client. They have to be a partner with a good sense of innovation, so that there is a strong basis for a collaborative relationship long-term. Together with the network partner, the company can then follow a pathway of continuous improvement. The guiding and supporting role of the partner is extremely important in this process.”

Peter Daems, IT-manager at the Wit-Gele Kruis Antwerpen

“With 19 locations, we are a highly decentralized organization. The network offers us an important platform for communication and collaboration. In the future, we would like to take new steps in this area, including through the use of VoIP and Unified Communications. At the same time, mobility is also highly important for us. We have 950 health-care providers who make home visits to patients. Up until now, they were only reachable by mobile telephone, and had to maintain paper records for each patient. We are starting a project whereby half of our care providers are bringing a PDA along on the job. In this way, they are making the shift to electronic recordkeeping. The staff will also be easier to reach and will be able to work together more efficiently, because they will have online access to certain applications and information. Naturally, the network partner also plays an important role in this story. The partner has to offer us peace of mind regarding the availability and performance of the network. When necessary, the network partner also needs to be able to flexibly adjust the bandwidth, implement new technologies, etc.”

Tom Van den Berghe, IT-manager Febelfin

“We are not a traditional company, but we produce information and make it available for our member companies. Often, it is a question of business-critical information which has to be available at all times – for our own staff as well as for our members. The network plays a crucial role here. At the same time, it is up to the network partner to keep us informed of developments in the technology and the new possibilities that open up. In itself, ICT is not one of our core activities. That is why we need a partner who can see things from our perspective, anticipate our needs and suggest the right solutions. With Belgacom Explore we certainly have a solid basis to gradually start using more network-centric ICT-applications. More and more staff are making use of the possibility of remote access – from home, for example – to applications and data. On the short-term, we also want to proceed with the integration of telephone, e-mail, messaging and presence.”