convergence of telecom and IT. Reasoning: Currently OSS/BSS software rely on the use of network element man- agement systems having proprietary interfaces. The proprietary information of these interfaces creates an entry barrier to OSS/BSS software developers. An IP based product providing an open interface to the networks, while hiding the variation of the networks from the OSS/BSS software to a sufficient extent, would remove this obstacle and remove this entry barrier and completely reshape the industry. Implications: For the company providing the interface it would create a (probably nonsustainable) competitive advantage. On top of such interface the competition would be greatly intensified, generating a burst of new products. An interface covering only a small part of network equipment or an insufficient set of its features will not produce the effects fully. Metrics: Market share of network equipment vendors whose (sufficient) functionality is covered by the platform. Market share of applications with covered functionality of the supported equip- ment vendors >50%. 2.2.2 MS4: Service Delivery Platform Realized Description: A pluggable service-supporting architecture with standard interfaces will be provided in a form of a single software package. Reasoning: Experts agree on a need for a service delivery platform bringing together interfaces needed for fast creation and provisioning of new services. This demand is difficult to satisfy due to variation in CSPs' legacy software systems and difficulties to fit in a single SDP into most of CSPs' operations. A common belief is that there will not be a single SDP product but rather various alternatives to organize service delivery. If, however, a single product were to emerge, it would have a high impact on the markets. Implications: An SDP with a major market share would form a dominant design attracting software development activity around compatible pluggable components. This ecosystem would outperform competition in the breadth of offering, cost, Manager's Too