Why the F-Word Is Becoming More Common in Our Industry

3-minute read time 

No, not that F-word. Although, if we’re being honest, many of us have probably used that one too. The F-word I’m talking about is Finger-Pointing. 

And it seems to be everywhere. What’s interesting is that the F-word many people say out loud is often the direct result of the F-word I’m talking about. The finger-pointing starts when there’s… 

• A network issue 

• A camera outage 

• Poor voice quality 

• An access control system failure 

• A cybersecurity incident 

• A delayed digital transformation project 

What happens next? The communications provider blames the network provider. The physical security provider blames the IT team. The IT team blames the application vendor. The application vendor blames the infrastructure. And the customer is left standing in the middle, wondering who is actually responsible and how to fix the issue. The customer just wants the system to work. Then comes the other F-word. 

When Everyone Played Nice in the Sandbox 

There was a time when things were simpler. Communications providers managed communications. Security providers managed security. Network providers managed networks. 

Each provider owned the complete customer experience, from the endpoint to the application. When something broke, everyone knew who to call. Customers had one throat to choke. Providers had end-to-end accountability. Issues were resolved quickly. 

Customers were happy. 

Providers were profitable. 

Projects were successful. 

Then Everything Changed 

The moment every endpoint started moving to IP, the rules changed. Several types of endpoints began relying on the same PoE network infrastructure: phones, cameras, access control, intercoms, sensors, and other IoT devices. 

At first, this looked like progress. In reality, it created a new problem. The foundation of the customer experience was suddenly controlled by someone else. For Communications and Physical Security providers, this was a major shift. They went from owning the entire customer experience to depending on another provider for the most critical part – the network. 

What’s even more concerning is that the provider increasingly became a competitor. Many network providers expanded beyond switching and routing into unified communications, collaboration, physical security, and managed services. The company that once enabled your solution suddenly started competing with it. Think about that for a moment. Your brand, your reputation, your customer satisfaction, and your recurring revenue – all dependent on infrastructure controlled by a competitor. What the F? 

Unfortunately, the End User Pays the Price 

For end users, this often leads to frustration. When multiple providers become interdependent, accountability becomes blurry. Instead of solving problems, teams spend time assigning blame. Projects take longer, complexity increases, costs rise, risk grows, and customer experiences suffer. 

It’s no surprise that a significant percentage of digital transformation projects fail to achieve their expected ROI. Technology isn’t usually the problem. The problem is complexity, lack of accountability, and finger-pointing. 

Back to the Future 

The future is clear. Every endpoint in every organization will eventually become an intelligent IP endpoint. 

AI-enabled cameras. 

AI-powered communications. 

Smart sensors. 

Advanced access control. 

Autonomous building systems. 

The question isn’t whether organizations will modernize. The question is whether they will modernize intelligently. The best strategy may actually involve learning from the past. 

Before IP, communications and physical security systems were designed around dedicated infrastructure built specifically for the application. Every endpoint had a dedicated path. The result was predictable performance and five-nines reliability. Maybe there is something we should learn from that model. 

The Modern LAN: Start with the Endpoint 

Frost & Sullivan’s Modern LAN principles recommend starting with the endpoint requirements first. The reality is simple. Most communications and physical security endpoints require: 

• Less than 100 Mbps of bandwidth 

• PoE power 

• High reliability 

• Predictable performance 

• Strong security 

They do not require expensive, high-speed network architectures designed for data-intensive applications. So why continue deploying them that way? 

A Better Approach 

Instead of forcing every endpoint into a traditional network architecture, organizations should consider the Modern LAN Principles from Frost & Sullivan and modern PoE innovations specifically designed for today’s IP endpoints. Modern PoE switch Innovations that break the cable type and reach limitations of traditional switches.  

Purpose-built edge network architectures result in better security, more reliability, and easier management. These innovations allow organizations to leverage existing, proven, reliable purpose-built infrastructure, accelerate modernization projects, reduce disruption, and dramatically lower costs. 

Even more importantly, these network innovations allow organizations to segment communications, physical security, and other operational technologies onto dedicated PoE edge networks that can be easily connected to the core network with a single cable. The result: 

• Improved security 

• Greater resiliency 

• Easier management 

• Lower total cost of ownership 

• Faster project deployment 

• Better customer experiences 

For solution providers, it also restores something that has largely been lost: Control. 

• Control of the customer experience. 

• Control of project outcomes. 

• Control of your brand reputation. 

• And far less dependence on competitors. 

Let’s Get Back to the Right F-Word 

Digital transformation should not end with frustration. It should not end with finger-pointing. It should not end with providers blaming each other while customers suffer the consequences. It should end with: 

• Faster deployments 

• Lower costs 

• Better security 

• Simpler management 

• Clear accountability 

• Better business outcomes 

In other words… 

Fantastic Digital Transformation Outcomes. And that’s an F-word everyone can get behind.