Towards open networks supporting customer control services

The Italian Telecommunications Operating Company, perspective on the concrete introduction of openness in telecommunication components and the way it will be exploited in the provisioning of services is presented. The basic technologies that will foster openness and problems of availability and deployment are outlined. After an outline of an evolution scenario, the market demands, foreseen in Italy are addressed. The steps that will be pursued are discussed, particularly in the context of customer control, a concept embracing a variety of services that require a certain degree of openness in the network, systems, and organization