Co-evolving industry and enterprise architecture: Exploring the platform architectural advantage of BT in the UK

Incumbent telecommunication service providers have a long history and strong capabilities in network services. With increasing competition with firms from various technological trajectories (Internet, Cable TV and Satellite) boosted by technological and service convergence, leading incumbent telecommunication service providers have strategically repositioned themselves to include IT-driven services, offering integrated solutions to large customers. The ICT industry architecture has evolved in such a way that it favours those firms with enterprise architecture which cultivate (i) a platform-based approach for their organisational processes, products and services; and (ii) openness. This paper uses the case study methodology to explore the lessons from the case of BT in the UK that can be used to increase the architectural (and competitive) advantage of incumbent telecommunications service providers, aligning industry and enterprise architecture. We argue that more than on the technology itself, incumbent telecommunication service providers may focus more on their enterprise architecture by deploying technology aimed at conferring architectural advantage dynamically engaged with the ICT industry architecture. A framework is offered to help incumbent telecommunication service providers to better understand and position themselves in the `battle of architectures' by aligning enterprise and industry architecture and by establishing platform `architectural advantage'.