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In this traditional model the technology and product roadmap of the Communications Service Provider was beholden to, and held captive by, a single was the technology and product roadmap of their Network Equipment Provider. The Network Equipment Provider that controlled the architecture, interfaces, the hardware and software within the network appliance, and the product roadmap, making it difficult for the Communications Service Provider or others to innovate to reduce costs or create new services. Capital and operational costs were high for the Communications Service Provider, but these costs were predictable and could be recovered over time from a captive subscriber population in a relatively uncompetitive market.
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