Customer value in today's telecommunications marketplace is built upon the ability to deliver compelling applications that meet the expectations of demanding consumers. The ability to deliver such customer value is critical to the success of all service providers in today's market. The next killer consumer communications application is not likely to emerge from the development laboratories of any one service provider but is more likely to grow out of the collaborative efforts of several partners working together in a robust application development ecosystem. Developing and cost-effectively delivering these winning applications requires market knowledge, a strong network of innovative partners, speed, flexibility, and robust integration skills. By turning to hosted application solution providers with strong implementation capabilities, service providers can overcome the many barriers to creating and deploying successful applications and deliver the value that today's telecommunications consumers seek.