Not that the other firms are lacking business: VPIsystems, in particular, has won some landmark deals with Tier 1 carriers that are building out their next-generation networks, such as BT Group plc (NYSE: BT - message board; London: BTA) and Telstra Corp. (Pink Sheets: TLSYY - message board) -- all of which highlights the increasing importance of network planning for new, as well as legacy, networks. (See BT Uses VPIsystems's OSS and Telstra Outlines Massive OSS Project.)

    Oracle's acquisition is also just the latest move in an ongoing consolidation in the OSS sector that has seen the likes of IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM - message board), CA Inc. (NYSE: CA - message board) (a.k.a. Computer Associates), and Oracle join the likes of Amdocs Ltd. (NYSE: DOX - message board), Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ - message board), and Telcordia Technologies Inc. as the sector's heavy hitters. (See M&A Reshapes OSS Sector, 2006 Top Ten: Big OSS Highlights, Syndesis Strikes $165M Takeover, Ericsson Buys Billing Vendor LHS, Telcordia's Takeover Shortlist , and SAP's Rising in OSS.)