Technistic News & Research

The challenge facing TSPs is one of complexity. The systems required to manage telecommunications services are inherently complex and often beyond the scope of the traditional I.T. department to deal with. They require people with a detailed domain knowledge of telecommunications services and I.T. architectures and systems that can support these. An OSS must be able to manage a service delivery process 100 times more complex than the supply chain management (SCM) processes employed by traditional retail and logistics organisations, monitor service performance and availability in real-time, provide information to Customer Relationship (CRM) systems, and collect information that drives financial systems after passing through complicated billing processes. This complexity can be multiplied each time a new network technology is deployed or a new type of service offered. By employing a service management layer to abstracts the complexity of the underlying nework, TSPs can provide an integra

Your network is complex. Delivering services to your customers is complex. How can you simplify this for your business? Efficient delivery of services on a large scale requires automation. TSPs have looked to tackle this problem from two directions: From the network layer and; From the operational support system (OSS) layer. Network element providers (NEPs) have pushed new technologies that deliver services 'out of the box' . Although this approach makes service provisioning simpler, it locks TSPs into particular service offerings and increases the complexity of integration with business support systems (BSS). Operational Support System (OSS) vendors have promoted a more 'open' approach through the combination of a mediation layer that communicates with disparate network elements and an OSS designed to manage service activation processes. This approach however has been hampered by the increased complexity of new services and the need to effectively re-configure the

We find it interesting that service providers typically have multiple tools performing the same functions (such as provisioning, configuration, assurance and billing) but differentiated by technology. Many OSS vendors push for standardisation of models and interfaces to address this issue but this is to solve their problem not yours. Have you ever implemented one of these systems only to have that remaining critical 10% of functionality not supported by your OSS vendor's solution? As you move down the hierarchy from Customer to Network Element the support systems required become increasingly specialised. Often this leads to organisations implementing generic Sales, Ordering, CRM and Billing systems, while running separate Network Management (NMS) and Network Element Management Systems (NEMS). Don't assume this has to be the case. See if you can run a single NMS and NEMS - this might require choosing a single technology vendor (but you might find this to be worthwhile). Similar

Today's telecommunications service providers (TSPs) are facing greater challenges than ever before. In an industry that delivers unlimited phone calls for an entire year, at the same price as a flight from New York to London, service providers must constantly search for new ways to become more efficient. Managing emerging technologies that promise to deliver new and exciting customer services, while dealing with the challenges of complexity in an increasingly competitive business environment, is the reality facing today's TSPs. Those that will succeed, will be those that manage to combine technical leadership with operational excellence to satisfy the needs of the next generation consumer. At Cognizant, we have been working with service providers around the globe to help them manage this diverse set of challenges. Here we will discuss our unique perspectives on the telecommunications industry's future challenges and possible solutions. Please feel free to join the discuss