VanillaPlus Bites May 2011

 

  6 May 2011

Welcome to VanillaPlus Bites, the monthly communications industry news service

CommuniGate - Berlin 

Sponsors:

insights 

MACH, a provider of hub-based mobile communication solutions, will be holding its annual Insights conference in Berlin next month. The 3 day event, running from 6-8 June, will provide in-depth coverage of roaming topics, and has been extended to cover Interconnect, Mobile Messaging, and Direct Operator Billing. 

More than 100 representatives of the telecommunication industry’s leading mobile network operators, service providers, handset manufacturers and content providers are expected to converge to discuss some of the hottest topics in the mobile industry, including:

  • the impact of regulation on the roaming market, 
  • the shift from wholesale to retail, 
  • the increasing complexity of IOT, optimising data revenues, 
  • inserting the operator in the Apps and Content Value Chain, 
  • how messaging can boost operator revenues with new business models.

For further information and to sign up to this conference, visit: http://www.mach.com/en/Insights/Insights-2011

communigate 

The Future of Telcoms: What will you be doing in 2013?

  • How can mobile operators be more than access to other provider’s applications? 
  • How can cable operators grow customer value across open networks? 
  • How do multiservice (MSO) and virtual (MVNO) operators stand to gain?
  • What can we learn from today’s successes and failures? 

This Executive Summit in Berlin brings together innovative leaders from across the telecoms industry to answer these questions and more. This exclusive event is by invitation only and open only to telecom operator executives. Places are strictly limited. Request your invitation today, before they are all gone! www.communigate.com/Berlin

Headlines

Company News

Industry News

Product News

People News

Nokia Siemens Networks acquires certain wireless network infrastructure assets of Motorola Solutions

Motorola Solutions and Nokia Siemens Networks have announced that the latter has completed its acquisition of Motorola Solutions’ networks assets for US $975m in cash.

As part of the deal, responsibility for supporting 50 operators across 52 countries and approximately 6900 employees will transfer to Nokia Siemens Networks. This means that responsibility for supporting customers of Motorola Solutions’ GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, WiMAX and LTE products and services have passed to Nokia Siemens Networks.

In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks is acquiring a number of research and development facilities including sites in the United States, China, Russia, India and the UK.
 
Based on revenue, the addition of Motorola Solutions’ Networks assets makes Nokia Siemens Networks the third largest wireless infrastructure vendor in the United States and the leading non-Japanese wireless vendor in Japan.
 
Rajeev Suri, chief executive officer, Nokia Siemens Networks, explained that the people, customers and technology acquired would greatly complement the existing business by taking the company into new markets and broadening its market share.
 
“Our combined knowledge and experience will provide our newly expanded customer base with the means to grow by providing greater value to their subscribers,” he said.

www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com

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Relief ahead for mobile data networks

A new study from Juniper Research has found that 63% of the traffic generated by smartphones, tablets and feature phones will transfer onto fixed networks via Wi-Fi and Femtocells by 2015.
 
As a result, the annual mobile data traffic offloaded from operators’ networks via the two is forecast to reach nearly 9000 petabytes (PB) within four years – a figure equating to some 11bn movie downloads.
 
Although WiFi accounts for over 98% of the traffic currently offloaded, Femtocells will account for a steadily increasing proportion over the forecast period, with the highest penetration occuring in North America.
 
It is also expected that the percentage of traffic offloaded in developed markets will actually diminish towards the end of the forecast period and begin to plateau in several other regions due to the accelerating take-up of LTE. However, despite this the volume of data traffic offloaded from mobile networks will continue to grow strongly throughout the next five years as the total volume delivered to mobile devices accelerates.
 
Nitin Bhas, author of the report, said: “As a high percentage of mobile data consumption occurs while indoors or in motion, operators have an opportunity to offload data traffic onto complementary fixed networks via WiFi and Femtocells. Offloading also has the potential for creating new services and applications and enhancing the usage of existing services.”
 
www.juniperresearch.com

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Swisscom selects inter-carrier and wholesale billing solution from NEWCON

Swisscom, Switzerland’s leading telecom provider, has selected a next generation, flexible inter-carrier and wholesale billing Solution from NEWCON.
 
The new solution has been implemented with a target to reduce the total cost of ownership for billing service by more than 20% and position Swisscom as one of most competitive Telcos in the European market.
 
Following a one-year intensive vendor selection process NEWCON says that it was selected because of its successful long-term experience in this field as a service integrator and solution provider for numerous other customers. Its ability to minimise the risks of revenue loss from potential OSS and BSS gaps and philosophy of ‘OSS/BSS Integration’ were also seen as the right step moving forward for Swisscom.
 
With 5.8m mobile users, over 400,000 TV customers and around 1.6m broadband connections, Swisscom offers a full range of products and services for mobile, landline and IP-based voice and data communications.
 
Gerald Haidl, CEO of NEWCON, said that the company would provide competence in strategy and implementation for the operator.
 
“That means we support our customers from management consulting to service integration,” he said. “We are aware of the needs of IT, technology, sales and finance. Only with this overall view we are able to meet the objectives of an international major customer [such] as Swisscom.”
 
www.newcon.at

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Subex introduces pre-paid channel assurance solution

Subex Limited, a leading global provider of operations and business support systems (OSS/BSS), has announced the launch of its pre-paid channel assurance product, a packaged solution offering based on its ROC solution suite.
 
The pre-paid channel assurance solution uses control systems and processes based on advanced analytics techniques to accurately reconcile and report customer payment transactions and adjustments. This, combined with its data visualisation approach, enables service providers to automate the validation of processes around the back end of cash management activities such as validation of fees and charges associated from direct and indirect partners.
 
According to KPMG, pre-paid is the largest and most vulnerable revenue stream for the majority of operators, with it representing around 90% of total revenue for many in emerging markets. With pre-paid CSPs operating in real-time, they require more dynamic revenue assurance procedures to limit losses. As such, assuring processes around cash management activities plays an important role because of the increase in number of payment channels and the complexity involved in customer payment transactions and cash management processes.
 
Mark Nicholson, chief technology officer, Subex, said: “The pre-paid channel assurance solution will enable service providers to substantially improve their operational and financial controls around customer payment transactions and cash management processes, giving them unprecedented, near-real-time visibility into their cash flows.”
 
www.subexworld.com

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Monitise Asia Pacific partners with JETCO for mobile payments in Hong Kong

Monitise, a leading global mobile money solutions provider, has revealed that its Asia Pacific joint venture has entered a partnership with Joint Electronic Teller Services Limited (JETCO), a payments business and leading network of ATMs in Hong Kong and Macau, to launch mobile commerce services.
 
Under the terms of the agreement, Monitise Asia Pacific and JETCO will launch a mobile pre-paid top-up service in Hong Kong for mobile operators, providing customers with a new and more convenient way of paying securely via their mobile devices.
 
Monitise’s approach to mobile ecosystems enables open access to financial institutions, payments processors, mobile network operators and merchants via a proven bank-grade security platform.
 
JETCO runs more than 2,000 automated inter-bank teller machines in Hong Kong and Macau with more than 30 member banks including Bank of China Limited, The Bank of East Asia Limited and Standard Chartered Bank.
 
Alastair Lukies, group chief executive, said: “Today’s landmark agreement with JETCO marks an important milestone for Monitise as we grow our business into Asia Pacific. This partnership is an exciting step towards bringing mobile payments and shopping to Hong Kong, by connecting people with their existing bank accounts or cards, anytime, anywhere, via their mobile.”

www.monitisegroup.com

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SevOne and ExtraHop partner to deliver application-aware network

SevOne and ExtraHop Networks have announced a partnership to bring best-of-breed performance monitoring solutions to the market.
 
The partnership combines NetFlow and device-based monitoring with real-time application transaction analysis to provide a scalable and comprehensive solution for ensuring enterprise-wide performance and reliability of mission-critical business applications.
 
ExtraHop’s application delivery assurance system provides application-level visibility with no agents, configuration, or overhead. SevOne’s network performance management solution monitors millions of IT device elements and flows to keep increasingly complex networks, servers and application infrastructure functioning at peak performance levels.
 
As a result of the deal the companies believe customers will enjoy the ease of deployment, fast time to results, small solution footprint, and lower cost of ownership that the solution provides.
 
Jesse Rothstein, CEO and co-founder, ExtraHop, explained that up till now, businesses seeking an application and network performance management solution have had to consider the downside of legacy and incumbent technology.
 
“These tools rarely scale to modern IT environments, are difficult to deploy and maintain, and can perturb the very systems they are monitoring,” he said. “The integration of best-of-breed products from ExtraHop and SevOne provides businesses with a compelling alternative to legacy management suites that are lagging further and further behind.”
 
www.extrahop.com
www.sevone.com

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WildBlue selects Convergys for rating and billing

WildBlue Communications has announced that it is using Convergys Smart BSS Solutions as the billing platform for its consumer satellite broadband business. 
 
With WildBlue expecting to expand its network capacity dramatically in 2011 following the launch of the new satellite, ViaSat-1, the move is a logical step for the business.
 
Convergys solutions help to support convergent services and leverage real-time marketing innovation whilst minimising risk, reducing operational costs and helping to generate revenue.
 
Kevin Harkenrider, COO, WildBlue, said: “The ability to offer new services and gain increased flexibility with the new Convergys Rating and Billing Manager is a crucial part of implementing our growth strategy.”
 
Bob Lento, President, Information Management, Convergys, added: ”Broadband access continues to grow as providers like WildBlue bring high-speed broadband service and associated economic benefits to US markets. With our Rating and Billing Manager, WildBlue will have the commercial agility to launch and support new offers and products quickly to meet subscriber demand and drive increased broadband penetration in the United States, especially in rural areas where the service is most needed.”
 
www.convergys.com

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OXYCOM selects Comarch for BSS

OXYCOM has revealed it is building a BSS Platform based on Comarch’s products.
 
Under the terms of the agreement OXYCOM will implement the company’s convergent billing, service activation, billing mediation and enterprise service bus components.
 
The key component of the implemented solution is Comarch Convergent Billing, a modern high capacity and scalable billing system which contains a Central Product Manager and rates of OXYCOM’s services. The solution also supports partner data management and inter-partner settlements, customer relationship management, and account data management along with full integration with the existing CRM system, thanks to Enterprise Service Bus – Comarch ESB.
 
The project has been up and running since the end of the first phase of the implementation. During this stage the main functionalities, which are perceived as crucial in delivering services such as VoIP, Software on Demand (SoD), Software as a Service (SaaS), were deployed.
 
Currently, the project is in its second stage during which further functionalities are being developed focused on automation processes and system integration and these will enable OXYCOM to activate its advanced services.
 
Bogumil Butryn, technical department director, OXYCOM, said: “The experience and skills of Comarch’s professionals enabled us to create a customised system configuration that allowed to run optimally with our new services. Thanks to the training at Comarch’s Headquarters, our BSS systems’ administrators can react dynamically on the business needs that are evaluated and we can expand OXYCOM’s offer. The flexibility of Comarch’s portfolio allows us to build new rate models, which are later made available to our customers online. The Software on Demand (SoD) or Software as a Service (SaaS) market is growing very fast and so bearing an updated offer in this area has a substantial meaning.”
 
www.comarch.com

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mBlox partners with SinglePoint for SMS advertising solutions

mBlox has announced a new partnership with SinglePoint, to offer SMS advertising solutions in the United States.
 
Through the collaboration, mBlox clients can gain access to leading advertisers who place ads in the unused characters of outgoing text messages, creating a revenue stream which can offset program operating costs, whilst also generating positive associations with marquee brands.
 
Along with mBlox’s expertise in providing a secure delivery network, SinglePoint’s easy-to-use web interface allows publishers to manage inventory, and access reporting tools crucial to monitoring campaign success while maintaining complete control of their programs.
 
Through this strategic alliance and the commitment to provide market-leading services, qualifying publishers who use the mBlox network will also receive an ad revenue share bonus.
 
Brian Johnson, senior vice president of global sales, mBlox, said: “Mobile advertising has witnessed staggering growth over the last year. The combination of the ubiquity and reach of SMS with mBlox’s large customer base provides the perfect formula for advertisers to reach more consumers in new and effective ways. We are delighted to be working with SinglePoint to offer our customers a best-in-class ad insertion service, with the additional upside of a preferential revenue share.”
 
www.mblox.com

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Tektronix appoints Lyn Cantor as President

Tektronix Communications, a leading worldwide provider of communications test and network intelligence solutions, has announced the appointment of Lyn Cantor as president.
 
Cantor succeeds Doug Dickerson and rejoins the company from Visual Network Systems (VNS) where he was senior vice president and general manager. Prior to his term with VNS, Cantor served as vice president of worldwide sales, service and marketing at Tektronix.
 
Over the course of his 27-year career, of which 14 years have been with Tektronix, Cantor has held various vice president positions in Americas sales, global channels, product management and marketing in addition to having general manager responsibility.
 
Jim Lico, executive vice president, Danaher Corporation, said: “We are fortunate to have Lyn leading Tektronix Communications. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for the business that will be key to our continued growth and success as we deliver leading communications test and network intelligence solutions to our customers across the globe.”

www.tektronixcommunications.com

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Imagine Communications appoints David Sykes as vice president, Sales

Imagine Communications, a leading innovator in advanced digital video solutions, has announced the appointment of telecommunications veteran David Sykes as vice president, Sales. David will report directly to Imagine’s CEO Richard Stanfield and lead the company’s sales team.
 
Sykes has more than 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry and was previously vice president of Sales and Marketing Strategy for Opnext. In just two years focusing on the largest OEMs and Carriers his sales team grew revenues from just over $10m to well over $100m.
 
Richard Stanfield, CEO, Imagine Communications, said: ”David has an impressive and successful track record growing telecommunications companies and we’re pleased to have him join our team. David’s vast experience will serve Imagine well as we continue to focus on delivering the best quality and most efficient solutions to our North American cable customers, while expanding our reach to new countries and service providers working to deliver consistent quality video across multiple screens and viewing devices.”

www.imaginecommunications.com

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What’s On in Comms

TMT Finance and Investment Middle East
9-10 May, 2011
Dubai, UAE
www.tmtfinance.com/me

TIA 2011
17-20 May, 2011
Gaylord Texan
Dallas, Texas, USA
www.tia2011.org

Managed Services and Network Sharing
23-25 May, 2011
Holiday Inn, Regents Park
London, UK
www.iir-telecoms.com/event/networkstrategy

Roaming World Congress
23-26 May, 2011
Hotel Mella Avenida America
Madrid, Spain
www.iir-telecoms.com/event/roaming

TM Forum Management World 2011
23-26 May, 2011
The Convention Center Dublin, Ireland
http://www.tmforum.org/ManagementWorld2011/9414/home.html

Mobile Network Optimisation
6-9 June, 2011
Courtyard by Marriott Vienna Messe Hotel, Austria
www.mobilenetworkoptimisation.com

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VanillaPlus Magazine next issue: Out 9 May 2011

To secure your copy of VanillaPlus Magazine subscribe (Free in Europe, Middle East and Africa*) at www.vanillaplus.com *Terms & Conditions apply

Editorial Features in the June/July issue include:

  • CSPs long for real-time problem-solving to optimise IP service performance
  • Does telecom expense management deliver what it promises?
  • What does the future hold for mediation?
  • What place for carriers in NFC?
  • CEM: the balance between customer experience and profitability
  • Is Open Source ready for carrier grade, mission-critical deployments?
  • What are the politics of policy?

To advertise, contact Mark Bridges: mark@vanillaplus.com or +44 1732 897645

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Latest Blogs

Cloud Service Provider Blueprint – Infrastructure Management Layer
In my ongoing series explaining the Cloud Service Provider Blueprint, I will examine the infrastructure management layer, says Joshua Beil. more »

A Question of Policy
Policy control has dominated the headlines over the past few months as a raft of deals have been inked in the telecoms market. But what does this really say about the market and what’s been happening? more »

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Editor, VanillaPlus Bites: George Malim

George can be reached at: george@vanillaplus.com
Tel: 44 (0)20 8292 4036
www.vanillaplus.com

 

 

Contributing Editor, VanillaPlus Bites: Mark Dye

Mark can be reached at: 
markd@vanillaplus.com
Tel: 44 (0)208 251 8908
www.vanillaplus.com

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