Solving the big issues together

What are the main communications issues that regularly occupy your thoughts?

Time and time again service providers from around the world tell us that their three biggest challenges are:

  • How to build new sources of revenue with advanced services?

  • How to reduce day-to-day operational expenditure?

  • How to realize the full potential of convergence?

If anything on this list strikes a chord, then read on. Nokia Siemens Networks offers solutions to help tackle them all.

Generating new revenue

Revenue-building, cost-cutting and convergence

Recent history provides many examples of new services launched with disappointing results. Failure often stems from a poor analysis of what end-users really want. Instead, the underlying technology has dazzled the provider, obscuring the service’s lack of real revenue potential.

Data services are widely considered to offer the best way to win new income sources. We estimate that annual revenues from mobile services will rise globally by more than 40% between 2007 and 2010, from €459bn to €662bn.

Yet beyond SMS, there is very little end-user awareness of advanced data services.

For any new service to succeed, it must fulfill a need, provide a benefit and enrich a lifestyle. The first step in devising and executing a successful service strategy is to thoroughly understand user behavior and market trends.

This is one of Nokia Siemens Networks’ key strengths. “To create and launch new services that consumers value requires insight and careful market analysis. We have access to extensive market research that gives us an unrivalled understanding of users and what they want. We share this insight with service providers,” explains Elina Välimaa from Nokia Siemens Networks.

Once this vital early analysis and planning has been done, we work closely with our customers to provide the resources needed to rapidly design and launch a total service offering, not just a patchwork of separate services. And when the services are up and running, we also support routine operations, even by hosting these services and optimizing them as they evolve and grow.

Improving operational efficiency

Improvements in operational efficiency translate directly into higher margins and profitability. We have identified a potential gain in profits of 13% globally if all service providers were at the same level as the top performers in their own market. For many operators and service providers, this figure could be even higher.

To help achieve these gains, the following three-step process has been developed to boost operational efficiency.

Step 1: Benchmarking

First, current efficiency levels are measured against the market’s top performers, and the results are used to set targets for various functions. With a unique benchmarking tool, we assess 30 areas of the service provider’s business, including marketing and sales, networks, customer service and IT and support departments.

Step 2: Assessment

Once the benchmarking has been completed, additional work is often needed to evaluate the efficiency and quality of various work processes. This usually involves interviews with service provider personnel and a review of the Key Performance Indicators for each department.

The results are then compared against data on customer loyalty, usage patterns and customer preferences gleaned from market research, helping to identify the root causes of low operational efficiency.

Step 3: Solutions to improve operational efficiency

Nokia Siemens Networks provides a full range of solutions to raise operational efficiency where it falls short. Service providers can significantly reduce costs by optimizing existing assets and processes with our network and service management solutions, hardware services, managed services and competence development. Further cost savings can be achieved by modernizing operations and network build-up to handle rising traffic volumes.

Taking advantage of convergence

IP-centric convergence is a key trend today, promising richer and easier communications whenever and wherever users need services, on the device of their choice. Convergence will undoubtedly create substantial global demand, as well as bringing new ways to reduce operational and capital costs by unifying and optimizing separate fixed and mobile networks.

To exploit the opportunity, we can help service providers analyze how to prepare their business for IP convergence. It is vital to find partners who not only understand the issues, but are widely experienced in developing and implementing converged solutions.

For service providers of all types, whether fixed, mobile, cable, ISP or virtual network, Nokia Siemens Networks provides complete systems encompassing networks, network services and systems integration. We offer common unified network platforms that embrace all technologies, including broadcasting.