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It has been around for some time
and proven its worth across a variety of industries; it is the operational e ciencies and streamlining that it can provide operators with that makes it applicable for delivering innovation.
Aside from the scal bene ts of
saving employees time and e ort, it is
the reallocation of this resource, to areas associated with more traditional innovation, that is the silver bullet. For example, by streamlining OSS and BSS functions, developers could be reallocated to IoT projects that are seen by consumers and business heads as more innovative in a traditional sense.
Furthermore, e ciencies and new processes that are discovered internally through either Kaizen projects or Lean
Six Sigma implementation could even be packaged up and passed on to customers as part of new ‘value-added services’ adding entirely new revenue streams, to those which have already been streamlined.
As mobile network operators continue to expand and strengthen their online, ‘X-as-a- service’ o erings, high quality digital services leveraging the Lean Six Sigma methodology will only continue to increase in importance and relevancy.
Quality control programs and their corresponding ways of thinking are vital for companies at every stage of development. e earlier these commercial philosophies are implemented; the more successful practical endeavours will be.
If mobile operators adopt the Lean Six Sigma methodology now, they will ensure their future success by o ering quality, reliable, cost-e ective and increasingly innovative service – and in the end, that’s all consumers really want. ●
4 Ways Service Providers are taking on theTChallenge of OTT
December/January 2017
Why Apple has the Advantage as Tech TGiants Tackle Enterprise Mobility
en years ago in January, Steve Jobs directly onto each device. For large enterprises, announced the development of the NOEL this represents value in bulk purchases. For iPhone and it caught the consumer Apple it’s an opportunity to enter an entirely new
electronics industry by storm. e rst true market on a large scale.
“smartphone,” its revolutionary touch-sensitive by Kenneth Noel, Director, Corporate managers today are increasingly
glass, IOS system and platform for mobile apps ushered in years of incredible growth for Apple, which further expanded its consumer appeal with iPads, watches and other devices.
But 10 years is a lifetime in technology. Steve Jobs is gone. Apple’s iPhone and iPad sales
are slowing. Today, while iPhones account for roughly one in four smartphones in use, Apple and its competitors are looking for new growth opportunities, particularly outside of the now saturated consumer space. And in their target sights is the wide-open eld of enterprise mobility. Given Apple’s dominance in the consumer market, it would be reasonable to expect it to have a big advantage in the enterprise market as well.
e past decade has also seen a signi cant shi in workplace practices and trends, one of the most far-reaching is increasing numbers
of employees working from remote locations, using multiple connected devices including smartphones, tablets and personal computers. Increasingly, companies see mobility achieving improved business processes, productivity
and return on investment (ROI). Employees, of course, see the many lifestyle advantages eschewing o ce work, long commutes and exibility in work hours that mobility enables.
One of the early trends was companies encouraging employees to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to the mobility program. Companies would reimburse employees for all or most of their monthly costs for their smartphones or devices, while the employees would retain ownership. But as mobility
Operations at Tangoe (www.tangoe.com)
programs have expanded over the decade this model is now increasingly being questioned for its cost-e ectiveness. At the same time, the big cellular carriers are reported to be looking to end their price wars by cutting or eliminating the
big subsidies built into sales of smartphones in return for lengthy service contracts.
CIOs are beginning to move away from solely purchasing subsidized mobile devices from
their wireless carriers like Verizon or AT&T Wireless and realizing the advantages of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) where organizations can
buy unlocked corporate smartphones directly from equipment manufacturers like Apple
and Samsung, garner rate plan credits and eliminate Early Termination Fees (ETFs). With this evolution, the smartphone manufacturers can now sell equipment directly to the corporate market presenting an opportunity for simpli cation of mobile procurement, deployment and management.
is is why companies like Apple (which has been blessed with the ability to capitalize on trends early and o en) are increasingly looking to enterprise mobility as a growth source. Apple already has a Device Enrollment Program (DEP) which makes it easier for management to buy and stick with Apple products. A DEP enables
a company to connect with the manufacturer at the time it purchases a mobile device and have remote apps and company images loaded
looking for mobile service providers that o er: e ability to provision a custom corporate
image “over the air”
e ability to purchase unlocked devices at
competitive pricing from multiple distributors to enhancing functionality
e ability to use third party solutions for international roaming cost reductions.
As the mobility era moves more deeply into its next phase, corporate managers are going to be looking for devices that promote productivity and improve pro ts. Apple’s competitors are
not going to sit back and watching, but with
the recent troubles with the second-best-selling smartphone at Samsung, the advantages to Apple are obvious. Apple’s ecosystem – not just a phone, not just a computer – is a bene t to companies with burgeoning mobility programs. Apple products are easy to work with, they’re secure and they have most of the features that managers and employees want. No matter how the competitive smartphone manufacturing landscape shapes out, enterprise mobility should see big productivity bene ts.
1 - http://techorchard.com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/02/2015_Executive_ EnterpriseMobility_Survey.pdf
2 - http://www.wsj.com/articles/telecoms- consider-fee-hikes-as-fierce-price-war- plays-out-1469957403
3 - http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/08/ technology/once-taunted-by-steve-jobs- companies-are-now-big-customers-of- apple.html?ref=todayspaper ●
2) MONETIZE SUBSCRIBERS WITH ADVERTISING TECH
By announcing their intent to acquire Yahoo!, Verizon took the approach of o setting the decline in traditional revenue sources by monetizing their subscriber base with the improved advertising technology provided by Yahoo!.
3) INCREASE CLOUD DELIVERY OF BUSINESS SERVICES
Century Link focused on its business subscribers by announcing its intent to
acquire Level 3, which will expand both its enterprise and international customer base. Level 3 will also improve Century Link’s ability to increase revenue through value-added services like managed security and uni ed communications.
By improving its cloud-based services, Century Link will be able to deliver its business services more cost e ectively, using its existing resources more e ciently and decreasing operational expenses. ese cloud-based services are a crucial asset as providers like Century Link attempt to compete with web- scale companies like Amazon Web Services and Google.
4) PURSUE NEW REGULATORY MODELS
Even as they pursue these new innovative strategies to protect and diversify their revenue streams, providers are pursuing new regulatory models that will address the fundamental aw in the service provider business model, the “last mile.” Traditional xed line, cable and ber operators are responsible for maintaining
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Telecom Reseller
SERRANO
by Mike Serrano, Sr. Product Manager at NETSCOUT (www.netscout.com)
elecom providers today are caught in Providers have begun taking steps to
a vicious cycle, as market pressures protect their revenue streams with recent are forcing them to invest heavily high pro le deals from AT&T and Century
in technology to increase network speeds, Link, which have announced acquisitions of which in turns only make their services more Time Warner and Level 3 Communications,
attractive for over-the-top (OTT) services like
video streaming, VoIP and other UC services
respectively.
While Time Warner and Level 3 are
seemingly unrelated business models, these acquisitions are both attempts to replace declining revenues from the traditional service provider business model.
ese recent deals are just two examples
of the di erent strategies providers are implementing to address the disparity and equity between service revenues for operators and the network investment required to support all tra c including OTT services. Service providers are making investments
in content, subscribers bases, cloud and regulation as part of these di erent strategies as they work to be more than just a “dumb pipe” and maintain market share.
1) OWN THE CONTENT
Traditional cable providers like AT&T and Comcast have made aggressive moves to add content that they can provide to their own subscribers.
By acquiring content providers like Time Warner and NBC Universal, AT&T and Comcast can protect themselves against the rising tide of cord cutters that access content using their infrastructure without paying for traditional cable packages.
that cut into their traditional revenue sources.
Higher Education + Technology = ACUTA
As a CIO, it is important for
me to be a part of a group of people who strive to con nually evolve as knowledgeable technology professionals.
I know of no be er organiza on to be a part of than ACUTA.
Keith Fowlkes Director of Informaon Technology Services and CIO Centre College
• Professional networking at its best happens at the face-to-face events and via the listserv/community. We provide opportunities to connect with people who can help you succeed.
• High-quality education features presenters at seminars and conferences who are experts in the eld.
• Valuable publications bring critical information to you in a timely, pro-active way.
• Online resources give you access to solutions that will help you meet the needs of your campus faculty, staff, and students.
• Professional development opportunities abound at ACUTA, giving you experiences that will help you grow professionally and advance your career.
www.acuta.org Questions: Call Amy at (859) 278-3338.
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