Survey: Operators Satisfaction from OSS/BSS Vendors

Jason Marcheck [pictured], Research Director, Current Analysis, published a summary of a "OSS/BSS purchase drivers and vendor satisfaction from large operators around the globe representing approximately half of the global telecom CapEx spend".

The main conclusion is - "The companies that topped the list in questions related to vendor satisfaction seem to be better known as large SI players than as OSS/BSS specialists"

Jason describes his thoughts on the grades and concludes - "I hear a lot of OSS/BSS vendors beam with pride that that they are “product companies,” with the clear implication being that operators value the product more than the SI that comes in and pulls it all together. That is a good story. However, our results say that delivery matters most" 

See "OSS/BSS Vendor Satisfaction – Are “Product Companies” Missing the Boat on Delivery?" - here.

[Current Analysis] HP and NSN Lead the CEM Market

    

Iris Heinonen, head of CEM marketing, Nokia Siemens Networks reports the the company blog that ".. In the Current Analysis’ recent “Customer Experience Management survey: Operator strategies and Purchase Horizon” report, operators ranked Nokia Siemens Networks together with Hewlett Packard in the first place". 

   

See also "Customer Experience Management: Operator Strategies and Purchase Horizons" - here.

   

"The analysis shows that CEM is strongly identified with network operations. Furthermore, operators still see CEM a means to help subscribers resolve or avoid service performance issues. As such, the survey conductors encourage CEM solution providers to promote the adaption of a CEM solution with other major operator agendas, such as OSS optimization".
 

"Taken as a whole, CEM vendors are being challenged to better educate operators about how effectively implemented CEM solutions can mitigate some of these conflicts”.
  

 
See "Operators rank Nokia Siemens Networks #1 in Customer Experience Management" - here.

Current Analysis: "Diameter Signaling Routers Needed to Solve Connectivity, Interoperability and Addressability Issues"

 
Jason Emery, Director Product Management, Tekelec discusses some of the current trends in Diameter signaling in a guest article at TMC.Net.

Jason quotes Joe McGarvey (pictured), principal analyst at Current Analysis “What’s missing from current networks is the ability to handle this coming onslaught of Diameter signaling activity. The current solutions available for operators involve configuring each Diameter-based component in the network with the ability to communicate with all other components. While this addresses immediate internal issues, such a mesh-based signaling model will not scale and is not applicable to issues outside of the network related to roaming. Diameter signaling routers – as well as gateways and load balancers – relieve Diameter-based components of connectivity requirements and essentially establishes a centralized facility in the network [that] becomes the single point in the network for solving connectivity, interoperability and addressability issues”

In addition, the article discusses the reasoning behind locating the Diameter router in the core network, rather than the edge.

See "Diameter Routing: Core vs. Edge" - here and my list of current vendor offering - here.

Current Analysis Assessment of Tekelec's Policy Manager

 
Tekelec published Current Analysis' assessment of its (ex-Camiant) policy management product - Tekelec Policy Server (here).

Naturally this is a good report, and according to Joe McGarvey (pictured), Principal Analyst, IP Services Infrastructure: "The Tekelec Policy Server is very threatening in the policy control segment of the telecommunications industry. .. is at or near the top of the competitive landscape in multiple buying criteria, including performance, deployments (both quantity and industry profile), features, and flexibility, as well as interoperability with third-party policy and charging ecosystem components".

"The Tekelec Policy Server is deployed in over 50 networks, including several

prominent mobile operators, such as Vodafone [with Allot's DPI - here], Telefonica [here], and Verizon Wireless’ [here] groundbreaking LTE network"

As can be seen in my PCRF-DPI compatibility matrix (here), Tekelec is one of the two (and first) PCRF vendors to reach interoperability with all major DPI vendors. According to Joe Tekelec's product "Interoperability Partners for DPI and Charging (deployed in the fi eld and through lab IOT): "Allot, Bytemobile, Cisco, Comverse, F5, Flash Networks, Openwave, Procera, and Sandvine. Policy Server also interoperates with more than 20 other products in the following categories: CSCF, SBC, IMS HSS, video on demand, and access gateways".

Tekelec Shows Traction in Diameter Routing - 2nd Order from Verizon

   

In its Q2 report (here), Tekelec states that "in the second quarter we recorded our second multi-million dollar order for our Diameter Signaling Router (“DSR”) solution from a Tier One service provider to support its nationwide LTE rollout. DSR is one of the primary solutions in our session management portfolio. .. We believe this second order from a Tier One service provider is an important point in support of our belief that a centralized intelligent session management layer is critical for an efficient, scalable network". See previous post on this here.

Tekelec tweeted that "Three customers have now selected our DSR for their LTE rollouts and in addition we have numerous trials underway" (here).

According to Current Analysis (and other sources in the industry) the tier1 customer is Verizon Wireless: "With the revelation of a deployment of its Diameter Signaling Router in Verizon Wireless’ 3G and 4G networks, Tekelec makes a play for leadership in the still fomenting Diameter traffic-handling equipment sector of the market". See "Tekelec Demonstrates Traction in Emerging Diameter Signaling Controller Market with Verizon Wireless Deployment" - here).

Back to the report - Tekelec says that " .. For the six months ended June 30, 2011, revenues from Verizon represented 15% of our total revenues". Total revenues for the quarter were $96.8M and for H1 $204.6 (here), hence revenues from Verizon were $30.7M. VW also uses Tekelec's PCRF product (see "Verizon Wireless Selects Camiant for PCRF" - here).
  

[Update 45: Cisco to Resell Openet; 20 Joint Accounts] PCRF - DPI Compatibility Matrix

 

Although Cisco has recently launched its own PCC/PCRF product (IPCF - here), it seems that it continues to tighten its relations with the leading pure-players vendors.

This may confirm the conclusion of a recent review made by Joe McGarvey (pictured), Principal Analyst IP Services Infrastructure, Current Analysis: "While Cisco’s recently introduced policy control is strong on paper in several areas, the company will not be able to validate any of its performance or functionality claims until it rings up a few customer wins" (here).

Openet announced that "Cisco Systems has signed a global reseller agreement for Openet’s complete product suite including Policy Manager, Convergent Charging .. all running on Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) .. Openet integrates with the following Cisco products: ASR 5000, CSG, CSG2, SCE and eGGSN".

"Joint deployments at Turkcell and Meteor Ireland in 2010, along with deployments with operators in Japan, Austria and the Netherlands, have driven Openet and Cisco Systems to agree to a comprehensive set of reseller terms covering commercial and technical services, as well as support models .. This agreement builds upon seven years of co-selling with Cisco on more than 20 accounts, including Orange and other service providers".

Possibly, the recent leaked documents - "AT&T Tests Openet & Cisco for LTE: Session based Pricing, Speed Tiers" - here - also explain the upgraded relations.

See "Continued Joint Deployments Drive Global Reseller Agreement with Cisco Systems" - here.

See also: "Volubill - Cisco Joint Projects" - here and "Bridgewater and Broadhop are Getting Closer to Cisco" - here.

[Current Analysis] SDP Market Portfolio Assessment: Ericsson Leads, Oracle Missing

  

Current Analysis is sharing some of its "Portfolio Assessment" for the Service Delivery Platform (SDP) market. 

According to the table below, Ericsson is rated as the best vendor in this space: "Ericsson’s Service Delivery Platform is anchored by the content management, delivery and aggregation expertise. The company is also steadily increasing its experience in the service creation and orchestration categories"

See "Service Delivery Platforms (SDP)" - here.

Recently, Infonetics forecasted that "[SDP] Spending will Reach $5.2B in 2015; Oracle Leads" (here) - however, Oracle does not show on Current Analysis' table.