Algar Telecom Uses Openet PCC to Create New Services

Openet announced that "Algar Telecom has adopted Openet’s Policy Manager solution to streamline product development and reduce time to market. Openet’s Policy Manager solution will play a crucial role in delivering next-generation network capabilities, offering centralized access to subscriber data and other specialised BSS functions. By operating in real-time Openet’s Policy Manager will play a fundamental role streamlining the creation of new products and services. 

Using Openet’s Policy Manager, Algar Telecom enables real-time management of data quotas and uses these to target context aware offers to customers. This includes roaming offers, which provide data add-ons when customers reach their roaming data limits. These offers are activated in real-time and a deliver new revenue streams to Algar"


See "Algar Telecom Adopts Openet's Policy Manager Solution to Streamline Product Development" - here.

[Survey]: Operators See OTTs as Fiercest Competitors in 2016

Openet announced that a "survey of more than 100 operator respondents reveals the extent to which the limitations of legacy technology are restricting the creation, targeting and distribution of revenue-generating digital services .. while operators want to target customers with personalised, relevant offers in real-time in order to drive upsell opportunities, they are let down by the inflexibility of existing systems.

Key findings:

• Operators now view VoIP and messaging OTTs as their fiercest competition in maximising the effectiveness of digital services

• 57 per cent of operators feel quite well prepared for the battle, citing their network as their key area of competitive advantage
   
• More than half the operators surveyed have tried to leverage real-time data to create targeted customer offers and services
   
• However the majority (70 per cent) confessed that they are either worse, or much worse, than OTTs at personalised customer engagement
   
• 63 per cent of operators think it should take between one and seven days to create and send targeted and personalised offers
   
• 64 per cent admitted it actually takes up to 6 months in reality
   
• Operators surveyed anticipate that their most lucrative new revenue sources in 2016 will come from providing multi-play offers. This is closely followed by selling digital life services (e.g. home automation, and security services) to their existing customer base – providing their BSS can keep up and monetise new offers.
  
  
• Operators recognise that there is a significant level of danger and a need for rapid BSS transformation, with 65 per cent fearing mobile data commoditisation in the next two years.

See "Operator survey: legacy technology a key inhibitor of digital transformation" - here.

Openet Details 13 Years of Use Cases with AT&T

During the years I write this blog I had a number of posts speculating that certain announcements made by Openet refer to AT&T ("Openet Sees PCC for VoLTE Success (AT&T?)" - here; "[Rumors]: AT&T "Sponsored Data" is Based on Openet's PCC" - here; "Openet - Why AT&T Changed its IPad Service plans?" - here),

However, I could not get a confirmation from Openet (not even off-the-record!) that this was the case. Recently, Openet made it public information, by including AT&T in its customer page and providing the case study (here) - "Openet supplied Evolved Charging, Balance Manager, Mediation, and Policy Manager to this leading operator".

"in 2002 Openet supplied their mediation product to AT&T to collect voice and data calls from AT&T’s 2G network. This was followed up with the supply of Openet’s Policy Manager product and their On-line Charging System product in 2008 and 2009 respectively to cater for the advance in 3G mobile data. As AT&T launched new 4G networks and new services Openet’s products have grown to support the new and innovative use cases that AT&T need to supply to maintain and grow their market position and enhance their reputation as one of the most innovative mobile operators in the world. Sample Use Cases supported by Openet products: 

• Tiered data pricing (e.g. speed and quota) 
• Usage notifications 
• Service passes 
• Mediation for voice, U-verse, SMS and data services 
• Pre-paid Data and Messaging Charging Control 
• Roaming detection 
• LTE Application Policy - Video Calling and VoLTE

[Infonetics]: Huawei and Cisco ($89M) are the PCC Market Leaders

 
Maywun Wong announced in Cisco's Service Provider blog that "Last week, we were thrilled to receive the news that Infonetics scored Cisco Policy Suite as a Leader in the Policy Management Scorecard. 

Cisco was one of only two leaders recognized by Infonetics in this space and was recognized for building “… up its position in the market rapidly after its acquisition of BroadHop [Dec '12; here], demonstrating strong momentum around policy virtualization”.

See also - 

• Policy Management Market Rises 27 Percent in 2014; VoLTE, Data Monetization Play Big Role" - here 
• [Infonetics]: "significant changes in the policy management vendor landscape" - here.  

See "Cisco Scores as Leader in the Infonetics Policy Management Scorecard" - here.

Openet Attracts the NTT Group with NFV-Based PCRF

Openet announced that "Japanese systems integrator NTT Advanced Technology Corp. (NTT-AT) is its latest reseller partner. The deal will extend Openet’s reach into the NTT Group and significantly enhance its commercial footprint across Asia. 

NTT-AT, which represents the technological core of the NTT Group, will re-sell Openet products and solutions to all subsidiary operators within the NTT Group".

Openet updated me that "We have not deployed within the NTT Group as of yet but the re-seller agreement was only signed this month announcing the partnership. On the back of Openet’s successful trials within NTT-AT’s NFV environment and Openet’s virtualization expertise we expect this to change in the coming months" [see related post - "T-Mobile [Austria] Selected Openet's Virtualized Solution" - here].

 "NTT-AT chose to partner with Openet after successfully trialling a series of Policy and Control functions across NFV environments. By integrating solutions where NFV techniques are applied to OSS/BSS enables NTT Group to deliver on the promises of NFV, such as system agility, faster time to market, reduced TCO, increased elasticity, and greater service availability. Following the successful test, NTT-AT will look to roll Openet’s proven virtualised BSS technology out across the NTT Group.

See "Openet and NTT-AT collaborate to deliver production ready BSS solutions using Network Function Virtualization" - here.

BSS Deployments [351]: T-Mobile [Austria] Selected Openet's Virtualized Solution

Openet announced that "T-Mobile Austria has selected its extensive solution set to support a fully converged and virtualized charging solution. Openet’s Evolved Charging Solution (ECS) will provide T-Mobile Austria with next generation rating and charging capability to manage their existing services, as well as ensure new services are well supported and effectively monetized .. Openet provides a virtualized end-to-end solution capable of creating dynamic and personalised offers for T-Mobile Austria’s prepay, postpay, consumer and enterprise subscribers.

Niall Norton [pictured], CEO, Openet said: “We’re delighted to have successfully fought off some intense competition to secure T-Mobile Austria’s business. This deal not only validates the quality of our technology, it also demonstrates the technical strength of our team and its ability to carefully articulate the future value of virtualization to MNOs globally”

At the end of 2014, T-Mobile Austria had 4M subscribers, a 1.7% decreased compared to the previous year.

See "Openet’s Evolved Charging will replace the existing legacy Intelligent Network to enable the flexibility to deliver on T-Mobile’s current and future real-time charging requirements" - here.

[Infonetics]: "significant changes in the policy management vendor landscape"

 
A new survey by Shira Levine, directing analyst for service enablement and subscriber intelligence, Infonetics Research, on the Policy management marker finds that:

"The next generation of policy management solutions has evolved to address the challenges associated with increased broadband consumption and a wider range of end-user devices. This shift has translated into significant changes in the policy management vendor landscape as suppliers look to refine and reposition their offerings .. There are new buyers for policy management within the operators and new requirements that policy solutions must address, and this has created challenges for many suppliers playing in the market -- a trend that we expect to continue in the coming years" 

Survey results: 

•  respondents put Huawei at the top of the list; Ericsson came in second, and Openet and Oracle tied for third
   
• Topping respondents' criteria for choosing a policy management solution are reliability and performance scalability
   
• While only 13 percent of respondents are currently running policy management software as a virtual network function (VNF), 57 percent plan to do so by the end of 2016. A surprisingly high 32 percent of operators surveyed plan to deploy policy via a cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform by the end of 2016

See "Vendor shakeup expected in policy management market as operators seek more flexible solutions" - here. 

Openet's Wi-Fi Offload Solution Deployed for 1.9M Subscribers

 
Openet announced that its "Network Selection Intelligence solution has been deployed by a leading Southern European wireless, wireline, broadband and cable TV operator. The operator selected Openet’s end-to-end solution, based on the ANDSF standard [see "Openet Acquires Routing Policy Technology" - here], to provide intelligent Wi-Fi management and offload capabilities to optimize the mobile data experience for its customers while dramatically reducing network costs".

Related post - "Ovum: Operators Look for a Device-based Policy Solution for Wi-Fi Offload" - here.

"This operator has turned to Wi-Fi management techniques as a way of cost effectively improving the mobile data experience for its 1.9 million customers. Openet’s Network Selection Intelligence solution can seamlessly integrate with existing network elements and applications to significantly reduce costs from interconnection fees, and use of a less expensive access technology. The solution will also ensure all customers benefit from the best available network capacity and enjoy an optimal mobile data user experience".

See "European Cable Operator Deploys Openet’s Network Selection Intelligence Solution" - here

How Do 3, KPN, Swisscom, T-Mobile, A1, EE, TeliaSonera and Orange Pack LTE?

A new presentation by Openet reviews the how leading MNOs are "leverage the speed that LTE brings to create value for customers and generate more revenue".

PCC Deployments [321]: INWI [Morocco] Uses Openet for Monetization

Openet announced that "INWI, a leading Moroccan operator, has deployed Openet’s Policy Manager to successfully provide convergent policy control and advanced allowance management .. INWI has integrated Openet’s Policy Manager with its advanced Balance Manager and Offer Catalog solution to monetize and shorten time-to-market for innovative new use cases. 

These will include: 

• the offer of ‘one day’ mobile data service passes 
• real-time data upsell notifications to its 13 million subscribers

These new innovative services will ensure new levels of offer transparency and Balance Management to maximize customer quality of experience, control local and roaming traffic and reduce bill shock".

INWI has ~28% of the local market.

See "Openet Enables INWI to accelerate data innovation and optimize the customer experience through real-time visibility and account control" - here

Openet Launches Virtual, Partners Enabled, BSS Infrastructure

Openet announced that it has "..virtualized its real-time charging system. This builds on the existing virtualization of Openet’s policy and mediation systems, its secure API gateway technology and its Fusionworks platform .. By fully virtualizing its BSS infrastructure, Openet will enable mobile operators to more rapidly monetise new capabilities including VoLTE QoS management, shared data plans and sponsored data in a matter of weeks (rather than months or in some cases years with traditional legacy systems). 

By removing the need to create a full hardware-based environment, Openet has simplified the deployment process, enabling operators to focus on creating new revenue streams without having to deal with issues around integration, deployment and infrastructure management".

Related post: "Openet to Use VoltDB In-Memory DB for NFV" - here.

Openet's Virtualized BSS architecture

For several years, service providers have been interested in enabling a multi-sided business model where the operator acts as an enabler between upstream partners (software developers, content providers, OTT, M2M, Healthcare etc.) and downstream consumers and enterprise customers.

Virtualization makes this possible. The ease with which virtualization allows different combinations of BSS components to be deployed in a multi-tenant fashion on a common platform allows an operator to create “tailored” solutions for specific market segments. By exposing this capability to external entities such as MVNO or Enterprise customers, the operator can enable new business models and revenue opportunities

Opening Virtualized BSS to Partners / New Service Enablers

See "Openet virtualizes its entire BSS infrastructure" - here.

Openet Sees PCC for VoLTE Success (AT&T?)

  

Openet announced that "Openet’s policy and charging control (PCC) solution for voice over LTE (VoLTE) services has been successfully deployed on multiple operator networks worldwide. The standards compliant PCC solution enables operators to configure policies and develop new charging and billing models for VoLTE service rollouts .. Demand for VoLTE services means virtualization will play a key role to ensure ease of configuration and speed of VoLTE deployments. Openet has extensive experience with virtualized PCC deployments, working with a tier one North American operator who is using Openet’s PCC solutions in a virtualized environment".

According to people familiar with the market, one of those MNOs, it AT&T - a long time customer of Openet (see "AT&T Tests Openet & Cisco for LTE" - here). AT&T has launched some VoLTE services last month (see "AT&T Introduces High-Definition Voice in Initial Markets " - here).

See "Openet Announces Standards Compliant Policy and Charging Solution for VoLTE" - here.

Infonetics Identifies the Leading Policy Management Vendors

A new "Policy Management Scorboard" (based on "direct feedback from service providers, market share data, and publicly available financial data") by Shira Levine [pictured], directing analyst for service enablement and subscriber intelligence, Infonetics Research ranks the 8 largest global vendors of policy management solutions: Alcatel-Lucent, Amdocs, Ericsson, Huawei, Openet, Oracle, Juniper, and Redknee.

"Huawei’s and Ericsson’s strong financials and market share [see "[Infonetics]: Huawei Leads the $1B Policy Management Market" - here] growth, along with solid scores in the service provider feedback categories, propelled them to the top of the list .. However, we believe that Oracle and Amdocs have the potential to provide a real challenge to the leaders if and when they’re able to work through some of their post-acquisition issues, and Alcatel-Lucent will likely move up the list once its financials are sorted out.”.

In Infonetics' 2013 and 2012 reports, Openet led the market (here and here).

See "Huawei and Ericsson top Infonetics policy management scorecard; Oracle and Amdocs in hot pursuit" - here.

[Survey]: Operators Prefer Specialty BSS Vendors; Moving to Virtualization

 
A recent research, conducted by Telecoms.com Intelligence (sponsored by Openet),  incorporates the input of more than 100 operators worldwide, finds that "truly flexible BSS solutions from specialty vendors are the best option to improve service and pricing innovation, multi-vendor interoperability and system flexibility ..  The survey highlighted key benefits of working with specialist BSS vendors relative to those provided by network equipment providers. Over 72% said that specialist providers enabled a faster time to market for new pricing models, 75% said they enabled better service and pricing innovation, and 76% felt specialists provided greater system flexibility".

Regarding virtualization - ".. nine per cent of respondents have already begun commercial operation of virtualised BSS and 23 per cent of respondents have begun trials of virtualized BSS environments only 34 per cent of operators currently have no plans to embrace virtualised BSS. However it is likely this sentiment will change as the industry becomes more comfortable with the prospects". 

See "Study Shows Best-of-Breed BSS Solutions Best Serve Operator Business" - here.

Openet to Use VoltDB In-Memory DB for NFV

Openet announced that it has "..entered into an OEM agreement with VoltDB [see "HP's PCC Uses VoltDB In-memory Database" - here] ..  As the telecom industry evolves to meet the ever-increasing demand for data, operators are increasingly expanding their investment in virtual environments, including within their Network Function Virtualization (NFV) initiatives. VoltDB expands Openet’s deployment options within such environments".

  

See "Openet Selects VoltDB to Expand Deployment Options within Virtual Environments" - here.

[LightReading]: SDN/NFV Still Doesn’t Show Capex Savings for US MNOs

Sarah Reedy [pictured], Senior Editor, LightReading shows that despite the SDN/NFZ buzz, the great Capex saving are not yet there (at least for 2014).

"SDN and NFV have operators planning for lower capital expenditures, but that's not yet being reflected in their projections for 2014 .. AT&T [see "AT&T Expects SDN and NFV to Reduce Capex in 5 Years" - here], Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile US have all wrapped up their fourth-quarter earnings, and on average, their wireless capex projections for this year are flat, none significantly decreased".

Tier-One US Wireless Operators' Capex: 

	2012 Capex	2013 Capex	Projected 2014 Capex
AT&T	$19.7 billion	$21.2 billion (wireless: $11.19 billion)	$21 billion
Verizon Wireless	$16.2 billion	$16.6 billion (wireless: $9.4 billion)	$16.5 - $17.0 billion
Sprint	$5.37 billion	$7.45 billion	$8 billion
T-Mobile		$4.2 billion	$4.3 - $4.6 billion
Source: operators' Q4 earnings reports

Related posts:

• [Light Reading]: Telefonica NFV Plans Start w/DPI and PCRF - here
• Openet: NFV based PCC Deployment by NA Tier1 (AT&T?) - here

See "SDN, NFV Not Slashing Wireless Capex Yet" - here.

Tata Adds Tango Telecom's PCC to its Hosted Solution

  

Tata communications expands (or changes?) its hosted PCC/DPI offering (see "Tata Communications Builds Hosted Policy Management and Enforcement w/Allot and Openet" - here) with Tango's Telecom Policy Control Solution (as well as Procera's DPI - see Procera's CEO comments here).

Tango announced that "Tango Telecom and Tata Communications announced a collaboration to deliver hosted policy and charging control solutions to mobile network operators (MNOs) .. With an extensive range of revenue-generating use cases available out of the box, the hosted policy control platform enables mobile operators to improve their profitability while enhancing their subscribers’ experience with dynamic, innovative and personalised data services".

See "Hosted Policy Engine launched with Tata Communications" - here.

PCC Deployments [288]: Orange [Slovakia] Deploys Openet for Segmented Data Offers

Openet announced that ".. Orange Slovakia deployed Openet’s Policy and Charging Control (PCC) infrastructure to enable a major rollout of advanced shared data bundles. The deployment makes it possible for Orange Slovakia to quickly define segmented data offers, with associated balances, notifications and policy rules.

The Openet solution supports Orange Slovakia’s innovative new data plans offered to its 2.8 million subscribers".

See "Orange Slovakia Launches Shared Data Plans Based on an Integrated Openet Policy and Charging Solution" - here.

Infonetics, Openet, CSG and Oracle Present PCC Revenue Opportunities

Infonetics Research shared some slides from the "Adding Value to the Network with Integrated Policy and Charging" webinar it held yesterday with CSG International, Openet and Oracle Communications.

The whole show is available here.

• Top applications operators are able to offer using policy management. Join in now or on-demand:
    

• One example of many of how operators are using policy and charging tools to add revenue:
   

• Operators are using Policy and Charging to offer social media, Viber & WhatsApp service passes
   

[Infonetics]: Oracle, F5 and Huawei Lead the DSC Market (54% CAGR to 2018)

A new report by Diane Myers [pictured], principal analyst, Infonetics Research on the Diameter Signaling Controllers (DSC) market forecasts that the ".. global Diameter signaling controller revenue to grow at a 54% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2018 .. Expected strong growth in the Diameter signaling controller (DSC) market is attracting vendors from varying backgrounds, from telecom hardware and software vendors such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Huawei, and Oracle, to traditional signaling vendors (Ulticom), pure play vendors (Diametriq), IP experts (F5), and vendors in the policy and control space (Amdocs, Comptel, Openet)".  (see vendor list below and here)

See last year's report: "[Infonetics]: Diameter Router Market: +900% in 2012, +100% in 2013; Tekelec, F5 and Acme Lead" - here.

“The Diameter signaling control market is still relatively new, but in 2013 it matured through the success of a broader range of vendors and strong growth worldwide, with revenue more than doubling over the previous year .. The vendor landscape continues to shift with acquisitions and new entrants. Oracle, via its acquisition of Tekelec and Acme Packet, is the Diameter signaling control market leader in 2013, followed very closely by F5 and Huawei”

DSC vendor list:

Vendor	Product	Blog Post
Alcatel-Lucent	5780 Dynamic Services Controller/Diameter Control Point
Alepo	Diameter Signaling Controller	X
Amdocs	Intelligent Routing Controller	X
Dialogic	BorderNet Diameter Services Helix	X
Diametriq	Diameter Routing Engine	X
DigitalRoute	DigitalRoute Routing Control	X
Elitecore Technologies	ELITEDSC
Ericsson	Ericsson Diameter Signaling Controller
F5	Traffix SDC	X
Jinny Software	Diameter Router	X
Marben	MARBEN DiamX Router	X
Openet	Dynamic Context Router	X
Oracle Acme Packet Tekelec	Diameter signaling controller Diameter Signaling Router (DSR)	X X
Radware	AppDirector and AppXcel	X
Sonus [Performance Technologies]	SEGway Universal Diameter Router (UDR)	X
Tango Telecom	Diameter Signaling Controller
Tieto	Diameter Signaling Controller	X
Ulticom	Ulticom DSC	X

See "Exploding mobile device traffic, acquisitions heat up Diameter signaling controller market" - here.