ALL-IP NETWORKS & SERVICES | MAVENIR Pardeep Kohli, CEO, Mavenir First among equals – in the race to all-IP networks and rich new services One of the reasons for the success of the GSM ecosystem, and parallel initiatives such as RCS, is that by creating a level playing field they enable operators and vendors to work together to introduce new services and applications that can be common across all networks. But having a standardised technology approach doesn’t have to hold back competition, as MetroPCS has ably demonstrated. In Europe, the launch of RCS-based services has been founded on a countrywide, pan-operator model. The GSMA’s “joyn” initiative is perhaps the best known example. The big five European operator groups have all backed RCSe and have helped to bring those services to life. But for MetroPCS, the fifth largest carrier in the US with close to nine million subscribers, introducing new services based on the RCS platform was less about the cross-operator platform, and more about being first to market and establishing a relationship with its customers for providing the rich new services that will eventually become the norm in an all-IP network world. MetroPCS is not interested in being a commodity provider of data services; it is looking to establish its value proposition for advanced new operator services today. VOLTE In fact, MetroPCS has history when it comes to being first out of the blocks with advanced new services. In August last year, the carrier became the first in the world to launch commercial VoLTE services –. Again, the drive behind its first-to-market launch was strategic and business-led. With limits on its existing spectrum, MetroPCS needed the capacity boost PAGE 26 that LTE provides for its voice services almost as much as for its data. In order to continue its impressive growth, Metro PCS needed not just LTE now but VoLTE now as well. That foundation for the future didn’t take long to manifest itself in another world-first when, less than 90 days later, MetroPCS became the first operator in the world to launch RCS 5 services. RCS 5 The GSM Association’s senior director, Attilio Zani, welcomed the launch of the RCS 5 services and added: “One of the benefits of the GSMA’s joyn accreditation process is that it allows operators to deploy a robust set of services with the knowledge that they will interoperate seamlessly around the world.” Of course, Attilio is right, that is a benefit of the accreditation process; but MetroPCS didn’t believe in waiting for the other operators in their territory to “joyn”, so to speak. They went ahead and launched. Let’s consider for a moment the environment and the pressure s the operators are facing. Network data traffic demands are rising, especially for video. Last year, Cisco predicted an 18-fold increase in data traffic by 2016; what’s more, the fastest growing segment – video – will by then account for 70 per cent of the traffic. Meanwhile, as operators fight to deliver the network quality that consumers demand, the well-known social networking and Internet providers are winning their customers hearts, minds and loyalty, and in some cases, wallets. All of which means that revenues are under threat or declining, and yet the demands on the network and its investment needs have possibly never been higher. There are not many industries where falling revenues and increasing costs add up to a happy picture. Yet there is some light at the end of this tunnel. It is clear that operators – faced with ongoing declines in ARPU - are looking at ways to transform their networks and introduce new services and ideas to monetize that investment, while creating a competitive edge that will help them compete against the over-the-top vendors and their other rivals in their marketplace. The move to a cloud-based IMS core can help reduce network operating costs and be a springboard for new services – and, RCS 5 offers so much more than VoLTE and enhanced messaging. It is an open platform enabling the development of new services and the creation of an application developer community providing services for particular market segments or vertical industries – all under the operator brand with trusted levels of service. And whatever stage an operator has reached on their network transformation and LTE investment path, RCS 5 is ready for an all-IP world and can be deployed today to help provide those new services with an immediate return on investment. In particular RCS 5, which uses VoLTE as standard, can offer an immediate benefit by enabling operators to introduce services from a lower cost base. The move to all-IP networks is really a journey for mobile carriers and RCS 5 is a key staging post on that journey, opening the doors for forward thinking operators such as MetroPCS to move quickly to offer new services that raise the bar on what could be described as the foundation services – the advanced features and services that are native to the handset for that particular operator. After all, on any journey, someone has to be first off the bus. Indeed, MetroPCS is clearly demonstrating that the early introduction of RCS 5 services enhances the relationship with its customers “Operators can launch services which mirror and improve on the offers from the OTT players but come with the guaranteed levels of service that customers associate with their trusted operator friend, increasing customer loyalty.” by providing the rich new services that will eventually become the norm and becomes the bedrock of new and advanced features that improve consumer experience, encourage greater customer loyalty and boost revenues. The opportunity exists for operators to make a variety of moves with the innovations of today. Operators can launch services which mirror and improve on the offers from the OTT players but come with the guaranteed levels of service that customers associate with their trusted operator friend, increasing customer loyalty. And as MetroPCS has shown that is an opportunity that can be taken very quickly. Tuesday 26th February MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS <strong>DAILY</strong> 2013 | www.mobileworldcongress.com
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