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Billing are prepared organisationally to introduce real-time billing principles into their mainstream markets. Therefore, for most operators, moving to a convergedprepaid and postpaidbilling infrastructure is a huge paradigm shift. However, the payoff makes such a change worthwhile. Open door to data services Real-time billing is highly flexible, allowing tariff plans to be changed dynamically, offering creative valuebased methods of billing for new data services and enabling easy support of the multitude of emerging new content providers. Capitalising on such flexibility, operators, for example, now can charge for services based on their perceived value. With a range of data services such as video and multimedia messaging service (MMS) in place, the complexity of subscriber packages increases, as does the importance of real-time billing in the network. In order to fully realise the revenue potential of these new services, it is essential to leverage real-time billing for all voice and data transactions, the authorisation of every service request, the imposing of a credit limit on all accounts and instant availability of usage information. Affordable option for all Real-time billing is not only about new service availability, but also about affordability. With advanced billing systems, new services are an affordable alternative for both operators and subscribers. As mentioned earlier, real-time billing limits operator credit risk, which, in turn, reduces overall service cost. At the same time, subscribers can access new services without exceeding a predetermined budget. Moreover, with real-time billing, subscribers pay only for the content and services they actually want, rather than paying for a high-priced content package of which, they are not likely to take full advantage. For the enterprise, the cost benefits can be even greater. With real-time billing, mobile phones issued by companies to their employees can, in fact, operate via two accounts business and personal. As a result, employees can access their business account for the full range of data services that can improve business communications and ultimately lead to more productivity and success. At the same time, they can access their personal account with the same mobile phone, while the employer does not pick up the tab. Boon for emerging markets Real-time billings impact can be felt in all corners of the globe, particularly in emerging markets. Given the opportunity to introduce easily the most advanced services, emerging markets no longer lag behind the rest of the pack, but instead have leaped forward to reach a level on par with the developed world. With real-time billing, all operators whether in emerging, developed or advanced marketscan offer an extensive portfolio of advanced voice and data services to their entire subscriber base. As a result, all services for all subscribers is no longer a pipe dream but a reality for all providers. If there was concern that investing in a state-of-the-art real-time billing system would deter new operators, particularly in emerging markets, the opposite has proved true. Real-time billing is ideally suited for green-field deployments, since such implementation does not require any integration or adaptation, unlike instances where legacy systems already exist. Real-time billing has put emerging markets on the map. One area that has benefited is Asia Pacific, which is ideally suited for these next-generation systems due to the popularity of prepaid services there. Most mobile subscribers in many parts of the region are prepaid, sometimes reaching up to 95 per cent of an operators entire customer base. With the prepaid market growing rapidly in the region, real-time billing systems, which are most suited for supporting this growth, are likely to become an even more integral part of the industry. The adoption of new billing systems has, in fact, enabled nations such as Indonesia, India and Malaysia to gain a foothold at the forefront of the mobile phone world. Also in Indonesia Take, for example, the new Indonesian operator Mobile-8 Telecom. As a newcomer in a fiercely competitive field, Mobile-8 required a secure real-time service offering for integrated control and support of both its prepaid and postpaid subscriber operations. As a result, the company recently deployed a real-time billing system to address all voice and data billing needs. The end-to-end solution supports billing for prepaid and postpaid subscribers, voice and data services and customer relationship management (CRM), while enabling the authorisation of all subscribers service requests in real-time. The real-time billing system allows Mobile-8 to concentrate on its core business — providing top-quality services to subscribers — regardless of the payment system. By implementing a state-of-the-art system, together with fully integrated customer care software, Mobile-8 is well positioned as a new player in the Indonesian mobile telephony market. Enhance personalisation, reduce churn Real-time billing also can play a role in tackling one of the industrys most burning issues — churn. One way to address the problem is by reducing acquisition costs — but this is much like treating a symptom. Service personalisation is a better solution, since it vaccinates against the disease in the first place. As creatures of habit, the more comfortable we feel, the less likely we are to contemplate change. Service personalisation, which is enabled by realtime billing, has the potential to become a highly effective way to fight the problem of churn by making subscribers feel more comfortable. When subscribers can select their tariff plan, choose preferred locations for discounted calls and transfer credit between accounts, they are less likely to switch operators due to the hassle of having to completely redefine their mobile environment. They are even less likely to churn if the same personalisation options are unavailable elsewhere. A different world The new and improved billing systems of today are clearly making their mark on the mobile phone industry. Facilitating instant availability of information, dynamic and interactive marketing programmes, creative value-based pricing schemes and convenient service personalisation for each and every end user are just some of the ways that life in a world with real-time billing is different for operators. At the same time, real-time billing blurs the lines between emerging and developed markets, affording unprecedented equal opportunities to all operators and subscribers worldwide. 62
Last Words Dear Reader, The Internet has had a profound impact upon the worlds economy. It has made it possible to live in Rio de Janeiro and work in London. It has brought information and diversion to homes and multiplied the efficiency of business. The selfsame Internet, VoIPVoice over Internet Protocolis now, steadily but surely, overtaking traditional voice communications. In the process, it is profoundly changing the communications sector, the technology it uses, the services it provides and its entire economic structure. A call to any point on the globe will soon cost no more than a call to a next-door neighbour. Operating companies throughout the world, faced with competitors such as Skype and Vonnage that offer very low cost, or even free calling, have to re-think their strategies for survival. Service providers of all sorts and makers of both wired and wireless equipment for networks and terminals have to revise decades of thinking and planning to accommodate the change. The impact upon users throughout the world and especially in developing regions where telecommunications were never affordable, cannot be estimated. The next issue of Connect-World Asia-Pacific will examine this latest Internet invasion. We will look at what it means to Asia Pacifics people, businesses, service providers and equipment suppliers and how both governments and companies need to plan for the change. The theme for the next issue of Connect-World Asia-Pacific will be IPIntelligent Positioning for Growth. It will explore what can be done to maximise the benefits and minimise the pain of the critical migration of telecommunications services to Internet Protocol, IP- based, communications. Fredric J Morris, Editor-in-Chief Advertisers Company Page Company Page IPM Group Veraz Networks Amdocs RFS PTC Convergence India IFC 5 9 10 23 32 GSM India Carriers World SatCom Africa 2005 Teleglobe Ericsson 41 45 52 IBC OBC If you would like further information, or to contact any of the above advertisers, please send a fax to +44 20 7474 0090, or e-mail at: info@connect-world.com quoting the the companys name. Editor-in-Chief: Fredric J. Morris, fredric.morris@connect-world.com; Publisher: David Nunes, david.nunes@connect-world.com; Managing Director: Valetta Brown, admin@connect-world; Head of Production: Cristina Dols, cristina.dols@connect-world.com; Head of Sales: Ahsan Zaman, azaman@connect-world.com; Sales Executives: Prashant Jain, prashant.jain@connect-world.com, Wayne Power, wayne.power@connect-world.com; Web Master: Marri Sehkar, marri.sehkar@connect-world.com; Head of Administration: Trinidad Sadia, trinidad.sadia@connect-world.com; Editorial Manager: Christina George, christina.george@connect-world.com; Administration Assistant: Farida Begum, farida.begum@connect-world.com; Online Conversion: World InfoComms Ltd; Proof Reader: Bernard Simon; Printers: Print House of India All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieved system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronics, mechanic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from the publishers. The content of this Publication is based on best knowledge and information available at the time of publication. No responsibility of any injury, death, loss, damage or delay, however caused, resulting from the use of the material can be accepted by the publishers or others associated with its preparation. The publishers neither accept responsibility for, nor necessarily agree with the views expressed by contributors. Connect-World Asia-Pacific Issue I 2005 is published under Licence by WORLD INFOCOMMS LTD. Executive Office: Global House 12 Albert Road London E16 2DW United Kingdom. Tel.: +44 20 7540 0876 Fax: +44 20 7474 0090 e-mail: info@connect-world.com URL: www.connect-world.com ISSN 1462-2939
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