INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Mobile Technology
the growing mobile data surge. Telcos
sit at the heart of data networks and
services and, as such, have a full view
of the possible opportunities. They
are best positioned to leverage the
data generated by mobile use and
able to spot trends as and when they
happen. With this ability, they can pre-
emptively entrench themselves with their
customers, building and providing the
platforms, services and even applications
that will grow their customers and, in
turn, themselves. The added bonus of
having the tools to mine sensor and user
data for information further enables
trend prediction and customer-centric
service offerings.
Hrusostomos Vicatos, Business
Development Executive for the Telco
Sector at Wipro Limited
in countries like Kenya that a recent
study conducted by GSMA shows that
sub-Saharan Africa continues to account
for the majority of live mobile money
services, at 52%.
Mobility is a growing trend and many
companies are looking into developing
their own apps to drive customer
‘stickiness’ and better connect with
their market. This in turn will drive the
way data is used, enabling innovative
telcos to start customising their
product offerings in line with market
demand, tailoring them around data
and data-enabled services. Some
service providers are calling upon
telecommunication regulators to draft
policies that will either obstruct or
curb over the top mobile data service
providers, effectively protecting their
own revenue streams. But smart telcos
are taking advantage of the new
opportunities created by this amplified
mobile data usage trend. They are
increasingly mining the back end data
trail left by these mobile data users
to understand their personas better,
tailor products and services in-line with
demands of these personas and also
ensuring they realise high ROI on their
marketing spends by releasing more
targeted campaigns.
The opportunity for revenue growth
for Telcos in this application-driven
climate lies in their ability to transform
their service offering on the back of
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INTELLIGENTCIO
A host of industry specific, value-adding
services can be built around the content
and information traversing various
networks. For example, retail chains can
track their global inventory and enable
automatic stock ordering when stores
run dry. Branchless banking via mobile
phones becomes viable for businesses
as well as individuals. Amenities can be
paid efficiently and conveniently via an
application, ensuring improved service
delivery. Wearable technology opens up
a world of possibility, from healthcare
monitoring to granular sports tracking.
And what do these all have in common?
The expansive networks provided by
telcos enable this! But furthermore,
telcos can position themselves as more
than just data pipe providers – they can
become integral partners for innovation.
In order to do so, telcos need to start
thinking laterally, positioning themselves
as enablers of a range of cutting edge,
“Telcos need to be
creative in their
approach to service
provisioning, or
get left behind
in the wake of
more innovative
players.”
data-driven services, rather than merely
the platform on which to build them.
They need to re-evaluate their mobile
products and design them around the
data needs of their customers. In line
with this, they need to create more agile
and flexible commercial models, catered
perhaps even to individual needs rather
than having static one dimensional
product offerings. Types and quantities
of data required differ from customer
to customer, and in our price sensitive
market, getting the product bundles and
pricing options correctly targeted can
also be a key differentiator.
Telcos must be poised for innovation,
reducing their dependence on legacy
processes and systems which can
hold them back. There are several
ways in which a telco can create an
atmosphere geared for innovation:
they can enable innovation to grow
organically, which can be a lengthy
process; they can purchase an agile
company that focuses on innovation
and drive it from there; or they can
leverage a knowledgeable, experienced
partner to develop innovative systems
and interfaces, and enable dynamic,
adaptable service provisioning. A
suitable partner must have the tools to
enable telcos to leapfrog to a position of
innovation, allowing them to be digitally
empowered and capable to leverage
considerable knowledge and skills in
everything from Internet of Things (IoT)
to cloud services, analytics and big data
and even artificial intelligence platforms.
Data prices are levelling out, and like
voice, will be commoditised. Telcos
therefore need to be creative in their
approach to service provisioning, or
get left behind in the wake of more
innovative players. Telcos simply must
position themselves more effectively,
adapting and leveraging the growing
trend of mobility by offering products
that encourage or enable innovation.
By doing so, with the right partners,
they can better integrate with their
customers, becoming the joint
architects of emerging technology
rather than a component of its
construction, and thereby securing their
position in this ever-expanding market
instead of being consigned to the trash
heap of irrelevance. n
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