Acronym soup – OSS, M2M, GIS, POS, OSSaS and SCADA

Intuition becomes increasingly valuable in the new information society precisely because there is so much data.”
John Naisbitt
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Yesterday we spoke of a couple of acronyms that aren’t so common in traditional B/OSS, namely NFV and SDN.

Today, I have five more for you that aren’t so common but have roles to play in B/OSS being a revenue centre rather than a cost centre. They are M2M (Machine-to-machine), GIS (Geographic Information Systems), POS (Point of Sale), OSSaaS (OSS as a Service) and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition).

These acronyms themselves aren’t exactly new, but what is new is the possibility that mobility technologies could turn them into a revenue stream for your OSS.

Let’s start with M2M using an example. Smart Grids – Smart meters are commonly fitted with wireless SIM cards supplied by CSPs. The CSP’s mobile network carries data from the meter (a machine) back to base to be interpreted by another machine. The opportunity for the CSP lies in the ability to not just monitor, diagnose and resolve the wireless communication link, but actually managing the smart meter and handing over the metered data to the utility. SCADA is another example where OSS could extend beyond managing the communications links and offer the opportunity for CSPs to broaden their service offerings.

OSSs that already have GIS (Geographic Information Systems) when combined with existing devices that track GPS (Global Positioning Systems) coordinates gives a CSP the platform to offer location-based service innovation.

POS is another example. Many carriers provide the wireless comms link to Point of Sales (PoS) devices already. But how many CSPs are also performing the role of financial clearing house that coordinates the transfer of funds between accounts? Extending the BSS could potentially extend the reach of a CSP’s service offerings. Is it inevitable that CSPs will become ether-financiers when local currencies lose their relevance?

OSSaaS – Incumbent CSPs that don’t wish to compete against their existing customers from the banking, utility and enterprise space still have the ability to profit from offering OSSaaS (OSS as a Service) to these entities, allowing them to focus on core business but still deliver enhanced services to their customers.

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