Pieces of the provisioning puzzle
“The art of simplicity is a puzzle of complexity.” Douglas Horton. Consolidated service orchestration requires you to solve the puzzle of complexity and deliver a wonderfully simple, repeatable engine for your operations team. It looks simple and it sounds simple, but the following list provides just a handful of the pre-requisite tasks you’ll need to […]
Internet of Things is exploding
“The internet already connects everyone and it’s about to connect everything. The ubiquity of always-on connectivity, the declining price and increasing versatility of sensors, and the benefits of remote information and control is prompting a new generation of devices ranging from doorknobs to thermostats to refridgerators to lightbulbs. From the largest technology and manufacturing companies to […]
NetworkMining releases new probes
NetworkMining announces the latest release of Probes. NetworkMining, today announces the latest extension of its probe portfolio. NetworkMining’s probes are pre-integrated adapters towards vendor specific network management systems and devices. The collected data is further processed, normalized and stored in NetworkMining’s configuration management database. NetworkMining introduces today MTNM probes for systems supplied by ECI and […]
The two most common OSS tools
“John D. Rockefeller wanted to dominate oil, but Microsoft wants it all, you name it: cable, media, banking, car dealerships.” Ralph Nader. As a friend of mine often says, “the two most commonly used OSS tools are Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010.” Whether it’s design packs, address management, joint/splice schedules, asset lists, etc, etc, etc, […]
A user interface is like a joke…
“A user interface is like a joke. If you have to explain it, it’s not that good.” StartupVitamins. Very funny! I’ve seen lots of OSS interfaces that are like a joke. Some funny. Some not so funny. In general, OSS interfaces need more explaining than they should. In part that comes from interfacing with complex […]
Vendor selection using Gartner magic quadrant
“A lawsuit filed Tuesday (ed. 5 Aug 2014) in Connecticut Superior Court accuses tech analyst firm Gartner Research of demanding kickbacks in exchange for favorable placement in the company’s famous Magic Quadrant report. NetScout, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of network performance management products, says in court documents that companies that pay for Gartner’s consulting services are […]
International mergers
“The world’s telecommunications market with its national fiefdoms, loose market deregulation, over-bearing government regulation and occasional fierce competition lends itself to M&A as a means of growing, and sometimes sustaining revenues, by accessing new markets. Whilst telcos still have cash they are better positioned to buy in foreign markets as their own markets may see […]
A lot of moving parts
“A job with a lot of moving parts benefits from a brain that has a lot of moving parts.” Nolan Bushnell. The quote above comes from Nolan’s book entitled, “Finding the Next Steve Jobs,” which I’m currently reading. It covers Nolan’s personal experiences with Steve (he was Steve’s boss at Atari and friend thereafter), but […]
Vodafone India selects Ericsson
Vodafone India selects Ericsson to transform prepaid charging system for over 75 million subscribers. Ericsson has successfully deployed its Charging System for Vodafone India. The Ericsson Charging System enables a host of new services like flexible refill, community charging and real time balance notifications among several other different voice and data offerings for over 75 […]
Globe selects NCR Bill Pay
NCR Bill Pay solution allows Globe Telecom to improve in-store customer experience and store operations. NCR Corporation announced that Globe Telecom, a leading telecommunications provider in the Philippines, chose the NCR Bill Pay solution allowing customers to quickly pay their bills in a store without employee assistance. In the retail locations where the NCR Bill […]
Mediacom extends with CSG
Mediacom Communications Extends Contract with CSG. CSG International announced that MediacomCommunications Corporation, the nation’s eighth largest cable television company, has renewed its strategic partnership with CSG to support the delivery of service differentiation and innovation to Mediacom’s 1.3 million customers. CSG and Mediacom enjoy a relationship that spans more than 15 years. Under the terms […]
Branding your Lexus OSS
“It’s one thing to be a ahead of your time. It’s another to change the future.” Lexus. Do telcos need differentiated prestige brands, in much the same way as Lexus is to Toyota? Do they need to differentiate their bit and byte businesses from solution integration and again from apps/content, etc? Telcos tend to be […]
EMEA Group Operator signs Redknee
Leading EMEA Group Operator Signs $17 Million of Orders with Redknee. Redknee Solutions Inc. announced that a leading group operator in EMEA has signed multiple software and services orders totaling more than $17 million with Redknee. These new deals will support the group operator to deliver innovative data services faster to the market and maintain […]
Land and expand!
“A smart manager will establish a culture of gratitude. Expand the appreciative attitude to suppliers, vendors, delivery people, and of course, customers.” Harvey Mackay. Over the years, I’ve noticed an approach that is used by some OSS solution integrators / vendors but interestingly, not by others. It’s what’s known as “land and expand.” It’s when […]
Telem Group Selects Centina Systems
Telem Group Selects Centina Systems for End-to-End Network Visibility to Improve Operational Efficiencies. Centina Systems announced that Telem Group is set to deploy its NetOmnia™ suite of solutions for real-time end-to-end visibility of the network and improved troubleshooting and problem resolution. Telem Group’s selection of Centina’s NetOmnia™ Fault and Performance Management and Service Vision solutions […]
OSS Skunk-works
“Executive consultant at specialist software development consultancy ThoughtWorks Leslie Barry says the skunk works division becomes a safe place for experimentation. “You do that to attract a different culture that wants to try new things, get stuff done and get it out there faster,” Barry says. “It is about attracting smart, engaged people and giving […]
If big data is collected in a forest….
“If big data is collected in a forest and nobody is around to mine it, are any insights found?” Ryan Jeffery. To quote David Prior, “Big Data is Rubbish.” Click on the link to find out why. Check out slide 42 in particular. Whether you want to call it BIIIIG DATAAAAA or just data, OSS […]
OSS Supply chain – Shift No. 6
“Shift No. 6: From Mass-Market Supply to Tailored Offerings. OLD QUESTION: How should we organise our company’s operations to serve the mass market efficiently while offering customised products? NEW QUESTION: How should we organise the supply chain to serve each customer or segment uniquely and provide a tailored customer experience?” Laura Ross Kopczak and M. […]
OSS Supply chain – Shift No. 5
“Shift No. 5: From Cost Reduction to Breakthrough Business Models. OLD QUESTION: How can we reduce our company’s production and distribution costs? NEW QUESTION: What new supply-chain and marketing approach would lead to a breakthrough in customer value?” Laura Ross Kopczak and M. Eric Johnson in the “MIT Sloan Management Review.” The old and new […]
OSS Supply chain – Shift No. 4
“Shift No. 4: From Single-Company Product Design to Collaborative, Concurrent Product, Process and Supply-Chain Design. OLD QUESTION: How should or company design products to minimise product cost (our cost of materials, production and distribution)? NEW QUESTION: How should collaborators design the product, process and supply chain to minimise costs?” Laura Ross Kopczak and M. Eric […]