| Wireless Broadband Network Vendor of the Year, Best Infrastructure Management Vendor: Ericsson |
Stephanie Huf, Ericsson's head of marketing and communications for Southeast Asia and Oceania, discusses the main trends that are driving growth.
First is mobility. People and businesses want to be able to accomplish all of their tasks no matter where they are. Second is broadband. Faster and better quality broadband enables new business processes, new value networks and new ways for machines to communicate with one another. Third is the cloud, where the entry point is lower thanks to lower costs and where cheaper but powerful devices can run applications that are more accessible.
What do you see as your biggest challenges?
We see that our customers need to cope with increasing data traffic, increasingly demanding customer requirements and managing complex business models on a day-to-day basis. This means smart network planning and capabilities to manage the surge in smartphone traffic are essential, as well as innovative managed services models to help operators focus on their core business.
What are operators' main pain points?
One is relieving data traffic jams. According to recent figures, mobile traffic is doubling every year. Thus, the industry must put network transformation and the development of new business models at the top of their agenda. Sometimes it's a matter of upgrading existing infrastructure while other times entirely new systems are put in place.
Another is building customer relationships. Consumers often couldn't care less about which operator is actually delivering connectivity to their device. For operators there is a battle to gain consumers' attention and keep it. What we offer through our managed services are solutions that allow operators to place more focus and attention on consumer-oriented activities and marketing while we take over the responsibility of managing their networks.
Then there is maximizing profitability. With current flat-fee business models and explosive levels of data traffic, operators are faced with the challenge of finding pricing structures that allow them to be profitable while also attracting new customers and media partners.
How are you helping operators be more profitable?
We have identified five key areas. Operators need to continue to invest in bandwidth and more efficient infrastructure. It is crucial for them to manage the transition to all-IP network environments.
Operators also need to get back to their principal business of providing consumers with seamless communications and collaborate better among themselves to provide seamless communications services.