One of the biggest challenges facing operators is being able to intelligently use data collected from a wide range of sources across their operations, and Amdocs’ latest portfolio enhancement attempts to do just that.
Although it may be a little late in the day, by expanding its big data analytics capabilities, Amdocs is aiming to offer service providers the ability to control their data assets and improve the customer experience.
It’s been possible for a number of years to collect data from the network using packet reading techniques such as DPI (deep packet inspection), but the focus is now on addressing telco big data holistically.
More data sources have recently become available to operators, including the service layer, BSS, the access network, and the end-user device. In addition, the range and complexity of available data has further increased due to the notion of using social networking as a customer relationship management (CRM) tool. A holistic approach is therefore vital if the data is to be of any use.
Amdocs’ strategy is to bring together all the required elements to store, analyze, and utilize all available data in a single portfolio of products. It has built out its Terascale big data solution (launched in February 2014) and its Proactive Care product, as well as its industry-focused BI, data analysis as-a-service, and data warehousing services.
The company has also drawn on its recent network optimization acquisitions, Actix and Celcite, to extend its big data reach into the network in an attempt to offer a more complete proposition.
Much has been made of the potential of developments in, for example, integrating policy and online charging platforms, in terms of the ability to offer customers realtime interaction, proactive CRM, and a range of online and offline marketing functions and strategies.
Realtime discounting, upselling, innovative pricing strategies, and customer self-provisioning are all promises held out by new technologies as the telecoms industry moves fully into the IP era, but in most cases they rely on the availability of realtime data.
Even functions such as campaign planning and other offline activities require the availability of business intelligence derived from the mass of available data, so the importance of an end-to-end strategy cannot be overstressed.