HP is helping China Mobile 'operationalize' for 3G by developing the software underpinnings of the operator's next-generation network and services.
While China Mobile had previously used HP for billing and network management, 3G will require IT vendors to play a bigger role in creating differentiated and customized services, and provide more in the areas of customer care and support.
Speaking to the SHOW DAILY, Sebastiano Tevarotto, VP and GM for HP's communications, communications media and entertainment, said operators in China have so far done well in building network infrastructure and increasing the number of subscribers.
'The competition going forward is now in managing the customer experience and raising the quality of service,' said Tevarotto. 'Services have to be more personalized, more tailored to the customer, and the content has to be richer.'
'We have moved from being a customer supplier to China Mobile to becoming an integral part of their value chain, and the relationship has to escalate for us to be able to build the next generation of customer management,' he said. 'With 2G we help China Mobile do their business. 3G means better customer services.'
Tevarotto said that HP will provide billing, operation support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) for China Mobile that will be built around products such as its OpenView and TeMIP applications.
China Mobile already has over 300 million subscribers and continues to add more than four million subscribers every month, while equipment makers wait for it to begin spending on 3G. The China government is expected to award 3G licenses to operators by 2007, and 3G services are expected to be in operation in 2008 when Beijing hosts the Summer Olympics.
Tevarotto said about 25% of HP's more than 400 global telco customers come from Asia. Other than China Mobile, HP's other customers in the region include Sky Telecom, KDDI, Do Co Mo, SingTel, Optus and Reliance.