By
Brydon Pilkington, Regional Manager, Middle East and Africa, InfoVista
It’s no secret that Africa represents
perhaps the largest growth opportunity in the world for the telecommunications
industry. Every day, mobile operators are building bigger, better and stronger
networks to keep up with the growing demand for voice and data services from
the African population. It is an exciting time, but it is also very easy to get
caught up in that excitement and buzzwords like “LTE”
and lose sight of what must go into these networks if they are to stand the
test of time. It’s not just about what they can do today, but what they’ll be
able to do tomorrow, the next and the day after that.
Mobile operators have to consider the
technologies of tomorrow when building today for the simple reason that they can’t
afford to undertake massive overhaul projects every few years. They have to
build in a certain level of flexibility, so their networks can evolve and grow
along with the technologies and data services that their subscribers will come
to expect. Simply put, they need better network
planning, service
assurance and optimization, so they are ready for the future.
Forrester Research recently announced the Mobile Mind Shift Index
(MMSI). The idea here is that as mobile users gain access to new devices and
applications and see what is possible, they will start to expect and then
demand these services be readily available at their convenience. They will also
judge communications service providers based on their ability to meet these
demands, and take their business elsewhere if their current mobile operators cannot
offer the quality of service (QoS) they desire. The MMSI measures the change in
mobile users’ expectations in this regard. Additionally, earlier this year, IDC
predicted that 2013 would be the year of the smartphone and mobile app in
Africa. As they have indeed begun to overtake feature phones, measurement tools
like the MMSI and the IDC research offer us a glimpse of both the opportunities
in Africa and how easily they can pass you by if you’re not careful.
Perhaps the most critical factor in the
successful expansion of the African telecommunications market and in driving
the profitability of mobile operators is the ability to ensure unparalleled
end-to-end QoS. At InfoVista, we have seen firsthand how efficient service
assurance, network planning and optimization have enabled this. By making full
use of the latest network technologies, while also preparing for the
integration of tomorrow’s network innovations, they are better equipped to meet
the growing expectations and demand from their subscribers. At the same time,
mobile operators are able to minimize CAPEX and OPEX through this improved
efficiency, in turn maximizing ROI and further enhancing their profitability.
Ultimately, it all comes down to being able
to continually develop and offer high-quality services that retain customers
and attract new business. Network planning and optimization, particularly in
Africa, where eyes are constantly looking toward the future, should be
approached like a game of chess — always thinking 10 moves ahead.
Visit InfoVista at AfricaCom 2013. Come and meet them at stand C04 by registering for your free ticket to AfricaCom Here
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