Cost Transformation Feature Editorial

Leverage Open Service Innovation to Create Competitive Differentiation

By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor

As a network operator, do you find it challenging to identify new ways to drive additional revenue streams? You have most certainly noticed the increase in demand for new solutions, services and applications, but have you leveraged what you currently have to capitalize on these opportunities?

Perhaps the more important question is whether or not you have leveraged open service innovation? It is understandable that you may not be accustomed to operating in an open platform; after all it goes against your competitive nature. In this market, however, it is such openness that helps service providers to achieve a competitive differentiation as they can leverage the strengths of those operating in the ecosystem to drive new offerings and speed time to market. It is highly likely that within your environment, you are trying to manage a number of different vendors, maintenance contracts and required skill sets. 

This makes sense as you rely on a complicated process of third-party providers in order to deliver what your subscribers want today and develop new services to meet changing trends and demands for tomorrow. You also have legacy equipment and investments to maintain, while migrating to new platforms to deliver on new innovations. In reality, you are managing much complexity that can quickly get too expensive to allow you to continue to compete effectively. 

As a result, you need to invest in those solutions that are designed to help you to reduce your costs, sharpen your focus on services and customers, and maintain the quality of your legacy operations. This may sound like something that can only happen in an ideal world, but you can actually make it a reality when you take the right steps and form the right partnerships. 

One of the most important partnerships you can form is with Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert). This proven provider delivers the Alcatel-Lucent Cost Transformation Program that offers unique multi-vendor maintenance services and managed services and capacity, as well as tailored IP transformation strategies. With such services and strategies in place, you can optimize profits and the Quality of Experience (QoE) while also achieving non-linear OPEX reductions as high as 30 percent. 

Transformation in order to meet the current demands of the market does not have to be complicated or expensive, but it can be if you don’t have the right tools or partnerships in place. In leaning on the Alcatel-Lucent Cost Transformation Program, you can leverage market-proven tools to drive the innovation you need to meet the competitive demands of the market today. Competitive differentiation is not a given – you have to earn it.

Susan J. Campbell is a contributing editor for TMCnet and has also written for eastbiz.com. To read more of Susan’s articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Erin Harrison