Tag Archives: telecom

Market Analysis

The Significance of OSS in Telecom Billing Solutions

Communication is a never ending process that remains mandatory in both personal and professional level. Today, the telecom industry offers numerous services that act as a proper communication tool to undertake market analysis and further assisting the companies to promote their sales lead. But, the telecom providers often face some discrepancies while rendering some important aspects. Especially, the subject matter of billing policy comes in first. Today, there is a new concept known as OSS or Operations Support System, that is specially developed to have a proper track upon the inventory, management, planning and repair functions for telecommunication service providers.

Every telecom operator undertakes a task that is fully responsible for billing services and charging related matter. With the help of the Telecom Billing Solutions, it is convenient to understand the requirement of the client and what type of services should be requested. This will allow the client, retain to the service provider for a longer time. The implementation of OSS enhances billing, traffic analysis, cost allocation, inventory management service, order management and network optimization.

The main functionality of the telecommunication OSS is to track the database that the customer is using. After accessing the data, it is forwarded to the billing department for next level of processing. Providing a detailed billing structure is very vital to make the clients satisfied. This will definitely make them feel that their interests are always safeguarded by the service provider.

The OSS starts with a client application request in favor of a fresh account, with a specific telecom service provider. Once the customer records are verified, a special ID is sent to the fresh client. After the approval, the account is activated and then the client is entitled to access the services as per the scheme.

After the service commencement, the call records are processed under the specific ID as per the tariff plan. If the client is using some value added services then all the additional costs would be credited to the primary plan. Apart from the primary billing usage, OSS also monitor the errors and faults that are faced by the customers. All the customer support calls are closely scrutinized and are used for future reference. The modified records into the customer’s ID such as errors, additional discounts or manual data reports are also updated through this system and assist respective departments to improve or cut down the problems in the future. After a specific period, a database is formulated as per the billing standards (Automated Message Accounting System, Network Data Management, etc). In addition, OSS incorporates cost based on the collections, printing, billing cycles and call center.

As the competition grows, the service provider needs to concentrate upon advanced billing system through a better mode. The Customer relationship management represents an effective telecom billing solutions through OSS. It is a must in telecommunication industry.

Market Analysis

Africa Telecom Market Report 2008-2009

Leave a comment

Africa grows fast in population, currently 900 million plus. The growth rate of African economy was 5.7% in 2008, and the figure may drop to 3.2% in 2009 since global economic slowdown.

As one of regions where telecom industry develops the most rapidly, mobile communication in Africa is progressing exceedingly fast. At present, there are approximately 390 million cell phone subscribers, but with less than 45% penetration rate. Thereby, it still has great potential for further development.

Mobile prepay users take the majority of Africa’s subscribers, a single subscriber may have several cards; so, the real penetration rate is less than that aforementioned.

Economic improvement and open-up of telecom industry drive the rapid growth of Africa telecom industry.

Table Of Contents :

1. Overview of Africa Telecom Industry
1.1 Industry Scale and Growth
1.1.1 Fixed Telephone Market
1.1.2 Mobile Communication Market
1.2 Market Patterns
1.2.1 Fixed Telephone Market
1.2.2 Mobile Communication Market
1.3 Internet Market
1.4 Business Competition Patterns

2. Algeria
2.1 Status Quo & Trend of Telecom Industry
2.2 Key Operators
2.2.1 Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy)
2.2.2 Algeria Telecom
2.2.3 Wataniya Telecom Algérie

3. Egypt
3.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
3.2 Key Operators
3.2.1 Telecom Eygpt
3.2.2 ECMS (Mobinil)
3.2.3 Vodafone Egypt

4. Morocco
4.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
4.2 Key Operators
4.2.1 Maroc Telecom
4.2.2 Meditel (Méditelecom, Méditel for short)
4.3.3 Wana

5. Libya
5.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
5.2 Key Operators

6. Tunisia
6.1 Development of Telecom Industry
6.2 Key Operators
6.2.1 TUNTEL
6.2.2 TUNISIANA

7. Cameroon
7.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
7.2 Key Operators
7.2.1 CAMTEL
7.3.2 MTN Cameroon
7.3.3 Orange Cameroon

8. Congo, Dem. Rep
8.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
8.2 Key Operators
8.2.1 Zain Congo
8.2.2 Vodacom Congo

9. Uganda
9.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
9.2 Key Operators
9.2.1 UTL
9.2.2 MTN Uganda
9.2.3 Zain Uganda

10. Ethiopia
10.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
10.2 Key Operators

11. Nigeria
11.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
11.1.1 Fixed-line Communication
11.2.2 Mobile Communication
11.2.3 Internet
11.3 Key Operators
11.3.1 MTN Nigeria
11.3.2 VMobile
11.3.3 NITEL
11.3.4 Globacom

12. Kenya
12.1 Development of Telecom Industry
12.1.1 Latest Developments of Communication Business
12.1.2 Fixed-line Communication
12.1.3 Mobile Communication
12.1.4 Internet
12.2 Key Operators
12.2.1 Telkom Kenya
12.2.2 Safaricom
12.3.3 Celtel Kenya

13. Ghana
13.1 Development of Telecom Industry
13.2 Key Operators
13.2.1 Ghana Telecomm
13.2.2 MTN Ghana (Scancom)
13.2.3 Zain Ghana(Celtel)

14. South Africa
14.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
14.1.1 Fixed-line Communication
14.1.2 Mobile Communication
14.1.3 Internet
14.2 Key Operators
14.2.1 Telkom
14.2.2 MTN
14.2.3 Vodacom
14.2.4 Cell-C

15. Zambia
15.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
15.2 Key Operators
15.2.1 Zamtel
15.2.2 Telecel Zambia(MTN(Zambia))
15.2.3 Celtel Zambia(Zain Zambia)

16. Madagascar
16.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
16.2 Key Operators
16.2.1 Telma
16.2.2 Orange Madagascar
16.2.3 ZAIN Madagascar

17. Tanzania
17.1 Status Quo of Telecom Industry
17.2 Key Operators
17.3.1 TTCL
17.3.2 Vodacom Tanzania Ltd
17.3.3 ZAIN Tanzania (Celtel Tanzania)

18. Trends of Africa Telecom Industry
18.1 Characteristics
18.1.1 Overall Backwardness
18.1.2 Unbalance Development by Region
18.1.3 Rapid Development
18.1.4 Mobile Communication Over Fixed-line Service
18.1.5 Mainstream Status of GSM
18.1.6 Huge Market Potential
18.1.7 Intense Competition
18.1.8 Reform in Telecom Industry
18.2 Entry Suggestions
18.3 Investment Opportunities
18.4 Development Trend

Selected Charts

“Growth of Fixed Telephone Subscribers in Africa, 1995-2007
Growth of Mobile Phone Subscribers in Africa, 2003-2008
Penetration Rate of Mobile Phone Subscribers in Key African Countries, 2008
Population Distribution in Africa
Distribution of Fixed Telephone Subscribers in Africa, Sep 2007
Fixed Line Penetration in Africa by region, Sep 2007
Number of Operators in Key African Markets, 2008
Top 10 Mobile Operators in Africa, 2008Q1
Internet Subscribers Distribution in Africa at the End of Jun 2007
Status Quo & Trend of Algeria Telecom Industry Development
Growth of Mobile Subscribers in Algeria, 2000-2007
Mobile Subscribers of Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), 2006-2008
Mobile Market Share of Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), 2008
MOU of Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), 2006-2008
ARPU of Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), 2006-2008
Revenue of Orascom Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), 2007-2008
Organization Structure of NTRA
Status Quo of Telecom Licenses in Egypt
Egypt Telecom Licenses
Fixed Phone Subscribers in Egypt, 2008
Mobile and Fixed Phone Subscribers in Egypt, 2007-2008
Broadband Subscribers in Egypt, 2008
Internet Subscriber and Penetration Rate in Egypt, 2007-2008
Internet Access by Type in Egypt, 2007-2008
Age Structure of Internet Subscribers in Egypt, 2007-2008
Mobile Phone Subscribers in Egypt, 2008
Public Phone Subscribers in Egypt, 2008
Phone Penetration Rate in Egypt, 2008
Phone Penetration Rate in Egypt, 2007-2008
Revenue and Expenditure of Key Telecom Operators in Egypt, 2007-2008
Mobile Communication Market Share in Egypt, 2008
Key Financial Data of Telecom Egypt, 2008
Profile of Mobinil
Mobile Subscribers of Mobinil, 2006-2008
MOU of Mobinil Mobile Subscribers, 2006-2008
ARPU of Mobinil Mobile Subscribers, 2006-2008
Revenue of Mobinil, 2007-2008
GSM Mobile Subscribers, 2007-2008
Growth of Mobile Subscribers in Morocco, 2000-Jun 2007
Growth of Fixed Phone and Cell Phone Subscribers of Maroc Telecom, 2007-2008
Classification of Mobile Phone Subscribers of Maroc Telecom, 2007-2008
Internet Subscribers of Maroc Telecom, 2007-2008
Equity Structure of Meditel
Growth of Fixed Phone Subscribers in Tunisia, 2000-2008
Growth of Mobile Phone Subscribers in Tunisia, 2000-2008
Mobile Market Share in Tunisia, 2008
Growth of Internet Subscribers in Tunisia, 2000-2008
Mobile Subscribers of TUNISIANA, 2006-2008
MOU of TUNISIANA Mobile Subscribers, 2006-2008
ARPU of TUNISIANA Mobile Subscribers, 2006-2008
Total Revenue of TUNISIANA, 2007-2008
Phone Market Share of Cameron, 2007-2008Q1
Growth of Mobile Subscribers in Cameron, 2000-2008
Classification of CAMTEL’s Fixed Phone Subscribers, 2007-2008
Growth of Mobile Subscribers of MTN Cameroon, Mar 2002-Jun 2007
Growth of Mobile Subscribers of MTN Cameroon, 2007-2008
Growth of Mobile Subscribers of Orange Cameroon, 2007-2008
Market Performance of Vodacom Congo, 2008
Uganda Telecom Developments, 2008
Uganda Call Volume, 2008
SMS Classified Volume in Uganda, 2008
Public Phone Quantity in Uganda, 2008
Internet Bandwidth in Uganda, 2008
Growth of Internet Subscribers in Uganda, 2000-2008
Growth of Mobile Subscribes of MTN Uganda, Mar 2002-2008
Internet Coverage of Zain Uganda
Organization Structure of Ethiopia ETA
Growth of Mobile Subscribers in Ethiopia, 2000-2007
Organization Structure of ETC
Fixed Phone Coverage in Nigeria, 2008
Growth of Fixed Phone Subscribers in Nigeria, 2000-2008
GSM Operators Statistics in Nigeria, Mar 2009
CDMA Operators Statistics in Nigeria, Mar 2009
Growth of Mobile Subscribers in Nigeria, 2000-2008
Market Share Proportion of the Four Operators
Mobile Subscribers and Penetration of MTN Nigeria, 2002-2008
ARPU Changes of MTN Nigeria, 2002-2007
Changes of Fixed Phone Subscribers by Business in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Fixed Phone Subscribers in Kenya, 2000-2008
Fixed-line Subscribers and Penetration Rate in Kenya, 2000-2008
Fixed Phone Access by Type in Kenya, 2007-2008
Regional Distribution of Fixed-line Subscribers in Kenya
Urban and Rural Fixed-line Subscribers’ Proportion, 2008
Mobile Phone Subscribers and Penetration Rate in Kenya, 2007-2008
Growth of Mobile Phone Subscribers in Kenya, 2000-2008
Changes of Mobile Communication Traffic Volume in Kenya, Apr-Dec 2008
Changes of Mobile Phones Expenses in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Mobile Network Coverage in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Mobile Communication Revenue and Investment in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Internet Subscribers in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Internet Revenue & Investment in Kenya, 2007-2008
Changes of Subscribers of Key Mobile Operators in Kenya, 2003-2008
Equity Structure of Safaricom
Growth of Mobile Subscribers of Safaricom, 2005-2008
Growth of Fixed Phone Subscribers in Ghana, 2000-2008
Market Share of Fixed-Phone Operators in Ghana, 2008
Growth of Mobile Phone Subscribers in Ghana, 2000-2008
Internet Subscribers’ Proportion by Type in Ghana
Subscribers and ARPU Changes of MTN Ghana, 2006-2008
Growth of Fixed Phone Subscribers in South Africa, 1999-2007
Growth of Mobile Phone Subscribers in South Africa, 2000-2008
SIM Card Penetration in South Africa, 2006-2008
Market Share of Mobile Communication in Africa, 2008
Growth of Internet Subscribers in North Africa, 2001-2008
Market Share of Mobile Operators in South Africa, Dec 2008
Telkom’s Subscribers by Type, 2006-2008
Telkom’s Call Time by Type, 2006-2008
Internet infrastructure of Telkom, 2004-2008
Main Businesses and Financial Results of MTN, FY2008
MTN’s Subscribers Distribution by Region
APRU of MTN
Development Trend of Mobile Subscribers of MTN in Middle East and Africa
Main Businesses Structure of MTN
MTN’s Market Analysis by Region
Subscribers’ ARPU Changes of Vodacom SA
Mobile Operating Data of Vodacom, 2006-2008
Revenue Growth of Vodacom, FY2007-2009
Market Share of Zambia’s Mobile Operators, 2004-2007
Mobile Phone Development in Zambia, 2000-2008
Internet Subscribers Development in Zambia, 2001-2008
PSTN Subscribers Development in Zambia, 2001-2008
Netwrok Coverage of MTN(Zambia)Ltd
Subscribers Development of Zain Zambia, 2004-2008
Revenue Growth of Zain Zambia, 2004-2008
Net Profit Growth of Zain Zambia, 2004-2008
Phone Penetration in Madagascar, 2000-2007
Operation of ZAIN Madagascar, 2007-2008
Operator Numbers by Type in Tanzania
Voice Telecommunication Subscribers, 2000 – 2008
Mobile Phone Subscribers’ Proportion to Fixed Phone Subscribers in Tanzania
Voice Telecommunications Penetration (Teledensity)
Voice Telecommunications Penetration (Teledensity)
Subscribers per Operators
Mobile Phone Market Share in Tanzania, 2008
Equity Structure of TTCL
Operation of ZAIN Tanzania, 2008
Growth Trend of Mobile Subscribers in Africa, 2002-2012E
Mobile Subscribers and Penetration in Africa, 2002-2012E
Development Trend of 3G Subscribers in Africa, 2002-2012E”

To know more about this report, please visit:

Market Analysis

Optical Telecom Gear Market Finally Recovers from Dot-Com Bust

Leave a comment

According to market research firm iSuppli Corp., ten years after the Internet bubble burst and took the global telecommunications business down with it, the market for optical telecom network equipment finally has commenced a sustained recovery.

Worldwide optical telecom network equipment revenue will amount to $13.5 billion in 2010, up 7.7 percent from $12.5 billion in 2009. Revenue will continue to rise during the next four year’s until it reaches $22.1 billion in 2014, the highest total since the market peak of $24.95 billion in 2000. While revenue briefly spiked in 2006 and 2007, the rise was not sustainable, with the market shrinking to depressed levels again in 2008 and 2009, as presented in Figure 1 attached.

“During the final stages of the Dot-Com bubble in 2000, when everyone was sure that the boom would last forever, network operators sank billions into infrastructure equipment and fiber,” said Lee Ratliff, Senior Analyst (Broadband and Digital Home) for iSuppli. “However, when the boom went bust, that fiber was left idle—becoming so called ‘dark fiber’—with much of it remaining unused for a decade. However, with the continued growth of the Internet, the industry finally has absorbed the excess capacity, lighting up the vast excess dark fiber from the bubble, and prompting companies to invest in upgraded optical equipment.”

The new Internet boom

The revival of optical networking is being fueled by the continued expansion of the Internet. “While the heady days of the Dot-Com era are gone forever, the Internet is still expanding at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 45 percent,” Ratliff noted. “Major factors driving the Internet’s growth include the explosion of high-bandwidth video traffic, peer-to-peer traffic, the rapid expansion of China’s broadband market and the deployment of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) systems.”

The ever-expanding demand for bandwidth is prompting optics in existing fiber networks to be upgraded to higher speeds. Telcos also are increasing their deployment of Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), a technology that increases the speed of existing fiber.

Furthermore, new fiber is being installed at rapid rate. Major civil engineering projects including the East Africa Submarine Cable System (EASSy) are helping to promote growth.

China boom

In April, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), together with sixother ministries, announced a plan to provides tax incentives and financial subsidies for domestic fiber broadband equipment, optical chip and optical module manufacturers.

Driven by this stimulus, broadband Internet subscribers in China are set to rise to 242.7 million in 2014, up from 132.5 million in 2008, according to iSuppli’s China Research service. Along with such an increase, China’s telcos will double their spending on passive optical network equipment from 2010 to 2014.

Optical semiconductors and MEMS recover

After nearly a decade of stagnation, revenue from semiconductors used in optical networks also is finally is set to begin a multiyear expansion in 2010. Optical network semiconductor revenue is projected to expand to $3.6 billion in 2014, up from $2.1 billion in 2010.

Within this semiconductor segment, the market for optical MEMS for telecom equipment is expected to enjoy a renaissance.

“As deployment of (FTTH) surges, there’s a need to build up metro and long-haul networks to accommodate faster data rates,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and principal analyst for MEMS research at iSuppli. “This will have a positive impact on sales of optical MEMS used in metro and long-haul optical telecommunications gear.”

Wavelength-Selective Switching Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (WSS ROADMs), devices that enhance the agility of optical networks, are expected to be the fast-growing portion of the optical telecom MEMS market.

Furthermore, MEMS are experiencing rapid growth as Variable Optical Attenuators (VOAs), and are taking share from competing devices. Chinese players like O-NET are rapidly adopting MEMS for their VOAs. As a result, unit shipments of MEMS VOAs will grow by 78 percent in 2010.

Other attractive areas for MEMS in optical networks include Variable Optical Attenuators (VOAs), tunable filters, cross connects and 1XN switches.