As the network becomes ever more complex, an increasing number of service providers are looking to outsource network management, allowing them to concentrate on the burgeoning range of value-added services. Nowhere is this more evident than in mobile where operators commonly outsource radio access and core network management to vendors and integrators. One of the most high profile was 3 UK, which outsourced network management to Ericsson in 2005 in one of the biggest deals of its kind. This allowed 3 to focus on rapidly building its subscriber base and developing innovative content services.
It’s not just mobile where operators are seeing the advantage of out-tasking. Broadband operators in mature markets and incumbents in development markets are also looking for help to deal with the complexity of managing IP convergence against a backdrop of skills shortages.
Leading industry watchers Current Analysis noted that in December 2007 alone, there were 27 major managed services contracts issued by operators, up from 17 in the previous month. The reasons for the uptake in managed services, argues analyst John Marcus, is an increase in competition among operators, a desire to minimise risk when moving to a new environment (such as an NGN), and the new expertise required by multi-vendor networks.
Imtech Telecom Global is now a major force in managed services. It offers its ‘Connect‘ service -outsourced management of core and edge network elements, as well as installation, maintenance and support for customer premises equipment while providing full visibility, access and strategic control. With guarantees that contracted equipment is always operational, a service provider no longer needs to worry about resources, spare parts and 24x7 monitoring of its customers. Imtech Telecom Global provides service level agreement (SLA) management reporting through a customer portal, and reports can be white-labelled for customer SLAs. The portal can also be customised and accessed by the service provider’s customers.
Imtech’s managed services ‘Connect’ also include network optimisation, which ensures the network is operating securely and at peak efficiency. This involves identifying potential bottlenecks or hot-spots in the IP network, benchmarking the current health and utilisation of the router infrastructure, analysing BGP peering points and routing policies, and provide trending data that can be used for future capacity planning and trend analysis. These activities improve the network efficiency and reduce the ongoing operational costs.
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