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SPIT Explained
Service Provider Information Technology, or SPIT, is Light Reading's term for the evolving set of non-traditional telecom (and data networking) technologies that allow for a greater degree of flexibility in the creation, management, delivery, and monetization of new-generation communications services.
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SPIT Infographic
What exactly is Service Provider IT and how does it relate to the communications ecosystem? Here's a graphic that'll give you a snapshot of what we're talking about and appeal to your inherent aesthetic sensibilities
SPIT Manifesto
What is SPIT, why is it 'hot stuff' and how does it relate to the major challenges facing communications service providers today? The updated SPIT Manifesto answers these questions and achieves the near impossible task of giving a slime green splat a happy home.
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SPIT Video
For operators looking to develop, deliver and monetize new services, run their companies more efficiently and provide an overall better experience for their customers, Service Provider IT, or SPIT, is just as important as the network.
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There's been some significant M&A activity in the Service Provider Information Technology (SPIT) sector during the past few weeks as movers and shakers look to consolidate their positions in the applications and cloud services markets, while Comverse Technology Inc. takes another restructuring step.
And, of course, there may be some more telecom software acquisition activity in the near future, too. (See Is NSN Close to BSS Sale?)
Elsewhere, there are some partnerships, financial performances and contract awards worth noting.
Following its deal to sell roaming unit Starhome, holding company Comverse Technology has taken another significant step toward a simpler ownership structure. It is to be swallowed up by Verint Systems, currently part of the Comverse Technology group. That process will coincide with BSS and value-added services (VAS) business Comverse Inc. becoming an independent company. In essence, Verint will subsume its current parent company and Comverse Inc. will become the master of its own destiny. (See Verint to Merge With Comverse Tech, Comverse Sells Roaming Unit and Comverse Hits a Slippery Slope.)
Still in India and still with VAS, Altruist Technologies, which is based in the city of Chandigarh, has acquired Swedish VAS specialist Teligent Telecom for about €13 million ($16.4 million), reports The Business Standard. Despite having a lot of big-name carrier customers, Teligent has annual revenues of only €14 million ($17.6 million), but that will be enough to double Altruist's annual sales.
Pan-European operator Colt Technology Services Group Ltd has acquired ThinkGrid, a move designed to enhance Colt's penetration into the market for cloud services targeted at small and medium-sized businesses. Auto-provisioning and flexible billing capabilities are said to be among ThinkGrid key attributes. (See Colt Buys ThinkGrid for Cloud Smarts.)
Irish policy control specialist Openet Telecom Ltd. has teamed up with Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. to develop "new business models for global operators in the MBB (mobile broadband) era." The duo are going to see what happens when they throw Openet's policy and charging systems into the same room as Huawei's mobile network and evolved packet core (EPC) capabilities. Also worth noting here is that Openet's global vice president of alliances goes by the fantastic name of Apollo Guy. That's a business card worth having. (See Openet Upgrades Policy Management Suite.)
Australian OSS vendor Clarity International Pty Ltd. has had a fruitful financial year, almost doubling its revenues to AUS$32.6 million (US$33.6 million) and recording a small profit in the 12 months ending June 30. And the company says there's more to come. "With orders of almost AUS$80M achieved during the year the business has significant revenue coverage for the next financial year and is continuing to strengthen the team to grow our market reach. Taking these factors into consideration we believe that Clarity will show continuing top line growth in the next financial year, along with improving operational profitability," stated CEO Jon Newbery in the company's news announcement. (See Globe Deploys More Clarity OSS.)
Here's an interesting take on the Apple Inc. vs. Samsung Corp. battle that suggests Apple might go on to dominate the mobile commerce market if it gets its way in the handset and OS sector. Check out this BillingViews report, "Rotten Apple Threatens Commerce for All."
And here's a snapshot of some other SPIT announcements made recently:
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