The SPIT Manifesto 2.0

Advanced analytics

Billing systems

Business intelligence

Charging systems

Configuration management

Contract management and settlement

Customer relationship management

Customer care/self care

Customer experience management

Data integrity

Data mediation

Data warehousing

Element management systems

Fault management

Mediation systems

Middleware

Network analytics

Network inventory management

Network planning tools

Network provisioning

Order management

Performance management

Policy management

Product catalog

Revenue assurance and fraud management

Service activation

Service management

Service quality management

Subscriber data management

Notable names in this sector (in which hundreds of companies are active) include Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A), Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU), Amdocs Ltd. (NYSE: DOX), CA Technologies (Nasdaq: CA), Comverse Inc. (Nasdaq: CNSI), Convergys Corp. (NYSE: CVG), Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) (Telcordia), HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ), Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. , IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM), NEC Corp. (Tokyo: 6701) (NetCracker), Nokia Networks and Oracle Corp. (Nasdaq: ORCL).

Service-Oriented Platforms
These platforms, which comprise a collection of standard and specialized IT components, have grown in importance as CSPs, most notably mobile operators, have sought to: create more nimble and efficient ways of making new services available to customers; more effectively manage the utilization of network assets; and ensure customer and partner access to the appropriate network and application assets.

App store platforms

Application servers

Cloud service brokerage

Deep packet inspection (DPI)

Diameter routing products

M2M management platforms

Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Policy servers (PCRF)

Service brokers

Service delivery platforms/network exposure gateways Notable names in this sector include Accenture , Aepona Ltd. , Alcatel-Lucent, Allot Ltd. (Nasdaq: ALLT), Amdocs, Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), CA, Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), Compuware Corp. (Nasdaq: CPWR), Ericsson, F5 Networks Inc. (Nasdaq: FFIV), GetJar Networks Inc. , HP, Huawei, IBM, Microsoft, Nokia Siemens, Sandvine Inc. and Tekelec .

Cloud service enablement technologies
It's very early for carrier cloud developments, and there are many generic IT systems that are used in the cloud. But several specific technologies are helping the CSPs get their foot in the cloud door:

Application acceleration (including WAN acceleration tools)

Cloud automation platforms (also known as cloud operating systems)

Content delivery systems/caching platforms

Telco-grade storage/server systems

Unified cloud management (bringing cloud and network management under one system)

Currently, VMware Inc. (NYSE: VMW), shared storage specialist NetApp Inc. (Nasdaq: NTAP) and Cisco have emerged as notable specialist technology providers and partners to the telecom world's cloud enthusiasts. Some of the traditional telecom network vendors, most notably Alcatel-Lucent, are also unveiling carrier-cloud systems tailored to the needs of CSPs.

Security tools/platforms
This category includes user authentication and URL filtering (closely linked to policy control), firewalls, and denial-of-service defenses. These tools are particularly relevant here because they are being used to provide hosted services for service provider customers (security as a service) as well as to protect the service provider and its customers. In addition, mobile network security is becoming a much bigger deal as operators deploy LTE networks, which lack the extended in-built security of 3G.

Anti-virus tools

Denial of service defense tools

Encryption devices

Firewalls

URL filtering

User authentication

Many companies supply security tools to CSPs, though Arbor Networks is well known for its carrier deployments. It's also notable that Juniper Networks Inc. (NYSE: JNPR) has made a big push in mobile network security.

Mobile transaction platforms
Mobile commerce, mobile banking and mobile money transfer are set to be major services in mature as well as emerging markets, so CSPs are preparing to manage those transactions with systems of their own as well as through partnerships with financial institutions.

Banking platform

Coupon management

Payments management

IMS elements
We're including the control plane and service plane components of IMS, including next-generation IN platforms and the Home Subscriber Server (HSS) subscriber management systems. IMS deployments can also include the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) and charging platforms, but these are often deployed outside IMS environments and so have been included in other SPIT zones.

Next-gen IN platforms

Subscriber management (HSS) Managed services platforms
This isn't so much a technology category as an integrated SPIT deployment scenario, but it's worth mentioning. Managed services, whether offered by service providers or vendors, not only involve the coordinated deployment of a number of elements from the categories above but also include specific tools for enabling self-service monitoring and provisioning and, using portals, the ability to create real-time views of service and network performance.

Next page: Industry Trends & the SPIT Connection

In this section we elaborate briefly on a key set of service provider goals that couldn't be achieved without the advancement, development and intelligent deployment of SPIT technologies. It's also worth noting that the increasing relevance and importance of SPIT is having a knock-on effect on service provider personnel strategies, as most operators now need to have expertise in the deployment and management cutting-edge IT systems as well as legacy telecom and IP technologies. In addition, as previously noted, it's also having an impact on the formation of teams within CSPs and the role/job designation of the senior executive in charge. (See Bridging the Chasm: A Manifesto.)

Developing and monetizing new services/applications
Gone are the days when an operator could take two years to develop a new service and roll it out (often by having to manually update TDM voice switches).

Nowadays, communications service providers need to be much more nimble and reactive, which means being able to create and manage their products (services, applications) centrally and more spontaneously, using software and mostly off-the-shelf hardware and computing resources. The competitive environment also means they need to know a lot more about how their services are working and how their customers are behaving -- in real time.

This places a much greater emphasis on IT/software systems that, previously, were used for basic support functions. The physical network infrastructure is still vitally important to telco and cable network operators (it is their main differentiator and main source of revenue). But their SPIT resources are now equally as important if they are to remain competitive. You could say that the back-office systems have moved to the front line.

Perhaps the most obvious example is the emergence of "cloud" services, whereby service providers host applications and computing capabilities in massive data centers, and their customers utilize those resources on a pay-as-you-go basis as an alternative to running their own IT and service capabilities. Service providers need massive IT and applications capabilities -- server farms, virtualization software, cloud automation platforms, service delivery and optimization platforms and charging capabilities, to name but a few -- to enable resources to be aggregated and accessed securely by multiple users.

Of course, all services/apps need to be priced, and usage needs to be billed. This is becoming increasingly complex, especially with the introduction of mobile data services that involve revenue-sharing between partners. SPIT, again, is critical to these capabilities and is helping to provide some of the solutions to the CSPs' challenges -- for instance, the emergence of in-app billing. But there's a long way to go, as many service providers are still having a tough enough time presenting a single view of the customer across their services.

Cutting costs
Service providers need to reduce costs and increase revenues -- a very tough task. Having the most appropriate SPIT capabilities can make operators more efficient by, for example: cutting back the number of traditional OSS/BSS systems being used and supported; handling diagnostics, repair and upgrades remotely, reducing truck rolls; using customer portals and software support systems to reduce the need for call center resources and customer experience management and analytics tools to identify relevant and targeted value-added services; and using software-based building blocks for service/application creation that cuts development time and enables the use of external developers.

Migrating to next-generation networks
Every network operator is engaged in the migration to new technology platforms, whether it's LTE in mobile, Docsis 3.0 in cable, or all-IP, packet/optical transport and FTTH for fixed-line telcos. These all require complex transformation programs that involve the upgrade and introduction of SPIT systems. In mobile, for example, the introduction of policy management systems is becoming critical to the operators' ability to deal with the demand for data services. In the fixed and mobile worlds, the introduction of SPIT systems known as Service Brokers is proving strategic, as they bridge the legacy and next-gen worlds, allowing old and new services to coexist without the need to switch to a new infrastructure in one risky move.

Improving customer care/experience
Improving the "customer experience" has become the new battleground for service providers, as they want to attract and then hold on to new customers. The only way to improve customer experience -- to be able to identify and deal with issues proactively, deal with customers' questions and complaints efficiently, and market appropriate/relevant new services to them -- is to know who the customers are, what services they use, how and why they use them, how they pay for them, whether they are profitable customers, where they are physically (increasingly a factor), and so on.

Having this information available in real time and in a format that makes sense is all down to having the right OSS and BSS capabilities -- it's a SPIT issue.

Next page: SPIT's Impact on the Communications Ecosystem

Since we ran the first Manifesto in February 2010, and basically said "this is really important," the actions of major players in the global industry -- acquisitions, strategies and product developments -- have vindicated our stance.



Here's a look at how SPIT has made the news in the past two years:

Acquisitions
In reverse chronological order, here are some deals that show how increasingly important SPIT assets are to major players in our industry:

Strategies
There's an increasing trend for communications companies to be building their strategies around SPIT assets and capabilities. Of course that's amply displayed in the M&A action listed above, but here are some other examples from the Light Reading archive of the past two years:

Product development
As the CSPs have become more SPIT-centric, so their suppliers have reacted and adopted. Here are just a few examples of major product developments targeted at operators' SPIT needs.