0 Summary
1 Customer billing is one of the top challenges in providing convergent services
1.1 Convergence is an important step on the path to seamless mobility
1.2 Convergence enables mobile and fixed operators to tap new revenues from integrated service portfolios
1.3 Keeping the customer's experience of convergence simple is a key objective for operators
1.4 Delivering a consistent customer experience is the ultimate goal of convergent charging
2 Weak links in the end-to-end process deny customers a consistent service experience
2.1 Successful partner management depends on common approaches in the value chain
2.2 Organisational silos create unnecessary billing problems
2.3 New business workflows mean changing processes and adapting systems
2.4 Operators cannot afford OSS/BSS roadblocks if they want to keep customers from churning
2.5 Senior management must address the organisational issue of convergent charging
3 Vendors are adopting a range of approaches to convergent billing
3.1 Vendors face a number of challenges in developing convergent solutions
3.2 Among billing systems vendors the trend is towards greater levels of systems configurability
3.3 IN vendors believe they are well placed to deliver next-generation charging systems
3.4 The emergence of the ‘metadata’ billing model challenges industry pre-conceptions and is a catalyst for change
4 The market for convergent billing systems is set for strong growth
4.1 We have forecast the market for three types of convergent billing solution in Europe
4.2 Our forecast methodology incorporates a range of benchmarks and cross-checks
4.3 The market for fixed prepaid/postpaid solutions is set for growth over the next five years
4.4 Billing system vendors will take an increasing proportion of spend on mobile prepaid/postpaid converged billing solutions
4.5 Converged fixed-mobile billing solutions will be bought largely by tier 1 fixed operators, and in increasing numbers
4.6 Investments in converged systems will increasingly mirror organisational change and restructuring
List of Figures
Figure 0.1: European mobile operator spend on prepaid/postpaid convergent billing solutions, 2005 and 2010
Figure 0.2: European mobile operator spend on fixed-mobile convergent billing solutions, 2005 and 2010
Figure 1.1: Evolutionary path to seamless mobility
Figure 1.2: Convergent service charging model providing a consistent customer experience
Figure 2.1: Identifying the weak links for convergent charging
Figure 2.2: Evolution of the self-service model
Figure 3.1: Vendor positioning on the customisation-productisation spectrum
Figure 3.2: Metadata value proposition
Figure 4.1: Market sizing methodology
Figure 4.2: European fixed and WLL operator spending on converged prepaid/postpaid billing solutions, 2005 and 2010
Figure 4.3: European mobile operator spend on converged prepaid/postpaid billing by vendor type, 2005 and 2010
Figure 4.4: European mobile operator spend on prepaid/postpaid convergent billing solutions by operator tier, 2005 and 2010
Figure 4.5: European operator spend on fixed-mobile convergent billing solutions, 2005 and 2010
Figure 4.6: European fixed operator spend on fixed-mobile convergent billing solutions, 2005 and 2010
The following organisations are featured in the report:
Alcatel
Amdocs
Convergys
CSG Systems
Ericsson
Kingston Communications
LHS Systems
MetraNet
One.Tel
Orange
Portal
Siemens
TeleManagement Forum
Telenor
Tesco Telecoms
Vodafone
