Telecommunications Software Evaluation, Comparison, & Selection

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Modern telecommunications infrastructures are formed by a wide range of manufacturers and service providers, which combine to create a challenging and dynamic industry. Telephony, radio, television, the Internet, and other networking services make this industry a complex web. Service and equipment providers have to face very complex challenges, such as introducing better and innovative products and services, improving communication technologies, creating new products that apply these high-end technologies, and updating frequently changing business models.

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There are also global challenges that must be faced, such as meeting regional and international regulations, improving the content delivered to audiences, and more. The telecommunications industry runs at a very hectic pace, and so managers and decision makers must be able to keep up with new business models and trends in technology to be competitive and maintain profitability. New mobile and fixed network technologies and trends, new security protocols, and the creation and improvement of communication protocols are just a few of the specific challenges that companies in this industry have to deal with.
Most companies in the telecommunications industry are concerned with how to

bring a higher degree of reliability to mobile and fixed networks with continued network technology development and optimization;
develop innovative services that appeal to users, such as real-time network services, inter-network connection, interactivity, and more;
meet the increasing need for broadband access due to the widespread penetration of the Internet and other media, such as messaging services and new services like triple play, as well as the increasing demand for Internet provider (IP)-based services (telephony, mobile networking, etc.);
meet the need for more intelligent telecommunication networks that control all services provided by a network, such as enabling network integration, updating services like personalized subscriptions, and improving customer care and billing systems; and
accommodate the growing demand for innovative equipment manufacturing that complies with next-generation communication services, such as IP and wide area network (WAN) services.

Companies in the telecommunications industry comprise not only equipment manufacturers, but also telecommunication service providers and IT software companies specialized in the field. These companies can overcome specific industry challenges by using solutions with functionality designed for the specific needs of this industry. These solutions can include sales force automation (SFA), business intelligence (BI), business performance management (BPM), business process management (BPM), supply chain management (SCM), and product lifecycle management (PLM) systems. Companies in the telecommunications industry can also consider using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems with human resources (HR) functionality; customer relationship management (CRM) systems with specific telecommunication functionality for customer care and billing, network costing, telecom expenses, and wireless communication services; project portfolio management (PPM) systems; information security (IS) systems; content management systems (CMS) systems; and accounting systems with telecommunications-specific functionality.

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ERP for Services (Non-manufacturing)

Benefits of Using Software Solutions for Telecommunications

SFA software provides the ability to run activity reports, as well as sales-oriented analysis services, potential customer identification, and other sales tasks that telecommunication companies need to perform. These tasks can be managed and controlled using sales force software. Telecommunications sales management teams can overcome their challenges with advanced tools that help them search for new market channels and niches.
With BI and BPM systems, telecommunication companies will be able to better analyze the very high volumes of data that emerge from the enterprise's operational systems. BI and BPM systems will provide the right tools to manage data at the right time, including those that enable dynamic reporting, data mining, online analytical processing (OLAP) services, balanced scorecards, and key performance indicators (KPIs). All of these functionalities—together with corporate dashboards that help telecommunications managers, decision makers, and knowledge workers be better able to interpret and analyze data—enable accurate decision making and the ability to modify business workflows that need improvement.
SCM can help telecommunication equipment manufacturers deliver high-quality products and services by supporting best practices for the management and coordination of supply and demand throughout the company—including customers, providers, intermediaries, and channel partners—to improve overall supply chain efficiency and quality, and to offer competitive prices.
With ERP systems, companies in the telecommunications industry can improve the coordination and management of business operations and resources across the company. Telecom customer care and billing software functionality (for invoice capturing, processing, and payment) can improve customer service and facilitate the deployment of cashiering functionalities for online payments and payment centers. ERP for telecommunications can also calculate charges for products and services, as well as support for different types of discounts and rewards. Such ERP systems can also enable different types of billing and the addition of new complex services models, automated network costing, and inventory tracking. Some ERP systems also offer specific features such as voice over IP (VoIP) services and special features for telecommunication manufacturing.
PLM software solutions enable telecommunications companies to increase their profitability by supporting innovation, manufacturing processes improvements, and efficiency at all stages in the product life cycle. PLM software also encourages and supports the coordination of multisite and global development teams to speed up development times—representing more profitability and lower costs. PLM systems support product management from development (design and development) to retirement, and guarantee high-quality products at a competitive price. Computer-aided design (CAD), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) modeling and simulation functionalities also help by providing the best technology to enhance human technical skills and process automation.
CMS and IS applications help companies in the telecommunications industry manage their electronic content (e.g., documents, images, podcasts, webcasts, etc.) and related security requirements. Like companies in many other industries, telecommunications companies produce a great deal of public and private content, (such as white papers, technical articles, marketing content, but also documentation that has to be maintained under very strict security measures). Classified information—often strategic or product information—represents revenue and therefore must be kept secure. With the use of CMS systems, companies can manage their public electronic media content that is to be distributed or published internally or externally. IS systems help ensure that every single piece of information important to specific user groups can be maintained and protected by strong security measures.
PPM software solutions can help companies from this industry to manage and allocate all resources: human, time, financial, equipment, and others. PPM can also help monitor investment and development projects. With this type of system, telecommunication companies will have more opportunities to increase value to shareholders by improving control of technology and new business projects. A PPM system can also enable companies to measure and track project risks and apply best practices for risk mitigation and elimination. PPM systems can also encourage the control and development of financial projects. PPM systems can help to apply best practices and methodologies to all of a company's project portfolios and align them with the company's general strategy.

THE RISKS OF A FLAWED TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOFTWARE SELECTION PROCESS

Not having a sales force support system could mean companies lack the tools necessary to manage and maintain the quality of existing market channels and effectively capture new ones. This also means companies have less of an advantage against competitors and an impeded ability to detect how market niches are changing.
Without BI and BPM tools, telecommunications companies will not have the ability to improve strategic analysis tasks, and will find it difficult to know about and forecast production, market, and financial trends that help in setting business goals, thereby potentially losing market position.
SCM tools are crucial for efficient control of all aspects of the supply chain. Without SCM systems, companies in telecommunications may not have the ability to deliver high-quality products and services due to loss of control over some or all stages of the supply chain. Inventory, distribution, and retail processes need to be optimized in order to guarantee high-quality and competitively priced products.
Inadequate management of the product life cycle can result in loss of coordination of global development teams, and an inability to take advantage of 2D and 3D modeling and simulation tools. As well, companies without adequate PLM functionality will not be able to increase support for innovation or improve existing manufacturing processes.
Not being able to deliver public information effectively can result in lost business opportunities for telecommunications companies, as they must communicate technology trends and innovation to have an impact on as wide an audience as possible. But because classified information can mean a lot in terms of revenue and market position, not having a system to monitor and enforce information security can cost companies money—and, if leaked, key business information.
Without ERP systems, telecommunication companies do not have total control over operations, manufacturing, or the services they provide. Without ERP functionality specific to the needs of the telecom industry, companies may not have telecommunication-essential features and functionalities like telecom billing, invoicing, processing and payment, automated tracking of network costing and inventory, or VoIP services—nor will they have all the basic elements to maintain high productivity.
If telecommunication companies don't have PPM solutions, they may not be able to control their financial, human, or time resources, which may increase the risk of project failure, resulting in the inability to increase shareholder values, deliver projects on time, or guarantee successful completion of projects.

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