Emerging MVNOs: Examining the Billing and Customer Care Requirements

The global wireless marketplace is on the verge of seeing an expansion of carriers,emerging in a newly forming segment that focuses on reselling networked services.These new carriers,called mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs),emerged in Europe over the past 18 months and are starting to make a new push into the North American marketplace,offering a hybrid of voice, data,and convergent services to the end customers.While a new concept in the wireless segment,these newly created wireless carriers come to market in the wake of the “collapse ” of the competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC)industry,and the limited successes seen in the wireline long-distance (LD)resale industry.The wireless industry is anxiously awaiting the entrance of these new players,and the relative uniqueness of the MVNO positioning and offering can create certain benefits that CLECs and LD resellers could not capitalize on: pre- existing branding,minimal to no network-oriented technology issues,and the ability to deliver dynamic service offerings that can cater to a much larger target audience (including both the new and the existing wireless user).Unique business drivers and robust service delivery,when complemented with robust billing and customer care capabilities,can help ensure a greater chance for success. MVNOs will likely emerge to target new delivery channels,leveraging already existing market messages and brand recognition,positioning the new values-driven message out to potential customers.While remaining unscathed by a core focus on network requirements,the MVNO must respond to technology investment and implementation challenges similar to those faced by the network-based carriers,particularly in customer management segments of their businesses.As with any communications sector,investment in billing and customer care and CRM remains one of the most mission-critical components of the carriers ’ service delivery strategy,,and MVNOs will be no exception to the rule.While the network-based carrier owns the network and the network- based aspects of service delivery,the MVNO now owns the customer relationship,the billing relationship,and the revenue-generating aspects of the service delivery.In order to maximize control of the relationship,the MVNO faces the core decision of whether to invest in an in-house billing infrastructure or look to an outsourced agreement with a service bureau partner. The billing and customer care industry has already prepared itself to target the MVNO segment of the wireless industry,offering a variety of voice-centric,data-centric,and convergent-oriented solutions that will allow the MVNO customer to access all potential services from day one,deliver value for service,offer flexible billing,and provide a customer care experience that equals if not surpasses that of a network operator.Considering the fact that the brand,previously known outside of the communications industry,is now directly tied to wireless services,it benefits the MVNO to live up to the level of service,quality,and value that the customer has come to expect.