Mobile News #544 August 12th | Page 14

SPEAKERS ’ CORNER

Michael Tessler

Deploying LTE is the highest priority for many mobile operators today . They have made significant investment in their LTE networks recently – for example , the LTE spectrum auction in Holland cost € 3.8 billion (£ 3.2 billion ), and UK operators paid £ 2.34 billion for similar licences .

Mobile operators need to use the new network standard to cope with the worldwide surge in data consumption , but rolling out LTE networks is an expensive proposition for operators and competing in high-cost spectrum auctions for the necessary airspace . Now mobile operators are turning their attention to strategies to increase revenues and monetise this expenditure .

What is exciting for mobile operators is that enterprises are seeking mobile , ubiquitous and simple-tomanage communication services , creating a nice cross point for mobile operators to recoup their LTE investment while enabling the New Mobile Enterprise .

Demand : mobile , cloud and unified comms The New Mobile Enterprise is being driven from the bottom of the organisation up . Individuals want to work from anywhere , with access to their preferred communication service from their preferred device , whether that is a laptop , tablet or smartphone . Almost every type of worker – even those who self-identified as office workers , who do little or no travel – can be considered ‘ mobile ’, as well over half work away from the office on a regular basis . With the launch of higher bandwidth networks , this desire will only increase as users expect the reality of anywhere-working with a seamless experience .

The trend of enterprises moving their communications services to the cloud is well documented , but they are also looking to extend these benefits to incorporate mobility . Nearly three in five ( 69 per cent ) of respondents of a recent survey we conducted identified that ‘ extending business applications to mobile devices ’ was one of the top three UC services that they deemed to be critical for the workplace . This is supported by a 2012 Infonetics Research survey on enterprise plans for unified communications , which revealed that when choosing a UC solution , 71 per cent of respondents view mobile device integration as ‘ very important ’.

The survey adds that complexity has displaced cost as the leading barrier affecting UC deployment , a fact not helped by the fragmented landscape of service providers , as well as communications silos for voice , video , instant messaging and collaboration that inhibit employee productivity and mobility .

Powering the New Mobile Enterprise The opportunity for mobile operators lies in enabling enterprises to support this further move into cloud , enabling mobility , while creating a single communications service subscription to address today ’ s communication silos . Through a single subscription for employees , enterprises can drive down both telecommunications costs and management complexity . The cloud offers the unifying force that enables mobile operators to provide a consistent experience to end users , with a simplified solution to meet the needs of the New Mobile Enterprise .

The New Mobile Enterprise is a comprehensive fixedmobile convergence offering . By architecting mobility into solutions and integrating these with existing mobile networks , mobile operators can ensure that enterprise users can access the communication service they want to use on their device of choice regardless of their location , including from their desk phone when in the office . The desire for cloud-based mobile unified communications

“ Extending business applications to mobile devices is key for many firms ”

enables enterprises to achieve improved employee productivity while reducing costs , as they collapse multiple subscriptions into a single one for every employee .

Synchronising communications within a single cloud-based account also enables the seamless integration for all data and conversations , which can be accessed on a variety of devices , a critical requirement for an enterprise with a high proportion of its workforce considered ‘ mobile ’. For

example , if a user sends an instant message from a mobile phone , that history will appear on the laptop application upon login . Similarly , instant messages can be sent from a laptop , and will also be visible on the user ’ s mobile device .

The time is now Mobile operators are best positioned to meet this demand ; experts recognise that mobile operators have more resources than single companies to draw upon , including technical expertise , to create a platform for communications from the cloud . Operators can deliver the superior quality of service enterprise users require in order to efficiently communicate . Thanks to the demand for mobile unified comms now , it is our opinion at BroadSoft that unified communications will be

Michael Tessler is CEO of VoIP software company BroadSoft

“ Users expect the reality of anywhereworking with a seamless experience ”

the first applications of volume available over LTE – Gartner predicts that by 2016 , 75 per cent of mobile unified comms solutions will be integrated into the enterprise telephony infrastructure .

Mobile operators can easily offer UC to their existing customers today , offering greater value , making the relationship richer and the customer therefore less likely to go elsewhere , while increasing average revenue per user . As a result , mobile operators can make higher margins and therefore more quickly obtain return on investment on their LTE networks , but they must act fast to outrun the competition . The roll-out of LTE will add value to the UC offering but mobile operators need to deliver mobile unified comms today .

SPEAKERS ’ CORNER

Phil Bird

In the current climate , it is inevitable that businesses are looking to do more with less . One challenge has been how to dispose of depreciating assets or surplus stock as this can often mean heavy discounts and lower profit margins . Not an ideal situation by any means and one that ’ s particularly relevant in the telecoms sector .

Minimising ‘ inventory obsolescence ’ is critical to

Phil Bird is CEO of electronic auctions company Perfect Channel business success . Inventory can be an asset , if it moves fast enough , but if not it becomes a major liability which ties up cash and decreases in value over time . This is an issue which affects a broad range of business sectors , but especially those in the mobile industry due to the fast pace at which new technology and handsets become available .

For those who work in the mobile phone industry , it ’ s not hard to see the problem . Most mobile carriers offer more than 20 models at any one time . The shelf life of a mobile at retail today is typically four months , whereas three years ago , it was nine to 12 months . Here ’ s the problem – even though consumers are upgrading faster than ever before , it ’ s not fast enough for the mobile handset providers and carriers who are left with a backlog of unsold , ageing stock , dropping in value by the day .

Heavyweight marketing campaigns relentlessly promote new trends and upgraded products , all encouraging consumers to view current offerings as out of date . And in a weaker economic climate , consumers are more reluctant to spend , slowing down the turnover of goods . All of these factors contribute to this backlog of ageing , nonmoving , depreciating goods .

Buying ‘ off-price ’ is a sensitive thing . Not many brands want to become associated with cut prices and the associated risk of devaluing their brand . Most retailers already use their websites as a clearance tool , an adjunct to their high street presence , but we are seeing a growing trend – the use of auctions to carry out flash sales , or to sell off an inventory to wholesalers and third parties .

Maximum sale value This is just the beginning of a whole new look at how the auction mechanism can help businesses , allowing them to segment their inventory and reach new customers and territories for maximum sale value . While a typical return on an asset might be 40 per cent at a given point in time , we have found that by utilising the auction channel , we can increase that to between 45 per cent and 60 per cent , depending on the type of goods being sold .

“ Auctions are an ideal way of maximising the value of depreciating assets ”

“ By utilising the auction channel , the typical return on an asset increases ”

Ultimately , technology is playing its part in what we have been doing for years – bartering . However , with businesses looking to manage stock and maximise its value , some fresh thinking is needed and online auction technology is offering a solution . Live auctions are a $ 270 billion (£ 177 billion ) a year business in

the US and exceed $ 1 trillion (£ 665 billion ) worldwide . Whether its mobile handsets or last season ’ s tablet devices , firms are only just beginning to explore the value of auctions – they are an ideal mechanism to reach out to new markets and find new ways to maximise the value of depreciating assets .

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