With the global value of mobile-based payments set to increase dramatically, mobile payment solutions and affordable banking present the "next billion opportunity" to telecommunications service providers, according to Shlomi Moscovich, VP MEA at Amdocs.
Speaking at the Africa Business Forum hosted by Amdocs, in partnership with ITWeb, Moscovich shared with delegates his views on how mobile presented numerous opportunities to telecommunications service providers who were challenged by declining average revenue per users (ARPUs).
"It's not just about data, service providers should strive to give the customer more value. Becoming more profitable entails sweating the assets service providers have invested in, as well as taking new services to market and addressing new verticals," he said. "New markets include the small and medium enterprise sector, an area South African telecoms companies have not yet capitalised on, but which has the potential to deliver high-value clients."
Moscovich also stated that service providers have the technology and the customer base to encourage new market segments to use more data and services, and increase their ARPU.
"To do so, they need to simplify the customer experience, harness their available data better, stay ahead and operate more efficiently - reducing their opex," he said.
Director of account and regional marketing EMEA at Amdocs, Rotem Ron-Katzir, told delegates that in South Africa alone the potential for mobile payment growth was huge. She cited the success of mobile wallets in Kenya, where mobile transactions have been widely adopted.
"Mobile money has a potentially important role to play in Africa, where it could empower entrepreneurs, be used to disburse social grants, aid in disaster relief, reduce account servicing costs and times and extend financial inclusion," she said.
Overcoming the challenges and embracing new market opportunities requires a combination of tools and strategies, according to Amdocs. The company highlighted its multi-billion dollar acquisitions in the networking space, which position it to deliver self-optimising networks that reduce opex and delay capex.
Amdocs head of OSS Marketing, Justin Paul, said the acquisitions of Actix and Celcite last year had strengthened the company's networks capabilities, but that the network ambitions did not stop there.
"Amdocs is no longer just a billing company," he said. "Now we have extensive billing, network solutions, network and policy control and radio expertise."
Mike Redding, VP of Canada's Bell IT Wireless, Retail Distribution and Bell Media, gave delegates insight into Bell's growth and changed focus in recent years.
He pointed out that Bell had transformed its customer experience and moved from voice to growth services such as wireless, TV, Internet and media on the back of a 15-year partnership with Amdocs, spanning strategy, consulting, scoping, delivery and managed services.
"Bell is also represented at the Amdocs Technical Advisory Council. The company's future reflects a shift away from traditional voice," he concluded.
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