Mobile
Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) are small fish in the huge sea that is the
telecom industry. For them to survive amongst the big sharks, it is important
to have all the right tools that can make them competitive. The fact that MVNOs
receive their frequency spectrum from MNOs lessens their burden, but access to
spectrum alone is not enough. They still require a trustworthy and versatile online
billing software solution that can help them monetize their services
better and bring them to market quickly.
The Exigent Need for Intuitive Online Billing Software
Intuitive is
defined as something that is easy to operate. As MVNOs, generally the skinny
and thin ones, do not always have the necessary expertise in the telecom
domain, they require an online
billing software solution that can simplify their operations. A perfect
blend of necessary functionalities and ease of use is their most essential
requirement. As an MVNO, you do not want to invest in something that takes
considerable amount of time to be learned and put to real-world use. Online billing software solutions that
can be understood by your B/OSS operators fast and put to good use quickly can
be the difference between success and failure of your MVNO.
The Best Characteristics of Intuitive Online Billing Software
The
selection of an online billing software
solution needs to be done with great care, in order to improve MVNO operations.
Below are some characteristics you should seek in your MVNO software:
1. Convergence – An online billing
software solution that has an Online Charging System (OCS) at its center
can charge every single telecom service at the same place. This allows for the
creation of a single invoice that reflects charges of all services used by a
subscriber. When an MVNO sends single invoice with all charges to its
subscribers, it improves the bond of trust by bringing in more transparency
into the billing process. The job of customer services agents also become
simpler as they have the record of every user interaction with the billing
system.
2. Faster time to market – The time between service creation and
service delivery is crucial. Hence, your online billing software should be
capable of monetizing new services like IoT and 5G fast, so that you are able
to acquire new subscribers and gain a leg on the competition.
3. Cross-product discounts – To maximize your returns on lesser-used
services, it is possible to club them with popular services. So, if OTT video
streaming services to your subscribers are not being used as per your
expectations, then you can club it with call or data services and offer
cross-product discounts. This will motivate subscribers to utilize video
streaming services and your MVNO will generate higher revenue through an
increased ARPU. And it is also possible that your customers would develop a
liking for such services and subscribe for it even when the discounts are
removed.
Multi-Tenancy – Online
billing software should come with multi-tenancy that lets multiple user
logins at the same time with different user credentials. It will allow for
maximum utilization of resources, which is a major requirement for any MVNO
operation.
