Call routing is no longer simple. In the past, connecting a call between Point A and Point B was relatively straightforward. Communication service providers (CSPs) established interconnection agreements well in advance. Traffic was either voice or data. The CSP didn’t need to consider which partners supported advanced features, like video messaging.
Today, the options are countless. A call might traverse hundreds of networks built with differing technologies before it arrives at its final destination. Within a fraction of a second, the CSP needs to determine how to route the call to achieve the desired margins and provide all the services requested. What was simple is now infinitely complex.
Neustar can help.
Last month, we introduced our new Communications Analytics solution enabling CSPs to put their information assets to work. Part of this powerful solution is Margin Management, which allows CSPs to maximize revenues by harnessing the real-time information they are already collecting from their customers. Call routing policies that were based on static tables and manual policies can now be managed using the CSP’s information assets and real-time network assessments. CSPs can develop a detailed analysis of network traffic right down to the route, city code and/or switch level. Understanding customers’ needs from a detailed perspective gives CSPs the opportunity to not only reduce costs by delivering only the services needed, but also improve the overall customer experience.
Neustar Margin Management.
Neustar has worked with CSPs for over a decade to help them meet the evolving challenges brought forth by the growth in connected devices. The new Communications Analytics solution encompasses our experience and understanding on how CSPs can use the information they have to improve their financial results. Margin Management is no exception.
The Margin Management solution examines four dimensions of call routing decisions: cost, quality, capacity and revenue based on real-time information. Using highly accurate and detailed network traffic analysis, CSPs can see their margins on their desktops, helping them make smart, data-based decisions and decreasing the need to spend resources on servers or data warehouse appliances. The solution is also able to bring together data from many sources and present it in actionable dashboards and reports. These analytics identify interconnection agreements and routing policies that can maximize profits and network performance. The CSP is also able to identify and shut down toll abuse quickly.
What can CSPs gain from Margin Management?
In call routing, every second counts. A fraction of cent might not seem critical, but when it is applied to millions of minutes of use,it becomes very material. The Neustar Margin Management solution provides visibility into key performance areas such as:
- Network Utilization – By Minutes of Use (MOU), Capacity and Utilization with drill down capabilities,
- MOU and Cost Variance:Trends, Historical averages
- Commitment analysis: MOU vs. Commitment levels
- Actual vs. Plan: Actual MOU and Cost vs. Plan MOU and Cost
- Quality of Service Trend: MOU and Access Service Request
- Decrease costs with faster routing changes utilizing accurate and timely information
- Leverage efficient and effective Service Level Agreement Management
- Reduce operational inefficiencies in routing, pricing and cost
- Eliminate losses because of manual route updates or network planning constraints
- Rapidly respond to changing market conditions
All this visibility adds up to real savings. CSPs using the Margin Management solution recognized between 10 and 15 percent margin improvement within 90 days. For interconnection costs, CSPs can achieve payback in as little three months.
Next Steps
When it comes to today’s telecommunication’s environment, very little is simple. Competition is fierce, network usage is continuing to sky rocket and margins are thin. In many cases, information remains an untapped asset for CSPs. Neustar recognizes this dynamic and is beginning to address it with the new Communications Analytics solution. The Margin Management component takes this a step further, enabling an approach that addresses supplier performance, traffic differences, and changing rate plans. With one click, CSPs can begin to once again simplify margin management. Click here to start the journey.