Showing papers on "Telecom infrastructure sharing published in 2013"

Universal Service Obligation in the Age of Broadband

Abstract: The saturation of telephony in major urban areas and the political pressures to accelerate broadband facilities into rural areas are leading to the inclusion of rural broadband within the universal service obligation USO agenda. There are questions on the extent to which broadband should be included in the USO schema. This article aims to explore the conceptual foundations underpinning the inclusion of broadband within the USO, and thereby to create a framework within which some of these questions can be examined. Two criteria for service inclusion are highlighted: information and communication technology ICT as an enabler for development and as a positive externality. In light of these criteria, the importance of building networks aligned to the ability to use of the target population is emphasized. At the same time, the merit of building out fiber-optic networks in advance of absorptive capability is also discussed using the criteria of temporality of build-out and the performance discontinuities of different generations of technologies. This creates a rationale for the build-out of fiber-optic networks using the USO funds. Along with the fiber-optic network, a frugal wireless network is also advocated to immediately stem the digital divide and prepare the population for high-speed connectivity. The telecom infrastructure as per this approach is both commercially and environmentally viable.

Telecom Industry in India

Abstract: India is the booming market for telecom sector. It is ranked second in telecom network provider all around the world. This industry has witnessed significant growth in subscriber base over the last decade, with better network coverage and competition induced decline in tariffs. This attracted various foreign companies to invest in this sector. This research paper is all about the performance of various telecom companies in India and the proposal of new telecom company TeleIN.

A Case Study of Telemedicine for Disaster Management in Underdeveloped Remote Districts of Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract: Balochistan (South West province of Pakistan) strategically lies at the border of Afghanistan and Iran. It is thelargest but overlooked and least developed in human development index in Pakistan. Universal Service Fund(USF) has recently started several telecom projects for broadband delivery, telemedicine and distant learning touplift and streamline the underprivileged class population of remote areas of Balochistan (Pakistan).Unfortunately, the ongoing and existing development projects are highly vulnerable to floods due tomountainous geography. This paper reports the breakdown analysis of telecom infrastructure throughunstructured interviews, blogs, newspapers and organizational reports. An overview of existing information andcommunication system shortcomings and its remedies are discussed and alternative technological options fornetwork resilience are highlighted through literature review and case studies. Two resilient designs forbroadband and narrowband networks are proposed. The proposed modifications will shoulder in sustainability oftelecommunication network, which is very vital during disaster mitigation, recovery and rehabilitation processes.The proposed models can be used to design better resilient telecommunication networks & disastercommunication systems for under developed mountainous regions in the world for sustainable development.Key Words: Disaster management, Information and communication systems, Telecom infrastructure,Balochistan, Floods, Telemedicine

Role of service quality in customer relationship management: an empirical study of indian telecom industry

Abstract: Technological and economical development has forced companies in competitive markets, to change their strategic focus, as a result of which the Customer oriented organization is on the rise. In order to stay ahead of the competition, companies are increasingly turning to their customers as a means of securing their future competitive edge. CRM has become the mantra for success and developing close relationship with customer has become most important in this current era of intense competition and demanding customers, than has ever been. Times are tough for telecom service providers also as the telecom industry is experiencing a transformation from being a monopoly market to a competitive market. With privatization, liberalization and subsequent demonopolization the scene has changed in Indian telecom industry and the most excited are the customers who are emerging as kings in the market. Fuelled by this dramatic increase in competitive pressure, the telecom players are required to design and deploy customer- centric strategies not only to grab the share but also sustain the share in the long run. The players have realized the importance of constant service quality delivery to the customers for long term sustainability. The study seeks to examine the role of service quality in developing long term relationship with customers. The data has been collected from 262 mobile users of Indian Telecom industry. The analysis has been done on the basis of Mean, Standard-Deviation, Correlation and Regression.

Technical Challenges of Tower Sharing in Multi-Operator Mobile Communication Environments

Abstract: The traditional mobile communications business model was based on full ownership of network infrastructure. However, network infrastructure sharing has been a trend among mobile network operators. Sharing traditional mobile network infrastructure which were not designed originally for sharing has become prevalent in the face of stiff competition, regulatory requirement and declining revenues. This, despite the reduction in capital expenditure for operators, brings technical challenges with regards to network planning, optimization and expansion in multi-operator shared environments. This paper briefly introduces models of passive infrastructure sharing and their advantages, and investigates the technical challenges which are inherent to communications tower sharing. The effects of non-optimal antenna height on coverage and signal quality, as well as those of tower loading constraints on transmission link quality are investigated among others. Simulation results and on-site measurements confirm these challenges, which may increase the operation expenditure of mobile networks.Our findings challenge the current perception in both academia and industry that passive infrastructure sharing can only produce positive effects, and therefore call for further investigations on the financial benefits of infrastructure sharing. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ij-ict.v2i3.4553

Popularity Analysis for Saudi Telecom Companies Based on Twitter Data

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the popularity of the telecom companies in Saudi Arabia by considering their profiles on Twitter. Telecommunication plays a vital role in making the communication possible among individuals at geographically distinct locations. With the arrival and penetration of smartphones as a standard, the job of service providers has not remained limited to provide better messaging and voice quality but has been extended to provide competitive value added service and social connectivity to grab and maintain the customer's pool. This research study, take into consideration three leading telecom operators namely Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Mobily and Zain. The popularity of the telecom companies is evaluated by considering their following on Twitter by confirming the location details and then by executing multi-purpose queries on the verified data to yield interesting results about the popularity of the telecom operators. This study, thus identifies the most popular service provider based on the Twitter following in different regions and cities and based on the provincial data a leading telecom operator in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also identified.

Evaluating Performance of Supply Chain Management System: A Conceptual Analysis in BSNL

Abstract: The problems in the telecom service industry arequite visible now a days and the pace of new technology development within thisindustry is extremely high. The telecom industry is selected for review,analysis and research because it is of fast changing, multiple product variantand high volume business environment with a lot of focus on new technologydevelopment and speedy implementation of new ideas and innovations in to newproducts. Especially, ‘BSNL’ has taken for focus area because it has a secondmajor market share in Indian market along with its sister concern publicsectors like MTNL (Mahanagar Telecom Nigam Limited) and TCIL (TelecomCorporation of India Limited). The scope of this research is to studyoptimizing availability of both new & existing, and multiple verifiedtechnologies. The literature review highlighted in this paper discusses somemajor issues and challenges in supply chain management system. In this context,this paper aims at relating the theories and principles of supply chainmanagement system that could be used in practice in the telecom serviceindustry especially in BSNL. The paper presents comparisons between themanufacturing and the telecom service industry with special reference to BSNL,a public sector of Govt. of India. The comparison resulted that SCM is wellcontained in any service sector may be private or public sector.

Utilization of Telecom Technologies for the Disaster Management in Underdeveloped Coastal Districts of Pakistan

Abstract: Information and communication technologies plays critical role in all phases of disaster management, and enabler of e-services delivery to the underdeveloped areas. Unfortunately this critical infrastructure is highly prone to disasters. This paper is based on coastal areas of Pakistan, which were badly affected during floods 2005 -2012. Universal Service Fund (USF) Pakistan has started many telecom projects for broadband infrastructure, telemedicine and distant learning to uplift the livelihood of underdeveloped areas. The telecom infrastructure collapsed during disasters and population sustained heavy damages due to unavailability of disaster information. Causes of breakdown of telecom infrastructure are investigated. Remedial options are found from literature review, public’s reports & case studies. Then, these technological options are applied upon Pakistan regulatory & telecom infrastructure context and two separate plans for survival of narrowband and broadband communication are proposed. Another contingency plan for easy deployable temporary infrastructure is given for the case of total blackout of communication. An overview of existing information & communication systems weaknesses & gaps are given, its remedies are discussed for the effective mitigation of disasters. This study can be extended to other underdeveloped regions of the world to serve the calamity struck regions with fewer economic and human losses.

The TREND experimental activities on “green” communication networks

Abstract: Aimed at answering important questions about the energy demand of current telecom infrastructure and the design of sustainable and energy-efficient future networks, the research of a number of European partners is brought together in the TREND project. In this paper we present the achievements of the Work Package coordinating the experimental activities of the project - WP4. Although not presenting a completely finished portrait yet, the results shown help building a better global view on the “big picture” in the field of energy-efficient networking.

Open Information Communication Technology Infrastructure Sharing Framework. Site Sharing and Its Challenges to Mobile Service Providers of Kenya

Abstract: Open Information Communication Technology Infrastructure Sharing can be defined as the joint use of network facilities by two or more operators subject to agreement specifying relevant technical and commercial conditions. The main reason for ICT infrastructure sharing in mobile service industries in the countries that have implemented has been to cut down expenditure and reduce the need to build new masts on which to locate their equipment. In Kenya, each licensee is expected to build or lease the infrastructure it requires, although the license they own allows them to share their infrastructure on commercial arrangements. As a result of this, penetration of masts in rural areas is increasing at an exponential rate. The construction of towers is mushrooming and in near future towers population across the country will change urban and rural landscape. Despite the Mobile Service Providers interest in Open ICT infrastructure sharing, little attention is being paid to conclusion of deals that leads to Infrastructure sharing. The purpose of the study was to investigate the Challenges to Open ICT Infrastructure sharing by Mobile Service Providers in Kenya. This study was conducted through survey design. Data was collected from employees from Safaricom, Airtel, Yu and Orange was used to study the population. A target population of 2600 employees from the four Mobile Service Providers in Kenya was considered. Both Stratified and purposive sampling techniques was used to identify the respondents. A sample size of 93 respondents was used in this study. Both structured questionnaires and scheduled interviews were used in data collection. Both descriptive and inferential statistics was used to analyse data collected from respondents in this study. The study found out Asset Valuation and Management, Stakeholders cost pressure and cultural alignment as the main challenges to site sharing by Mobile Service Providers in Kenya. The results obtained from this study will be beneficial to stakeholders in Mobile Service industry formulate policies that promote ICT Infrastructure sharing with a view to promoting universal access and saving on expenditures.

Strategic Priorities for the Indian Telecom Industry in the Next Decade

Abstract: The Indian Telecom Success Story in India is a feather in the caps of several stakeholders, principally the government, followed by the private sector players who have invested over 200 K crores to take advantage of the policy environment created by the government to set up large telecom networks in the country, and provide one of the best telecom services comparable to the best in the world. The mushrooming of services, devices, telecom towers, use of diesel have all brought in their wake, some issues as well, although the low cost of the voice services - said to be the lowest in the world - has washed away much of the criticism. In this paper, the authors trace the development of the Indian telecom industry. They developed a PESTEL framework, a Porter's Five Forces Field analysis framework, did a SWOT analysis, used the BCG Matrix - all to analyze and highlight the many aspects of this growing industry. These analyses provide some insights into the workings of the industry. The authors concluded that the way forward will include more attention to VAS products, more of 3G and 4G applications development, more newproduct development suitable for the B to C, and in the inter-industry domains where B to B applications will have to propel growth in a world with increasing automation and mobile phone usage in day to day life activities.

Current trends in mobile telephony indusrty in India

Abstract: Government of India has introduced a liberal telecom policy regime since early 1990s that resulted in an enthusiastic participation of several private sector companies in mobile telecom services. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has played an important role in the rapid progress of this industry in India. The liberal policy measures and regulatory autonomy have promoted robust growth and competition in the mobile telephony industry. However, for the last few years, this industry is experiencing serious challenges that include – reduction in earnings due to stiff competition, 2G scam, retarding growth rate in customer base and customer retention in the wake of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The present study has been undertaken with the objective to bring out the emerging trends in mobile telecom industry in India in the wake of various policy measures taken by the Government. The study analysis the current scenario of mobile telephony industry in terms of changes in market structure, number of mobile service operators and market share of different telecom companies. It also examines growth rate and tele-density. The analysis provides detailed insights to the mobile service providers that will be useful in developing innovative strategies focusing on untapped rural consumer base in order to increase revenues and improve profit margins.

Carbon Emission Estimation & Reduction in Indian Telecom Operations: A Standardization & Policy Perspective

Abstract: This Paper is Standardization Perspective of the problem definition of Carbon Emission Estimation and Reduction exercise in Indian Telecom Networks. It includes the relevant interpretation of the TRAI recommendations, current practices of estimating Carbon emission and the associated issues. It brings out the techno-managerial perspective to estimate carbon emission in Indian Telecom network, description of with the currently adopted methods and their implications. It also suggests how the entire telecom sector may be geared up to identify all potential areas for energy efficiency optimization in every part of the telecom network such that all parts of the telecom networks are addressed to achieve significant reduction in Carbon Emission. Some key aspects related to necessary framework for accurate estimation, setting realistic national targets for carbon emission reduction, automatic online gathering of carbon emission parameters from Infrastructure provider (IP) and telecom equipment based on IoT Framework have been presented for suitable consideration for related policy formulation. The paper summarizes the need for Standardization and policy formulations actions to achieve good progress in making telecom network infrastructure sustainable. Journal of ICT Standardization, Vol. 1, 221–240. doi:10.13052/jicts2245-800X.12a7 c © 2013 River Publishers. All rights reserved.

A Cloud Computing Technology for Knowledge Centers

Abstract: Global University System (GUS) is a worldwide initiative to create advanced telecom infrastructure around the world for global e-learning and e-healthcare/ telemedicine. The Misr.Net and Local Community Development Network (LCDNs) (HDF, Private sectors, Universities, ITI, ..etc) will be established in Egypt to foster the development of e-learning and ehealthcare/telemedicine pilot projects using broadband Internet technology in order to enhance teaching and learning capabilities. The project will partner with GUS to facilitate connectivity among current e-learning efforts around the world and provide support and guidance to selected pilot projects serving as models for adoption.

The inquiry into telecom enterprises' cloud computing strategy: A case study of China telecom

Abstract: Business transformation is a now common action of global telecom enterprises, and cloud computing technology in this moment provides a direction and opportunity for the transformation. As one of three major Chinese telecom operators, China Telecom has also seized this opportunity. Aiming to become the leading supplier of intelligent communication pipeline, a provider of integrated platform as well as a participant of offering content services and applications, China Telecom has formulated specific cloud strategy and implementing guarantees, and put forward corresponding cloud computing strategy framework under the guidance of its transformation strategy.

Market Opportunity of China Telecom 3G Toward 4G - A Social-Technical Analysis for its Future Development

Abstract: In the Information and communication Technology (ICT) field, the success a new player will face is the challenge for the opportunity of new market development. China's mobile subscribers grew by 9.93 millions to 1.132 billions in February 2013.The convenience of communication prompted China’s growth, but there is little information available in literature about how it happened and what the next development steps will be for the China Telecom Industry.The purpose of this paper is an attempt to picture the future growth path of China Telecom market opportunities from 3G toward 4G and beyond, including viewing this from the angles of telecom/internet e-commerce regulation development; globalization of values; and telecom universal services in China. By investigating the development of TD-SCDMA networks as well as the TD-LTE and FD-LTE current status and also the mobile-TV/ cloud computing trends of China, it is estimated that the country’s settings of objectives for telecom growth may drive fast new market developments. Both technology and management growth of the three operators will mature.This paper relies heavily on the ideas of economics, governmental regulations and social responsibility from Professor: Joseph Eugene Stigliz (a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Science 2001). In this research, the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) will act as an important tool to understand the Chinese way of new technology implementation, and will use the TD-SCDMA networks case study as a model. The ANT, Michael Serre’s work influenced Bruno Latour and others like Michel Callon.This paper is based on work done in China since 2001 in Beijing by the author. It draws on industry and academic sources, interviews with friends from telecom industry elements and governmental policy making departments in China. Due to the time frame, difficulty of access to any of the actual decision making processes, and frequent ‘off-the-record’ sources this type of research faces acute methodological challenges.This paper suggests that the convergence across internet, telecommunications, TV broadcasting networks etc. will form a new market beyond the traditional telecommunications industry. The pervasion of the huge popularity of the internet will continue to involve all aspects of society as China presses forward to establish its innovation credentials.

An IT Perspective on Standards, Service Architectures and Platforms

Abstract: Telecom services and internet services have traditionally been deployed using very different service architectures, conforming to different sets of industry standards. With the evolution of the network infrastructure to NGN and with the migration of both IT and telecom services to the cloud, there is an increasing harmonization of service architectures and an increasing adoption of IT technology within telecom environments. In this chapter, we describe how standardization activities in the IT industry have helped to transform the internet into a global service infrastructure and how a combination of standard technologies, open APIs and common platforms has helped to drive the growth of web services. We also highlight some of the emerging standards and platforms that are shaping the mobile application and cloud computing spaces.

The Impact of PPIs in the Development of Broadband and the Way Forward: Ghana's Case

Abstract: Telecom infrastructure development has been enabled greatly by different forms of collaborations or synergies between the public and the private sector. These synergies in most cases are exigent measures employed to enable the diffusion of telecom infrastructure into underserved and un-served areas. This paper examines the role of different public-private interplay that exists in Africa that were aimed at developing telecom infrastructure and why this public-private interplay could help in extending broadband connectivity to rural areas. Ghana is identified as a country with almost 80% penetration of mobile telephony. This has been made possible by the public-private collaborations fostered towards telecom infrastructure development. Ghana is used as a case to examine the strategies and identify possibilities for more of these collaborations. Data was gathered qualitatively. The significance of the paper is to narrate the possibility of using PPP to develop broadband infrastructure in Africa.

Research on Competitive Strategies of Telecom Operators in Post-3G Era Based on Industry Chain Value Stream

Abstract: This paper systematically analyzes the evolution of telecom industry chain, and builds a telecom industry chain value stream model. Besides, the article presents a competitive strategy model of telecom industry chain, which is based on the telecom operators perspective on maintaining the dominance in the chain.

Development of Infrastructure in Rajasthan

Abstract: Infrastructure is back bone of any economy. With support of a rock solid infrastructure any state can achieve a booming economy. In this article I am attempting to find out that what type of efforts has been made by the state government of Rajasthan in respect of development of infrastructure in state. The article is also showing that at what extent, the state government has achieved their goals during last few years regarding to development of infrastructure of state. There are two types of infrastructure i.e. Economic Infrastructure&Social Infrastructure. The economic infrastructure includes the airports, Railways, Roads, Power and Telecom. The Social Infrastructure includes Health, Services, Education and Tourism. The article will show study in depth of both type of infrastructure.

Rural Entrepreneurship: An Innovative Approach to Rural Mobile Telecom Services Marketing

Abstract: Mobile telecom service industry in India enjoyed a high growth rate during the last decade but is now struggling to maintain a sustainable growth rate due to deterioration of key operating metrics, leverages, financial metrics, high operating costs, and disparity of teledensity between rural and urban India. The purpose of this study is to provide a conceptual framework of rural entrepreneurship with the aim to enhance adoption and consumption of mobile telecom services in bottom-of-pyramid markets. On the basis of extensive review of literature and three case studies drawn from Asian telecom firms, viz., Village Phone Program – Bangladesh and Smart Communication Inc. Philippines, and Celtel International – Nigeria, various partners such as mobile telecom operators, microfinance agencies, rural entrepreneurs, local community and regulating bodies have been identified as the major stakeholders in the suggested model.

A review: recent trends in world and indian telecom market

Abstract: The world market has changed almost beyond recognition over the last twenty years. The recent trends in the world telecom market are: increase in private ownership, competition, data based mobile and global communication, trade and finance oriented operators, and rapid increase in subscribers from the developing nations. Several of these trends (such as increase in privatization, competition, mobile communication, digital divide) also exist in the Indian submarket. The submarkets of the world telecom market are mainly classified according to geographical location, and according to the technology used. India comes under the Asia Pacific geographical submarket. India had a traditional telecom market, which was dominated by public sector monopoly till 1990. Later, it was privatized by bits and pieces and now allows private sector participation in almost all the sectors of telecom in the nation. It has a rapidly increasing subscriber base. It allows investor friendly environment and has set up regulatory bodies to ensure justice to all players. In brief, the present Indian telecom sector is marked by choice, competition, subscriber growth, improvement in quality and service, and a shift from monopoly to oligopoly to true competition.

Finanacial performance of top 4 Indian telecom companies: A comparative study

Abstract: With India emerging as one of the largest players in telecom space, there appears to be excellent growth potentiality for Mobile network providers. India is the world's fastest growing industry in terms of number of wireless connections after China, with 811.59 million mobile phone subscribers. Opening up of Indian economy for global investors gave an option for foreign players to enter in to Indian market. This increased the level of competition and finally benefited the Indian consumers. India is country which has lowest call rate tariffs compared to other countries. Globally acclaimed operators like Telenor, NTT Docomo, Vodafone, Sistema, SingTel, Maxis, and Etisalat invested in India mobile operators. The recent 2G Spectrum scam is one of the black marks in Indian telecom industry. In 2008, the Central Government of India granted 122 telecom licenses to various companies in response to 575 applications for licenses. In a report in 2010–11, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India concluded that the allocation of these 122 licenses was characterized by policy gaps and irregularities in procedure. On the 2nd of February 2012, the Supreme Court of India, in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), cancelled all 122 telecom licenses granted in 2008 and directed that the spectrum linked with these licenses should be auctioned again. The present study deals with the financial performance evaluation of top 4 telecom companies operating in India. Note that all the 4 selected companies are started by Indian entrepreneurs. Here the authors have chosen Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communication and Tata Communication for the study. The main objective of the study is to evaluate the financial performance of the of top 4 Indian Telecom companies by taking various parameters such as net worth, net block, reported net profit, net cash from operating activities and net sales.

Performance Evaluation of Selected Telecom Companies in India - A Taxonomy Approach

Abstract: Indian telecommunications industry has shown massive upsurge in the recent years in all respects of industrial growth. From the status of state monopoly with very little growth, the industry has grown in to the level of an industry. The country is ranked third worldwide in terms of having the largest telecommunication network, after China and USA. The Industry is one of the fastest growing in the world with the growth rate of 40-45% p.a. The liberalized economic policy in India led to the entry of more private and foreign players in to the Indian Telecom industry which in turn has led to a cut-throat competition which influenced the financial performance of the telecom companies. Hence it becomes imperative to assess the financial hea lth of the Indian telecom companies in terms of its liquidity, profitability and return generating capability. In this article, the selected telecom companies’ performance is evaluated applying numerical taxonomy approach. The numerical taxonomy analysis is a ranking method which ranks target subjects utilizing a sum of indices. In this case, the financial ratios have been used as a tool for measuring the performance of selected companies. The objective of this method is to measure the financial performance of the telecom companies and their relative significance of how well these ratios have been managed by select companies in telecom business.

The Impact of PPIs in the Development of Broadband and the Way Forward: Ghana's Case

Abstract: Telecom infrastructure development has been enabled greatly by different forms of collaborations or synergies between the public and the private sector. These synergies in most cases are exigent measures employed to enable the diffusion of telecom infrastructure into under served and un-served areas. This paper examines the role of different public-private interplay that exists in Africa that were aimed at developing telecom infrastructure and why this public-private interplay could help in extending broadband connectivity to rural areas. Ghana is identified as a country with almost 80% penetration of mobile telephony. This has been made possible by the public-private collaborations fostered towards telecom infrastructure development. Ghana is used as a case to examine the strategies and identify possibilities for more of these collaborations. Data was gathered qualitatively. The significance of the paper is to narrate the possibility of using PPP to develop broadband infrastructure in Africa.

Equilibrium Services of Telecom Operators: An Idea of Service Resources Allocation

Abstract: Based on the service resources allocation problems that exists in telecom operators’ practical work, the idea of “equilibrium production” is applied from manufacturing to service, and an idea of “equilibrium service” is put forward, which aims at finding out the optimal allocation path and strategy of service resources, proposes equilibrium service model with the value of practical application and makes scientific and reasonable suggestions for telecom operators to enhance their service quality.