Expertise
The telecommunications / ICT sector of is broad. TACTIKOM focuses its
activities mainly on areas below. It has developed a suitable instrument: ictNetSim.
Network
planning
Network
Sizing
Service
Pricing
Marginal
cost pricing in a competitive environment
Auditing
of directives on quality of service and efficiency
Regulation
of Services
An operator decides, after extensive prospective studies, to offer new
services to its customers. From this decision stems the need to identify
subsequent resource requirements. Resources are generally of the following
categories:
a.
resources that vary
with the volume of direct consumption of services (e.g. resources in network
elements);
b.
resources that become
necessary once the service is offered, but that does not necessarily vary as
the volume of services consumed varies (e.g. billing software to a new service);
c.
support resources the resizing
of which might be necessary (e.g. the commercial support).
Qualitative analysis of these factors is a
prerequisite for effective feasibility of introducing a new service. It must be followed by the
quantification and valuation of each of the resources thereof.
In this exercise, the calculation of network
infrastructure resource requirements is a key element often evaded. This often
leads to unpleasant quality of service outturn that can be fatal to the nascent
service.
This is even more important when dealing
simultaneously with migration to new technologies whose products are likely to
cannibalize existing services.
ictNetSim allows
for early management of networks sizing for both existing services and new
services, taking into account the existing infrastructure. The issue of
migration is taken very seriously given the transition period which the
telecommunications / ICT sector is in.
ictNetSim can
handle sizing of existing networks, but is designed in accordance with the
relevant recommendations of international organizations relating to the
migration of mobile solutions to so-called Third Generation, but also the
migration of all networks towards Next Generation Networks (NGN). This is an
important guarantee given to operators, regulators and political authorities
that the solutions they choose are not imposed by the confines of a working
tool.
ictNetSim is a
"Multipurpose Simulator of Telecommunication/ICT Networks and Services."
Its network sizing module is built around the same routing algorithms than
those used in real networks. It is
designed to be able to explain why the real network may have poor performance,
but, mostly, to tell what to improve to get the desired performance.
ictNetSim can
adapt to any existing or future accounting system without any new software
development. It is the tool that adapts to the environment and not the
opposite. However, the tool design is based on the assumption that the accounts
of the operator complies with the general principles on accounting and cost allocation.
For a "candidate-operator” information generated by its
business plan will replace the data records.
The ictNetSim
tariff approach is based on the
accurate determination of incremental resources necessary to provide a
particular service. So basically it is an instrument embodying the principles
of the famous LRIC.
Moreover, ictNetSim
is designed to allow the operator to choose the definition of services within a
class of quality of service, but also to combine several classes in the same
service. It is a lot of freedom for the future.
Services offered include those to end users, but also termination and
transit services available to other operators, whether domestic or
international. ictNetSim is an answer to all questions that may
arise regarding the interconnection of networks in a multi-operator and
multi-service environment.
A direct consequence of the above is that ictNetSim , in addition the answers it provides on
regulatory issues, remains a tool of corporate strategy once the need to meet
regulatory compliance are satisfied.
It allows the operator or service provider to explore the "value
chain" in its market and to exploit its competitive advantages to the best
of its interest. Knowing the intrinsic marginal cost of service is certainly an
important step in that direction.
The good quality of service is a strong requirement of the customer,
therefore a constant concern of the service provider. Nevertheless, in many
cases the senior management of the company is really aware of the situation
when a failure has already significantly affected customers.
On the other hand, the quality of service is essentially a reflection of
how resources are allocated to different network segments: a lack of resources
causes a degradation of quality of service and destroys the costing basis. For
example, the interconnection rates have been negotiated on the basis of a
quantity of resources used. But at the same time overabundant resources, not
only does not lead to an improvement of already good quality of service, but
induce avoidable costs which, at the end of the chain, are paid by customers,
by interconnected operators or / and shareholders.
The best way to avoid the drawbacks mentioned above is to prevent and
manage the evolution of the quality of service, instead of only assessing it
from time to time.
ictNetSim,
multi-purpose networks and services simulator, can be a valuable tool in this
perspective for operators but also for regulators to monitor compliance with
regulatory requirements for quality of service.
Legacy telecommunication / ICT networks generally consist of separate
layers, each specializing in facilitating the provision of specific services.
Since the mid-1990s regulatory guidelines tend to embrace that reality by
applying separately and specifically to each particular network. This situation
persists in a large majority of countries because the licenses granted in the
(then) newly liberalized markets are still valid.
TACTIKOM forged solutions which take account of the existing networks
while putting itself in a position to support operators and regulators during
the transition to the single network (convergence).
The network said the "next generation" is closer than we may
think: it is already in the "double play", "triple play"
and other initiatives, such as Skype, which gradually
erase the boundaries between networks and services. This rapid convergence is a
priority for any network operator and / or service provider because it will be
about, in generally liberalized markets, to remain competitive in each market
niche.
For national regulatory authorities, the situation becomes almost
dangerous because the separation of accounts which applied on competing
networks will become obsolete. This phenomenon seems to be well understood as
the number of countries where global licenses are granted is increasing
steadily. Despite that, regulators might have less and less control on the
accuracy of the allocation of costs for both services invoiced to customers and
those available to other operators.
ictNetSim, indeed,
is designed to handle that situation.
One of the important conclusions of the WSIS was that, although
liberalization and improvement of regulatory frameworks have done much good to
telecommunications / ICT sector and are always needed, there are aspects of
national needs that the traditional private sector cannot face alone.
This clearly means that, without returning to the situation in the past
when governments owned and operated networks, the government intervention may
be inevitable, for example, to put ICTs at the reach
of people living in remote and rural areas and of individuals with scarce
resources.
At the same time, while continuing to cooperate with the big
multinational operators, it was considered important to promote local
entrepreneurship in the telecommunication/ICT sector. The "public
good" policy was identified as a possible solution.
Such a policy cannot be read and translated on a mouse click: it
requires detailed analysis, calculations and negotiations between Government
and private sector.
ictNetSim was
designed to allow the simulation of the effects of various policies
including "public good".
Copyright © 2013 - All Rights Reserved - Tactikom
Bulletin Inscrivez vous !
Enter votre Nom et Email pour vous inscrire.
Pour vous déinscrire SVP cliquer ici ».