Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), the leading provider of customer experience systems, announced the launch of two new solutions that enable service providers to quickly and cost-effectively enter the fast-growing connected devices market. Amdocs M2M (Machine-to-Machine) and Connected Home solutions enable service providers to create new revenue streams, provide a unified customer experience and allow them to compete with over-the-top providers, all of which helps them increase average revenue per user (ARPU).
Amdocs M2M solution: A pre-packaged, pre-configured end-to-end solution based on production-proven technology that allows service providers to quickly onboard and support partners offering M2M applications such as smart utility meters, connected electrical vehicles and connected wellness. The real-time solution can support multiple dynamic business models including converged, prepaid and postpaid and complex M2M value chain, handling a wide variety of services and huge volumes of devices. Predefined, easily configurable partner templates for tariff plans, business processes, access profiles and user-interface enable rapid on boarding and support of any M2M partners. The solution is also highly flexible with the ability to change business processes, portals and tariff plans in a matter of minutes. The solution addresses service providers’ concerns of margin erosions from related customer support costs by transferring common operational aspects to M2M partners, with self-management tools for ordering, provisioning and trouble ticketing.
Amdocs Connected Home solution: A cloud-based solution that enables service providers to rapidly launch pre-packaged home and business services such as remote security, energy, health and multimedia. These out-of-the-box services considerably reduce service provider development times and back-office investment costs such as service on-boarding, inventory control, billing and customer care. Unlike the siloed offerings of over-the-top providers, Amdocs Connected Home solution can be easily integrated with existing business and operational support systems (B/OSS) and core network elements. In so doing, service providers have the opportunity to leverage their intimate knowledge of their customers across all services to provide an unprecedented, unified experience. Amdocs’ Connected Home solution can allow service providers to increase revenue by up to 5 percent#, while enriching the customers’ digital life experience and loyalty - many customers are willing to sign 24-36 month contracts for their connected home services.
“We expect to see interest for these solutions across North America and Europe,” said Rebecca Prudhomme, Amdocs vice president for product and solutions marketing. “As part of the Amdocs CES portfolio and combined with our wide range of services and unmatched industry expertise, the Amdocs M2M and Connected Home solutions enable service providers to simplify the experience for their customers and create new revenue streams to stay ahead of the competition.”
Cellular M2M connections are forecast to grow from 135 million in 2011 to 2.3 billion by 2020, according to Machina Research*, whilst research from Parks Associates** shows a great potential for service providers in the emerging connected home market. For example, 12 percent of US consumers and 9 percent of Western European consumers are highly interested in home security and home automation, and 19 percent of Western European consumers are highly interested in an energy monitoring service.
“With their large subscriber bases, existing marketing channels and retail presence, service providers are well positioned to win a significant share of the connected device markets,” said Kurt Scherf, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Parks Associates. “Amdocs’ solutions offer low cost of entry, support for many industry verticals and the proven integration capabilities needed by a service provider to quickly deliver a truly personalised experience for their partners and subscribers.”
#According to Amdocs’ internal testing, simulation or test case deployments. Benefits will vary depending on customer implementation.
* Source: Machina Research, M2M Global Forecast and Analysis 2010-20, October 2011
** Source: Parks Associates, Cloud-based Value-added Services, 2011
