IDC's Next-Generation OSS and Billing service examines the critical components of service provider (SP) operational and business strategies. From enabling service delivery to analyzing customer activities, the telecommunications industry must leverage technologies and process know-how to expand the subscriber base and grow profitable customer revenue streams. This research provides key insights into the shaping issues of wireline, wireless, and broadband businesses as well as business models, partnering, and product packaging strategies. Key markets tracked include subscriber management, service delivery platforms (SDPs), interconnection, and operational support system (OSS)/billing support system (BSS).

This service covers the following segments of the next-generation OSS and billing market:

• Telecom billing
• Customer (subscriber) management and analysis
• Churn/revenue assurance
• SDPs
• Interconnection and clearing solutions
• Fulfillment

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• Ecosystems in telecom software and services
• Key differences for incumbent and emerging players
• Opportunities in broadband infrastructures
• Wireless OSS and billing issues
• Supporting content services with OSS and billing
• Approaches to automation and flow-through
• Billing settlement between SPs and content partners
• Prepaid billing for data, voice, and beyond
• Optimizing billing systems for cost and accuracy

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. How does mobility affect the software requirements of SPs?
2. Can SDPs provide all of the required service process management?
3. What makes clearinghouses a better option than internally hosted software systems?
4. Can customer intelligence increase customer self-care and personalization - or is it simply analytics?
5. How radically different are mobility and VoIP requirements from existing software system capabilities?
6. Will interconnection shortcomings inhibit industry advancement?

IDC's Next-Generation OSS and Billing service examines the product strategies, competitive positioning, financial viability, and overall strategic direction of major IT and telecommunications vendors as well as emerging BSS, OSS, and SDP companies, including:

Accenture, Acision, Actix, Alcatel-Lucent, Amdocs, Apertio, AsiaInfo, Atreus, Axiom, BEA, Blueslice, BusinessObjects, Celona, Ceon, CGE&Y, Cisco, ComArch, Comptel, Comverse, Convergys, CSG Systems, cVidya, Danet, Deloitte, Digital Route, ECTel, EMC, Ericsson, Evolving Systems, Fair Isaac, Formula Telecom, Fujitsu, Highdeal, HP, Huawei, IBM, Infitel, Infosys, Intec, Intel, Intelliden, IONA, Jacobs Rimell, KPMG, LHS, MACH, MetraTech, Microsoft, Microstrategies, MindCTI, Motive, Motorola, Nakina Systems, NEC, NetCracker, Neustar, Nokia-Siemens, Nortel, Openet, Oracle, Pantero, Patni, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Redknee, S2Net, SAP, SAS, Satyam, Sigma, Spirent, Subex Azure, Sun, SynchronOSS, Syndesis, Syniverse, Tata Consultancy Services, TechMahindra, Tecnomen, Tekelec, Telcordia, Teradata, Trendium, TTI, Valista, VeriSign, Visionael, Vitria, and Wipro.

Throughout the year, this service will offer insight into the latest trends impacting the market. Potential studies include:

This analysis provides overview forecast and market size data that highlights key trends across the major SDP, BSS, OSS, and customer analysis markets across major geographic regions.

This study measures the successes and opportunities associated with software, service bureau, and services billing solutions. It includes market share analysis within each of the go-to-market models. Trend analysis, reflecting the interplay of packaging, pricing, and positioning, is a key feature of the study.

Growth opportunities and key technologies for service provisioning, activation, and other fulfillment functions are examined in this study. The study discusses key trends, including the complexities of network- and service-layer requirements. Market size and forecast data as well as analysis are provided on a worldwide basis.

Growth opportunities and key technologies for service delivery platforms are examined in this document. The study discusses key trends, including the complexities of walled-garden versus ecosystem requirements. Market size and forecast data as well as analysis are provided on a worldwide basis.

Roaming, intercarrier settlements, and service interoperability infrastructures are essential services to IP-based and legacy telecom services alike. The outlook for clearinghouses and product solutions is analyzed and forecast. Changing market strategies for complex and emerging value-added and content-based service offerings will also be assessed.

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary admission to IDC's annual Directions conference, where you'll hear our latest forecasts and network with IDC analysts and other industry professionals
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC sales executive.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10 years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.