The limitation of outsourcing
XINTEC addresses the challenge of efficiently managing a part of the roaming data processing chain in house, versus outsourcing to a DCH - and this is the core of the argument underlying the XINTEC value proposition.
XINTEC takes the view that the more you outsource, the more detached you can become from your actual business. Hence the interest in developing software tools and solutions to give operators the means to work with their own data, before and after the data clearing process.
From a TAP processing perspective, it may be a “no-brainer” to outsource the task to a DCH, primarily because it enormously reduces the complexity, effort and cost of interconnecting with hundreds of roaming partners to exchange roaming billing records.
But call event detail information (in the form of switch raw data, TAP, NRTRDE, etc.) is probably the most valuable information that an operator can possess, as beyond the obvious billing relationship, the data helps an operator understand not only the whereabouts of its customers, but also the subscriber’s profile and even behaviour when roaming. Operators are not exploiting this potential today.
Although operators are seeking to opt for the lowest-cost route to their business processes through outsourcing, we are suggesting that not all data should be passed to DCHs, for the following reasons:
- it is more cost-effective and secure to manage critical and time-sensitive data in-house
- with the right technology and automation, the need for third parties is reduced
- the operator retains full access, visibility and control over his own data
- the operator has immediate access to the results that matter, and can better focus on target marketing of his services
Technical departments are often divided over whether outsourcing or in-sourcing is the better option for their data processing needs. In our view, ultimately the sensitivity of the data to be processed should be the decisive factor. How critical is your roaming billing data today?