Cable & Wireless Communications selects C3 platform to deliver next generation telephony services to subscribers

Cable & Wireless Communications is a leading international telecommunications company with customers in over 38 countries, including the Channel Islands, where it delivers mobile, broadband, fixed line, data centre and enterprise solutions to a diverse customer base of consumer and corporate clients.

For more than 130 years, Cable & Wireless has constantly reinvented itself to embrace the latest technological advances, and has maintained investment in its service culture – always striving for excellence by listening to its customers’ needs.
It was with this commitment to customer service in mind that Cable & Wireless went out to tender in 2010 for an enhanced messaging solution that would bring next generation messaging services to subscribers across the Channel Islands and Isle of Man.

Following a competitive bid process, the company chose C3’s Network Messaging Platform.

C3’s carrier grade messaging platform, which supports SIP and TDM connectivity to mobile and fixed line users, has enabled Cable & Wireless to roll out a broad range of highly personalised messaging services to its subscribers across the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. Customers now manage both their home and mobile voicemail through one single inbox, through an interface that can be accessed via any web enabled PC, mobile or landline.

The platform also enables customers to ‘personalise’ their voicemail with enhanced features such as time-specific personal greetings; CLI-based personal greetings; multiple phone numbers per mailbox and alarm call management. This ability to personalise and manage messaging services inevitably leads to better uptake of the system, higher customer usage figures and a reduction in churn. In the five months since Cable & Wireless installed C3 network messaging, the company has seen voicemail usage figures increase by 50%.

C3’s Network Messaging platform is capable of processing hundreds of messaging applications simultaneously, whilst streamlining the administration function by automatically configuring mailboxes on a first use basis. The vast portfolio of applications supported by the platform future-proofs the company’s investment, whilst providing the ability to generate new revenue streams through additional services, such as own-brand speaking clock. Since moving the speaking clock service from BT onto its network messaging platform, Cable & Wireless has seen revenue from this service increase by 70% – at absolutely no extra cost to its customer base.

“We are pleased to be working with C3, whose technology not only allows us to develop new revenue generating opportunities within our message management service but also harness efficiency savings right across board,” said Andy Bridson, Chief Commercial Officer, Cable & Wireless Communications Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
“We have been very impressed with the C3 platform, as well as the ongoing technical support from the team who are incredibly responsive to our requirements.”

John Wood, Director of Sales & Marketing, C3, added: “Our broad application portfolio and ability to provide better ROI for new customers such as Cable & Wireless Communications has meant that after 20 years C3 has come of age.”

Skype Goes Live With MACH Direct Operator Billing

MACH, the world leader in direct operator billing, today announced that Skype now supports a new mobile payment option for Skype Credit in Russia, and soon the U.S. and Canada, using its direct operator billing service. With this new payment option, Skype users can now purchase Skype Credit from their mobile devices through a browser-based transaction that is secure, seamless and convenient. They can pay for this transaction either as part of their monthly cell phone bill or using their mobile carrier’s pre-paid account balance.

Using direct operator billing enables Skype to offer a vital alternative payment method to its users, allowing them to enjoy a frictionless user experience. This new payment option will reflect the same prices for Skype Credit as current payment methods. The rollout of direct operator billing in additional countries, and as a payment option for Skype users that are purchasing Skype Credit through a browser on their desktop, will continue through 2013, enabling Skype to create new revenue streams by attracting new users of Skype premium products.

MACH’s partnership with payvia, a leading mobile and online payments company with direct agreements with the main U.S. mobile operators, connects the technology behind MACH’s service, its Direct Billing Gateway, with U.S. mobile operators. It is also connected to the leading mobile operators in Canada and Russia, enabling the delivery of an operator billing service that dramatically improves user experience.

Jason Macklin, Director Billing and Payments, Skype Division – Microsoft, Skype, commented: “We are proud of our heritage in delivering a strong user experience and are pleased that our direct operator billing payment option is now live! As well as our existing users benefitting from this new payment option, we expect direct operator billing to attract new customers who are looking for more convenient ways to manage their spend. Since the announcement of our partnership with MACH in September last year, we have seen direct operator billing gather momentum in North America and Russia, and we are looking forward to rolling the solution out in additional markets in the near future.”

Michael De Jongh, Global Head of Sales, Mobile Billing & Payments, MACH, said: With MACH’s Direct Operator Billing service, Skype now has a flexible, secure and reliable billing solution with a range of benefits for its customers. Its users will be able to charge their Skype Credit to their mobile phone bill or pre-paid account balance, and enjoy the frictionless user experience gained from this payment method. We are very excited to continue working with Skype to roll this out in addtional countries.”

Direct Operator Billing service for mobile applications, content and mobile internet services allows providers to charge subscribers for services direct to their mobile phone bill or pre-paid balance. This creates a significantly improved user-experience through the enhanced frictionless purchase process and delivers greatly enhanced transaction completion rates. By removing the need for cumbersome Premium SMS or credit card payments, it increases the likelihood of customers continuing through to purchase.

Mobile Operators Slow To Protect Consumers From Bill-Shock, Says MACH

According to a survey conducted by MACH, the leading provider of cloud-based managed communication services, the majority of mobile operators ( 62% ) have not yet implemented any form of bill-shock prevention to protect their customers against unexpectedly high data roaming bills. Furthermore, only 24% of mobile operators worldwide have a solution that can monitor subscriber data usage habits in real-time, thus complying with the GSMA Data Roaming Transparency Initiative launched last year. Such solutions, that consider the subscribers’ data roaming experience first and foremost, boost uptake of data roaming services, leading to more revenue for operators and increased customer satisfaction.
On average, 70% of roamers turn off data roaming while travelling due to the fear of bill-shock. Furthermore, bill disputes resulting from bill-shock cost operators up to 30% of their data roaming revenue, and they have had to pay the wholesale fees to carry that data. Eliminating the fear of bill-shock and unleashing potential data roamers is the most attractive growth opportunity for mobile operators worldwide. The GSMA’s Data Roaming Transparency Initiative is designed to do just that by ensuring that customers are notified in real-time about their data usage while roaming. MACH’s cloud-based, real-time Bill Shock Prevention solution ensures compliance with the GSMA guidelines and can be implemented in just 10 weeks, making it possible for operators to meet the GSMA’s tight implementation timescales. It is currently the preferred bill-shock prevention solution by mobile operators worldwide.
Tue From Hermansen, Director, Mobile Data and Advanced Networks, MACH, commented: “Compliance with the GSMA initiative will only be achieved by those who can take proactive steps to ensure customers are notified about their data usage in real-time.

As the preferred Bill Shock Prevention provider, MACH gives operators the kind of granular, real-time insight into data usage that they need, playing a vital role in helping them to grow roaming revenues through increased usage and improved customer retention. Operators that fail to implement an effective solution to prevent bill-shock will face unhappy subscribers, increased churn and disputed bills that remain unpaid, directly impacting revenues. Operators who fail to follow the GSMA’s initiative on bill-shock may soon find themselves out manoeuvred by competitors that prioritise the subscriber experience”.
MACH’s Bill Shock Prevention solution is a cloud-based service that delivers a comprehensive subscriber experience with real-time service alerts and suspension upon reaching thresholds. It also offers carrier branded portals/sms and cloud-based integration with any existing carrier infrastructure. Leading mobile operators in Asia, NA, Middle East and Africa are currently deploying MACH’s solution, while a further 60 mobile operators worldwide are in discussions with the company. The solution is part of MACH’s
M Serve cloud-based portfolio of fast-to-market mobile data monetization services, which the company estimates now benefit almost a quarter of a billion mobile subscribers globally.

Spoke Chosen to Help STV Increase Interaction with its Consumers

Consumer engagement specialists Spoke are proud to have won the tender for a two year contract with STV. Spoke has been tasked with creatively increasing interaction between STV and its consumers, to help them build relationships and connect with communities on air and online.

Spoke, who offer social TV and other interactive services for numerous broadcasters, will become STV’s partner for the provision of mobile and other interactive services.

STV broadcasts on Channel 3 in Scotland, reaching over 4 million viewers each month with first class programming including soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street, big drama productions, entertainment hits The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, strong home-grown productions and the most comprehensive local news service in the UK.
STV has also recently been awarded Local TV licenses for Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Elizabeth Partyka, Deputy Director of Channels at STV, said: “We understand the importance of engaging with our consumers across multiple platforms. We chose to partner with Spoke because of their experience providing interactive services to other broadcasters and digital media companies but also because of their creative ability and deep understanding of cross-platform consumer engagement.”

Jane Thomas, Interactive Services Director for Broadcast at Spoke, commented on the win: “We’re delighted to add STV to our portfolio of broadcast clients. Being creative partner and service provider will allow Spoke to demonstrate our creativity and trusted service delivery and we look forward to implementing innovative ideas to increase interaction between STV and their consumers.”

Bango & Telefónica Digital sign agreement to create an enhanced direct-to-bill payment experience

Bango, the mobile payments and analytics company, and Telefónica Digital have signed a Global Framework Agreement that will see the two companies partner globally to create an enhanced direct-to-bill payment experience for mobile app stores. The partnership will combine Bango’s frictionless payment experience with Telefónica’s BlueVia Payment APIs, connecting over 314 million chargeable customers worldwide to the Bango Payments Platform.

The ability to pay for digital goods and services via a mobile phone bill or prepay credit is a key way for content owners and developers to fully monetize their products. This is especially the case in developing markets, such as Latin America, where penetration of bank accounts and credit cards is very low. Trials of direct to bill in Telefónica operating businesses have proven its ability to drive sales.

By integrating the single BlueVia billing API into the Bango Payments Platform app stores will benefit from Bango’s enhanced user experience for mobile devices, which generates higher payment conversion rates, especially from Wi-Fi-connected and other “off-network” devices. This is particularly important for the future of mobile payments as more than half of smartphones browsing app stores use Wi-Fi connections.

A key goal of the partnership is to accelerate the availability of a standardized and open payment platform for all app stores and content providers and to dramatically improve the customer experience. The platform will be available to all app stores, supporting operator-billing and other payment methods through a single, common platform. The advantage to the customer is a seamless payment flow with no requirement to enter personal information or leave the payment session.

As well as technology to improve the user experience, Bango is contributing to the partnership its market-leading expertise in managing payments at mass scale, developed over several years with industry-leading partners such as RIM, Facebook, Opera and others. The Bango platform expands the attractiveness of operator billing to third parties by automating all settlement processes, including tax reconciliation, local currency support and providing sophisticated analytics and reporting that enable App Stores to optimize the mobile user experience.

Telefónica is rolling out direct to bill capabilities in its operating businesses and earlier this year announced global, framework agreements with Facebook, Google, Microsoft and RIM.

Bango CEO Ray Anderson commented that “Telefonica and Bango share a strategic vision: to widen access to paid content by standardizing and simplifying operator-billed mobile payments. BlueVia is a valuable and bold initiative by Telefonica to establish a unified set of billing APIs. We will standardize on BlueVia to connect with Telefónica’s 314 million subscribers around the world and look forward to welcoming other operators who join this initiative, as Telenor has done”.

Speaking for Telefónica Digital, Jose Valles, Head of BlueVia, said: “At the heart of every great service is first class customer experience and both Bango and BlueVia share the vision that mobile payments must be seamless and low friction for the customer. Through this partnership, we are delivering a mobile billing ecosystem that empowers the app store and content owners to achieve mass scale in their business through global reach and a payment method far broader than credit cards”.

The partnership between Telefónica and Bango was negotiated by Telefónica’s Financial Services and Global Partnership teams, based in Madrid and Silicon Valley and headed by Joaquín Mata and Wayne Thorsen, respectively.