Telecom operators are uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional customer experiences by leveraging new technologies and emerging market opportunities. The telecom industry’s primary revenue streams typically come from the provision of core services such as fixed internet access and mobile 4G/5G networks services. However, this revenue alone may not be sufficient to sustain long-term growth and profitability.
Telecom operators navigate a complex and ever-evolving landscape facing a number of challenges:
- Price dumping in a competitive market: The telecommunications industry is fiercely competitive, with providers often resorting to price wars to attract customers. This can lead to shrinking profit margins and difficulty in generating sustainable revenue.
- Expanding the subscriber base: Acquiring new customers is crucial for growth, but it can be challenging in a saturated market. Operators need to find innovative ways to differentiate themselves and attract new subscribers.
- Subscriber churn: Losing existing customers (churn) is a constant threat. Operators must focus on customer satisfaction, loyalty programs, and value-added services to keep customers engaged and prevent them from switching providers.
- Avoiding becoming a “pipe” for others: With the rise of OTT (over-the-top) services, some telecom operators risk becoming merely a data pipeline for content providers. This commoditizes their role and reduces their ability to capture a share of the overall revenue stream.
These challenges collectively force telecom operators to adapt and innovate. By finding creative solutions to these issues,operators can secure their position in the market, attract and retain customers, and foster sustainable growth.
How to transform challenges into growth opportunities? What strategies should telecom operators choose?
- Rollout of new Value-Added Services (VAS): This strategy tackles price wars and subscriber churn simultaneously. By offering innovative VAS Telcos can differentiate themselves and provide additional value to retain customers.
- Offering unique service bundles: Instead of competing solely on price, bundling core services like internet and mobile plans with compelling VAS creates a more attractive package for customers. This discourages churn and increases the perceived value proposition.
- Running own services on internal cloud infrastructure: By leveraging their own cloud infrastructure for managed services, operators can avoid becoming a mere “pipe.” They can host their own VAS, capture a larger share of the revenue stream, and maintain control over data.
- Partnering with expertise and experience: Finding reliable and experienced partners is key for successful implementation of new services. Partners with proven solutions and expertise can help navigate complex integrations and deployments, saving time, resources, and ensuring a smooth launch.
Could cloud video surveillance services be the new VAS solution that telecom companies are considering to diversify their services and increase their competitiveness, for example in the B2C segment?
The answer is yes, definitely yes.
By offering cloud video surveillance-based services as part of their diversified service portfolio, telecoms can differentiate themselves from the competition, enhance customer loyalty, and generate additional revenue streams. This strategic move can help them address the challenge posed by disruptive OTT providers and many others ensuring long-term growth and profitability in the evolving telecom landscape.
In this article, let’s dive deeper and find out which approaches in service launching bring successes in case of individual customers (B2C).
Effective strategies of providing cloud based video surveillance to the business-to-consumer (B2C) market
This strategic business decision enables the company to take advantage of the significant potential for widespread adoption and mass-market selling of cloud-based video surveillance services among individual consumers. By offering these services, the company is empowering everyday people to enhance their personal security and expand their own surveillance and monitoring capabilities within their homes and communities. The cloud-based nature of the video surveillance technology makes it more accessible and user-friendly for the average consumer, driving increased uptake and usage compared to more traditional, hardware-based surveillance systems.
The two core ideas behind the video surveillance service offered by the telecom operator are to provide a turnkey solution and a subscription model. This means that the operator takes responsibility for all stages of the process, from the initial design and approval to the installation and ongoing maintenance of the cameras,and subscribers only pay a monthly subscription fee. The primary goal of the operator is to make the process of ordering and utilizing the service as seamless and user-friendly as possible for the end-users. This approach is particularly advantageous for the customers, as they only pay for the services they actually use, without the added hassle of managing the technical aspects of the system.
Case 1. Service pricing plans approach for private residential properties
The first case study delves into the provision of cloud video surveillance services tailored for private residential homes. The service packages typically encompass a specified number of security cameras, installation services, and data storage capabilities. This modular design allows the service to be readily adapted to accommodate the diverse requirements of different types of residential properties, enabling customers to enhance the functionality of the system as needed.
Telecom operators can implement a tiered pricing plan for cloud video surveillance services catering to private homes, encompassing one-time upfront fees and recurring monthly subscriptions. The plan can include the following:
- One-time upfront fees:
- Installation charges per camera that covers the initial installation costs associated with maintaining cameras
- Reinstallation charges per camera – fee applies when relocating or reinstalling an existing camera
- The monthly subscription fee per camera includes real-time video access with a 7-day video archive and the option to record footage to personal storage. Expansion of the archive depth can be offered by a separate monthly tariff according to the number of cameras.
This flexible and customizable approach to residential video surveillance services allows homeowners to select a package that aligns with their specific security needs and budget. The range of options, from the number of cameras to the archiving capabilities, ensures that the service can be tailored to the unique characteristics and requirements of different private residences. Additionally, the ability to expand the system’s functionality over time enables homeowners to adapt the surveillance solution as their needs evolve, providing a comprehensive and adaptable security solution for private homes.
Case 2. Service approach and pricing plans for condominiums
The second case study centers on the provision of public video surveillance services for individuals residing in apartment buildings. This service focuses on external video surveillance around the perimeter of buildings, on lift platforms, playgrounds and car parks.
Any resident who has subscribed to the service can easily access and utilize the system, making it a valuable security solution for the entire apartment community. If it is necessary to maintain the privacy of the entrances, access can be differentiated in accordance with the residence. This comprehensive approach to surveillance ensures that the safety and security of the apartment complex is effectively addressed.
When launching the service, the Telco operator should immediately take care of mass coverage of subscribers and high penetration of the service. A successful case is when there are 6-8 paying customers per camera.
By implementing an effective pricing plan for cloud video surveillance services for multi-family buildings telecom operators can build on the approach of fixed monthly subscription fees and potential discounts when bundled with core services.
Subscription fee covers access to video feeds from all cameras within the dwelling, including real-time viewing and a 7-day video archive. This eliminates the need for per-camera charges, simplifying billing and cost management for customers.
Bundled discount: To encourage uptake of cloud video surveillance as an add-on service, operators can offer a 50% discount on the subscription fee when it is bundled with primary services, such as internet or phone plans. This bundled approach can enhance customer satisfaction and increase the overall value proposition.
By implementing this straightforward and cost-effective pricing plan, telecom operators can effectively attract and retain customers in the multi-unit dwelling segment, expanding their cloud video surveillance service reach.
Is there a truly telcom-centric solution for running cloud video surveillance service?
– Partnering with expertise and experience
Expanding telecom offerings with cloud video surveillance services can be a good strategy for the B2C market. However, there are important factors to consider when choosing a partner with proven experience and expertise to succeed in making the service massively popular. . The software solution should minimize capital and operational expenses for the telecom operator. It needs to efficiently scale computing and storage resources to accommodate rapid subscriber growth, and seamlessly integrate with the telecom’s BSS/OSS, CRM, inventory management systems and more
Aipix empowers telecom operators and service providers with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving environment. By offering cutting-edge Value-Added Services (VAS) solutions like cloud video surveillance, Aipix helps operators transform their customer engagement strategies and secure a leading position in the market.
The Aipix Telecom Platform is specifically designed to address the needs of telecom operators. Its robust capabilities – including multi-tenancy, hybrid cloud deployment, auto-provisioning, and seamless API integration – provide a well-suited software solution for launching and managing cloud video surveillance-based services. This platform empowers operators to build an ecosystem of digital VAS.
Implementing the Aipix solution unlocks numerous benefits for telecom operators. They can expand their service portfolios with attractive cloud-based offerings leading to increased Average Revenue Per User (ARPU). Finally, Aipix equips telecom operators to navigate the evolving market landscape with confidence, achieving sustainable growth and exceeding customer expectations.
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