Meet the Future of Digital Experiences with Next-Generation BSS for Satellite Communication

 

A Business Support System (BSS) for satellite providers is a comprehensive software solution specifically designed to meet the unique operational and business requirements of satellite service providers. It is a software-based system that provides the tools and processes that facilitates the management of various services offered by telecom operators. There is a wide array of functionalities included in the platform which aims at optimizing service provisioning, billing, customer management, encompassing overall business operations.

With the help of cutting-edge technology, BSS for satellite providers empowers management of services efficiently, enabling smooth, seamless operations. Automated workflows enable optimization of resource allocation while minimizing time & errors.

The issue concerning most telecom providers is that they have a traditional BSS enterprise system deployed, which are unable to meet the needs of new value-added services, bundles, and ever-changing telecom business requirements. Operators need to reinvent themselves to meet the new customer demands and equip themselves with future technology requirements. Enterprise IT environments need to transform from traditional processes to customer cognizant applications.

Therefore, the next-generation BSS systems for satellite providers need to support the following:

  • Multiple networks and technologies
  • New-age services, enhancing the efficiency of business user experiences
  • An ecosystem of innovation that enables a seamless plug and play of new services.
  • Configuration centric architecture that drives business agility
  • Convergent services, billing, charging, and customer care
  • Cognitive applications that are intelligent and capable of decision-making through Artificial Intelligence

Some of key components for Satellite providers BSS include:

  1. Service Provisioning and Activation: Automate and streamline end-to-end process of service provisioning, including satellite capacity allocation, bandwidth management, and service activation for individual customers or organizations.
  2. Billing and Revenue Management: Integrate with billing systems to accurately capture and consolidate usage data, apply relevant pricing models, generate invoices, and manage revenue recognition. It handles various billing scenarios, such as recurring charges, usage-based billing, and discounts.
  3. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Provide a comprehensive customer management module that allows satellite providers to manage customer accounts, track interactions, handle service orders, and provide personalized customer support.
  4. Service Assurance and Monitoring: Monitor the performance and health of satellite services, proactively identifying and addressing any faults or issues that may affect service quality. It includes real-time monitoring, fault detection, and automated ticketing for effective issue resolution.
  5. Inventory Management: Maintain an inventory of satellite equipment, transponders, and other network resources. It tracks the status, availability, and allocation of these resources, facilitating accurate capacity planning and efficient resource utilization.
  6. Partner Management: For satellite providers involved in partnerships or reseller programs, the BSS system enables effective management of partner relationships, including partner onboarding, revenue sharing, and settlement processes.
  7. Reporting and Analytics: Offer reporting and analytics capabilities to provide insights into business performance, customer behavior, service usage, and revenue trends. This helps satellite providers make data-driven decisions, identify opportunities for growth, and optimize operations.
  8. Integration and APIs: Flexibility to integrate with other systems, such as network management systems, billing platforms, and third-party applications, through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). This ensures seamless data exchange and end-to-end process automation.

MerF and TM Forum standards in Satellite Communication

MerF (Metadata Exchange for Resource Provisioning) is a set of standards specifically designed for Business Support Systems (BSS) in the context of satellite communication. These standards are developed to facilitate the exchange of metadata related to resource provisioning in satellite networks. The MerF standards ensure interoperability and seamless integration between different components and systems within the BSS domain.

TM Forum is a global industry association that develops and promotes standards for the telecommunications and digital services industries. While not specific to satellite communication, TM Forum's suite of standards provides a comprehensive framework for end-to-end Business Support Systems (BSS), which includes satellite communication service providers. TM Forum standards cover a wide range of BSS areas, including service provisioning and fulfilment, billing and revenue management, customer experience management, product lifecycle management, partner management, and more. These standards aim to streamline and optimize the operations and management of BSS processes in satellite communication networks.

Both MerF and TM Forum standards play crucial roles in defining the BSS landscape for satellite communication. While MerF focuses specifically on metadata exchange and resource provisioning, TM Forum provides a comprehensive suite of standards covering various aspects of BSS, including service management, billing, customer experience, and integration. Adhering to these standards enables satellite communication service providers to achieve operational efficiency, scalability, and improved customer satisfaction.

Tecnotree BSS adheres to MerF and TM Forum standards and provides Digital BSS Suite 5.0 which helps satellite providers come out of the existing infrastructure challenges and enable a future digital ready platform, that enables launching of new services and increased revenue.

Tecnotree solution delivers enhanced customer experience and advanced monetization capabilities. Built on microservice based architecture, the solution supports growing demand of new and futuristic services for both retail and enterprise customers. The key features of the solution include:

  • 360-degree view providing consolidated customer view
  • Effective management of different partners & service providers
  • Flexible monetization models like B2B, B2C, and B2B2X
  • Open-source technologies with configurable process reducing operational cost
  • Quick launch of digital services reducing time to market
  • Open APIs to allow seamless integration

Tecnotree empowers satellite providers to monetize and deliver new digital offerings with the help of futuristic products, including Lead and Prospect Manager, Customer Lifecycle Manager, Digital MyLife Dashboard, Digital Partner Relationship Manager, Digital Order Manager, Digital Catalog Manager, Digital Convergent Billing System, Digital Online Charging System and much more. Along with these, Tecnotree Digital Enterprise Suite for satellite service providers encompasses platform and monitoring services, including an omni channel journey designer, digital wallet, digital marketplace experience, and dynamic workflows.

A robust BSS for satellite providers improves operational efficiency, enhances customer experience, streamlines billing processes, and enables effective management of satellite services. It helps providers deliver high-quality services, optimize resource utilization, and drive revenue growth in the competitive satellite telecommunications industry.

From designing services to creating IT infrastructure and zero-touch operations of the future, automation is the key to manage scale and complexity of BSS/OSS systems and hybrid networks. It drives innovation and customer experiences, all while enhancing processes and reducing cost and time-to-market. New-age BSS on satellite communication help enhance the digital engagement experiences for customers and deliver more value and bring new levels of agility in an increasingly fast-paced market.

To know more on how to activate BSS for satellites, please fill out the form below: