Green light to go further

Celfocus’ early history is deeply connected to Vodafone Portugal.

Many success stories have been shared between both companies.

Most of our reference projects, assets, frameworks and products, were born in the scope of projects for Vodafone Portugal.

A list of a few classics:

• The Siebel Arbor, which created our first order management provisioning framework and turned the billing centric architecture into a CRM centric architecture. This reference was the key for our first outbound assignment in Japan.
• The Siebel-PPB, which created the first integrated solution for mobile prepaid and post-paid
• The Siebel SFA, which created our first solution for the enterprise segment
• The fixed implementation and our Fixed Model Framework, which enables Vodafone to launch both new fixed technology/combinations without impacting the service layers and launch new marketing offers without impacting the technology layers. Also, the level of automatization achieved for the fixed, from customer eligibility up to field service ringing at customer’s door, with full equipment’s auto-provisioning (BSS and OSS) and order finalization via SMS, was one of the solutions that helped make Vodafone Ireland and Vodafone Ghana Celfocus customers. In Vodafone Ireland’s words “we want that solution”. Our work enabled Vodafone to become ready for the first mobile-fixed convergent offers in 3 weeks; to be the first operator within the Vodafone Group to launch the smart pricing (IN based on real-time offers with real-time subscription); to launch the first IPTV integration - which included real-time STB-BSS integration; to perform FTTH activations in 4 hours since customer subscription up to field service installation; and many other success stories which enabled Vodafone PT to be seen as a pioneer and reference for solutions/architecture components, and as a leading OpCo in the Portuguese market.

Our work enabled Vodafone to become ready for the first mobile-fixed convergent offers in 3 weeks; to be the first operator within the Vodafone Group to launch the smart pricing (IN based on real-time offers with real-time subscription); to launch the first IPTV integration - which included real-time STB-BSS integration; to perform FTTH activations in 4 hours since customer subscription up to field service installation; and many other success stories which enabled Vodafone PT to be seen as a pioneer and reference for solutions/architecture components, and as a leading OpCo in the Portuguese market.

And today?

Vodafone, like many other Telecom operators is living over a challenging triangle, which influences its global positioning and strategy:

On the first edge of this triangle: the market.

A highly competitive market with pricing pressures, very mature offers, and technology evolution that creates value awareness for customers at a decreasing rate. Little product differentiation exists between the players, for every operator’s offer there is a similar copy in the competition’s portfolio. This edge influences investments and investments have a direct relationship with projects: with our work. Each investment must have a clear business case with less risk.

On the second edge: pressure over costs.

When revenue is harder to get and new revenue streams are harder to find, increasing results for Vodafone can be deeply linked to measures on costs. Operational cost reductions are within the organization’s main priorities. Today, time to marketing needs loses relevance over projects driven by savings. Most of our Managed Services are also continuously being challenged in that direction.

On the third edge: the need for evolution.

Evolution of the network for new data speeds (5G is underway), evolution of network components and information systems. The push for new technology drivers coming from the industry, and the chase for new methodologies that seek both better project accuracy and project costs, agile, devops, cloud. Simpler overall solutions are required, this demands rethinking classic modules born in a no longer existing context (e.g. the SFA). New solutions must target business evolution through reference data or small changes, with continuous integration methodologies.

And what about the future, can our customers count on us?

Sure, and that depends entirely on us.

Only companies that are willing to change and adapt can be positive about their future. Celfocus’ success stories, do not entirely guarantee us the future. As a result of our successful past, Vodafone PT understandably expects more from us. Our history provides us with the opportunities, but also raises the thresholds expected from Celfocus. To keep growing, we must not only adapt ourselves, but we must lead the transformation, set the standards and show our clients the path. These will be the factors that will keep our competitive advantage.

How are we going to do this? We must read the signs, understand the overall context, and identify the streams where we want to invest. What are these signs?

Times are changing, the big software stacks are being challenged by lighter solutions, such as open source or solutions from emergent companies. BSS alternative solutions are also showing up, creating alternatives to traditional vendors.

Agile is being positioned as the main development framework, CIOs have been challenged to do that, but still, there are many doubts about operator’s readiness to adopt to agile methodologies.

As a result of the savings challenges, the budgets for most BUs, including IT, are being reduced The classic Capex project financing model, is being challenged as the number one option for projects’ engagement. Solutions where vendors take part of the risks and finance in some cases.

Operations will have their future linked to Cloud targets, where more than half of all applications must be based on cloudOperations will no longer live independent from infrastructure services, AMO will become part of the Cloud services, under any *aaS model.

Under this context, our strategy for the near future is based on three main directions:

• Cloud, Agile, DevOps. We are creating specific initiatives in these areas in order provide our clients with clear messages about Celfocus’ investment..
• Consolidation of our traditional business streams and explore new revenue streams: extending CELFOCUS Omnichannel coverage; increase presence in OSS using our experience; consolidate recent investments performed over the enterprise offering, creating a vision for the EBU stack and proposing a tangible roadmap.
• Keep preparing our positioning for the post-ADM era, work with our clients for new models, reposition our value proposal in the dev chain, and rethink partnerships.

How do we continue our innovation path at Vodafone Portugal?

Vodafone Portugal continues to play a strategic role regarding our references and portfolio.

The openness to innovation, relationship and trust, is what provides the proper conditions for chasing new ideas, new frameworks, new products, sharing risks and investments.

Agile is Dead