Russia Makes its Mark in Asia

The CBOSS Association is one of Russia’s largest software developed, with a strong niche in the telecom sector. Its key strengths are the development of original software, system integration, delivery of complex integrated hardware, and software solutions, including equipment and system software, implementation, and technical support. At the time of writing, CBOSS has earned 776 installations to its credit, deployed with 141 customers in 19 countries. Asian Communications spoke with Evgeny Korneev, vice-president (Marketing & Sales), to acquire an insight into CBOSS’s strengths and skills

Asian Communications, September 2004

AC: Outline CBOSS’s business strategy and growth areas for serving fixed line and broadband telecom service providers in Asia.

Our main strategy is to provide complex convergent IT solutions for any telecom operator irrespective of its size, services offered, standards deployed, subscriber base and structure of the enterprise. Today, our customers are wireline-, mobile- and satellite-carriers, ISPs, transit operators, MVNOs. Currently, CBOSS’ products are deployed at 141 telcos in 19 countries on four continents. In Asia-Pacific we have a presence in the Lao PDR (Lao Telecommunications and Lao-Asia Telecom State Enterprise) and Thailand (ETS).

The needs of our customers are our main concern and we customize solutions to fit with their needs. We offer them 44 innovative products providing full automation of all aspects of a telco’s activities multi-purpose training courses, consulting and individual configuration services and 24×7 technical support. Besides, to be closer to the customer we plan to shortly open technical support and training branch in the capital of the Lao PDR and a sales office ш one of the main cities of South-East Asia.

AC: VoIP has been talked about for a long time as «the next big thing» for fixed line telecommunications. What sort of demand do you currently have for your VoIP solutions and how have these demands changed over time?

On the initial stage it?s development VoIP was used basically for offering of telecom services with prepaid cards and PSTN traffic termination. Network topology was very simple and normally connections as gateway-to-gateway were used. At present, new types of services and technological solutions have appeared, which we strive to reflect in our products. Today, our systems must consider traffic volume increase, react on new services classes emergence — as VoIP transit and new types of hardware equipment -VoIP soft swatches. Our products are adapted to the new complicated network topology: a call may pass several network devices. They also support new protocols for VoIP: for instance, SIP, MGCP. Finally, based on new topology new services for end-users appeared (conferencing, VoIP centrex, etc.). And now more and more subscribers choose VoIP service instead of fixed line telephony. We have responded to this popularity by broadening our IP products line and solutions’ functionality.

AC: Alliances with complementary companies are obviously key for your business, as demonstrated by your relationship with HP, Sun, etc. What lesser-known companies are you working with from Asia and how do they complement your business strategy?

Mainly, we cooperate with Asia-Pacific system integrators, who just like us, work with telcos. Together with them we take part in tenders, prepare various projects. Among our partners are for example Malaysian Insys, Fujitsu Philippines, and many more. Partnership with Asia-Pacific companies is one of the most important aspects of our strategy and we are ready for any collaboration within sphere of telecoms, including outsourcing, and technological investments, etc.

AC: Have you learned anything in particular from working with Asian companies?

Asian telcos really work different from European, American, Australian, and others. These are not mere words since we have a large portfolio of installations in 19 countries on four continents. First, Asian carriers are very thorough at choosing the solution provider for their business. Normally, the latter is defined within serious biddings with very impressive list of participants. For example, in tender for solution supply for Lao-Asia Telecom we had to compete with several very eminent rivals, including Coniverse and Newton.

Secondly, Asian telcos closely truck technological changes and look for the latest high-tech achievements for themselves. This present serious demands to the vendors’ solutions. Thirdly, these operators require universal technologies — and with this — individual configuration and customization for their needs. We have solutions to offer them because we have full scope of different solutions for the telecom business. Though our systems are serialized, what significantly reduces their costs are their flexible and convergent characteristics, which means they can be deployed at any earner, be it a start-up or one already using third-party solutions. By the way, CBOSS systems have repeatedly substituted legacy systems of telecom operators, including 30 solutions from the leading foreign manufacturers as Comverse, LHS, Brite, Alcatel, Ericsson, Nokia, etc.

Finally, Asian telcos prefer to work with companies having representations in Asia Pacific. As I’ve already said, we will open ours shortly.