Telecom — We are looking for active penetration in Indian market

With 770 installations in 19 countries serving about 40 million subscribers CBOSS Association has created a niche for itself in the IT industry. Currently the largest Russian software developer and a leader of Russian IT for telecom market segment CBOSS benefits from global partnerships with renowned names like HP, Oracle, Intel, Microsoft etc. In an e-interview with Global Technologies, Evgeny Korneev, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, CBOSS Association highlighted the company’s strategies.

www.globaltechnologies.info ,September-November 2004

What does CBOSS stand for?
CBOSS is both the name of our company and our core product. It stands for Convergent Business Operations Support Systems. This brand name is to reflect our aim for complex automation of all the aspects of telecom enterprise activities by our solutions irrespective of its size, services offered, standards deployed, subscriber base and enterprise structure. We really do this and have accumulated rather significant experience on the way — in total, about 20 years and more than 770 installations worldwide.

What are your frontline products?
CBOSS key business lines are development of original software, system integration, provision of complex integrated hardware/software solutions that include hardware platform and system software, end-user training, consulting, implemen-tation and support. Our main products are pre- and post-paid billing system CBOSS and real-time prepaid rtBilling solution and are installed already at 87 telecom carriers. Besides, we offer intelligent services, analytical systems, Internet solutions and many more. For instance, we certified CBOSSussd, the first Russian USSD server, CBOSSprepaid, the first Russian IN CAMEL Phase II compliant prepaid services system and many other new-to-market solutions.

Why should somebody prefer CBOSS?
Firstly we have vast experience in telecom systems and know the local specifics and have accumulated tremendous knowledge of how to create and implement IT solutions for telecom. We are the only OSS/BSS vendor globally that offers such a broad product range, including convergent pre- and post-paid billing and customer care, intelligent services, analytical systems, Internet solutions, and more. Our solutions are serialized and this significantly cuts their price and guarantees their quality. The flexibility of our technologies allows them to be easily adapted to every customer case — be it a start-up operator or the one willing to replace a third-party solution with ours. Maintaining quality has also helped us being leaders. We place special emphasis on testing. Every product undergoes three testing stages — modular testing, integration testing and quality control. CBOSS products passed comply with ISO 9001:2000.

Besides, as you know, India and Russia (the former USSR) have an old tradition of cooperation and friendship. CBOSS represents cutting-edge Russian scientific and business achievements already well known and acknowledged in India. CBOSS reflects the new high-tech wave of Russian business, at the same time remaining the successor of that tradition.

What are your marketing strategies?
Our main strategy is to operate equally successfully across all the sectors of telecom market and supply convergent solutions. Our products are used by wire line, mobile and satellite carriers, ISPs, transit operators, MVNOs, small service providers, as well as international corporations operating in the markets of several countries.

Any particular strategy for India?
We expect further growth of its IT and telecom market, gradual increase of demand for mobile services, extension of the cellular coverage etc. Offering state-of-the-art and approved solutions and using our expertise, CBOSS Association is ready to play a significant role in development of the Indian IT and telecom market. As far as our strategy for India is concerned, we are looking for active penetration into this market. This strategy comprises active sales policy, partici-pation in tenders, entering into partnerships with local market players including system integrators, BSS/OSS vendors, etc. We are ready to implement outsourcing projects here, bring financial and technological investments into Indian telecom environment. Regular participation in Asia Pacific conferences and exhibi-tions is one of the ways to implement our strategy. We look forward to meeting Global Technologies readers at these events.

Today partnerships are vital. Who are your major partners?
The thorough selection of partners and large experience in implementing different systems led us to cooperation with such vendors as HP, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Hitachi Data Systems, Intel, Avaya Communications, Microsoft, Xerox, and others. Our customer-oriented approach and aspiration for a better expertise of our partners' solutions earned us a good reputation. Besides, partnerships allow us to implement unique joint projects.