- Ericsson backing the EE customer experience drive at the core of BT’s Consumer division strategy.
- Integration has already commenced, with potential for expansion as Ericsson builds up its IT-driven relationship with EE.
- Areas being served are customer care (possibly the key initial lead use case, where it is presented as a huge advance), engineering, and operations.
- Marketing-specific capabilities can be added in future.
As EE commits to enhancing its customer experience as a key element of its service differentiation, Ericsson flagged that deployment is underway of its Expert Analytics solution as a core element of EE’s customer experience management system.
Ericsson is assisting EE with integration and support of its Expert Analytics solution, which will be used to proactively monitor and respond to EE network performance and customer activity. Once the system is up and running, EE is expected to take full control, although potentially with back up from Ericsson Managed Services.
The deployment promises to provide EE with a real-time view of customer experience (CX), drawing on more than just network performance data. Expert Analytics uses data collected from sources including network nodes, probes, and equipment, as well as operations and business support systems, to provide a measure of “perceived customer experience” that can be narrowed down to individual users. It is unclear whether consumer devices such as smartphones are directly integrated.
This is said to enable an operator like EE to predict network activity and events that could impact CX, in order to work to address them before they trouble subscribers. Ericsson has also pointed the ability to use data harvested by Expert Analytics to assemble new behavioural segment profiles that support customer retention and up-selling opportunities, although marketing-specific capabilities appear to be omitted at the outset.
- Expert Analytics operates at huge scale, ingesting billions of session records and trillions of elements, employing machine-learning to assist with processing. At EE, it will be serving thousands of end-users, including every customer care agent. The solution is ostensibly real-time, with current data housed within a proprietary telco big data environment that is said to be superior to more IT-centric counterparts (to which archived data may be delegated).
Claimed benefits for EE include: enhanced customer experience and higher net promoter scores (NPS; complemented with Ericsson’s own automated Service Level Index); a lower propensity to contact customer services; and improvements to first-call resolution when problems do arise.
While the Expert Analytics deployment is said to be driven by EE’s desire to advance on high-level goals, such as improved CX, NPS and ‘first call’ resolution, Ericsson also paints a picture of fewer customer service calls that are better handled by agents that are supported proactively with real-time subscriber and network insights, facilitating better understanding of customer satisfaction and a “;common source of truth”;.
- A reference client for the Expert Analytics solution put forward by Ericsson is T-Mobile USA (Deutsche Telekomwatch, #71), which has proven itself a strong player in its national market, fostered by a positive performance on customer experience.
A mobile deal in a converging world?
Confirmation of the partnership between EE and Ericsson flags the use of data from mobile sources, including 2G-4G, VoLTE, and VoWi-Fi, to compile the pictures of EE’s network and user experience.
Notably, Ericsson’s involvement is coming to light in the wake of the unveiling of BT’s new Consumer strategy covering EE, which has a renewed focus on convergence. While the EE brand is to remain “mobile-centric”, bundling of G.fast-based fibre services and pay-TV content is to be increasingly significant. Furthermore, in 2019, EE is set to launch a new hybrid access gateway, which is described as combining both DSL and 4G connectivity to provide consistent connection speeds in the home that are less susceptible to contention or network interruption. EE is also tooling up for a charge in the smart home market through a series of partnerships with segment specialists.
It is not clear the extent to which data from connectivity and devices within customer premises, whether connected through mobile or fixed links, will feed in to the Ericsson experience solution, but the potential for expansion is clear, and the vendor has indicated that the solution is able to manage incoming data from encrypted OTT traffic. While primarily a mobile-led solution, Ericsson is tuned into its operators’ convergence plays, and confirmed willingness to further accommodate this within Expert Analytics.
Ericsson making presence felt in IT
Ericsson highlighted that the new contract is a significant milestone in the development of its IT-focused collaboration with EE – with network virtualisation gathering steam, and software-focused products and services becoming increasingly pertinent.
- While better known for technology and managed solutions, Ericsson also boasts sizeable multi-vendor systems integrations capabilities.
Image: EE
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Contents
EXECUTIVE BRIEF
GROUP
People
Patterson bites the bullet [p6]
- Du Plessis rips off the plaster
- History may be kind to the BT’s fallen action hero
- CEO search – keep an eye on the arrivals board from Bonn?
- New face, familiar problems
- A match made in Heaven?
Management update
BT unleashes pension, results and strategy triple bill [p8]
- Analysts: disappointment and scepticism remained
du Plessis puts case for defence, with Patterson in the dock [p9]
- A tough taskmaster getting BT in lean and agile shape
- Lowth and Patterson present business as usual
- New Chairman, new dynamic
- Analysts: disappointment and scepticism remained, cont…
- du Plessis’s money where his mouth is
- Management remuneration could also embrace a longer term outlook
Strategy
Differentiation, integration, transformation [p12]
- More management accountability and increased productivity
- Procurement: why buy when you can strategically source?
BT’s 5G and fibre diet [p13]
- 5G switched on by 2019
- Sherman and Watson could be a critical double act for 5G
- Fixed-line networks also heading for next generation
- Capex up on network plans
Convergence: start with Consumer, Enterprise to follow [p14]
Global Services accelerating, backed by digital kick-off [p15]
- Patterson praises Security blanket
Regulatory: bruised egos massaged, truce called [p15]
Pressure points: the hopes and fears on management minds [p16]
- Table 1 Expectations and risks for BT’s top management
- BT promotes its sustainability credentials
- Tech Mahindra brings new R&D to Adastral Park; supports UK-India Tech Partnership
- BT works with Netcracker on slicing benefits
FY17-18
Digging in ahead of the rebuild [p20]
- Table 2 BT Group, financial highlights, FY17-18
- Table 3 BT Group, performance by unit, FY17-18 (adjusted) *
- Divisions: enterprise challenges underline need for transformation
- Table 4 BT Group guidance, FY18-19 and beyond
FY18-19 guidance: a long slog ahead [p22]
- Cash river drying up
Pension
Deficit chokes cash flow as BT calls for oxygen [p23]
- Table 5 Revised pension contributions 2018-30
- Lowth bites the bullet, but no short-term solution to the pension problem
- Trustees keep a say on any ambitious BT activity
Deal speculation bubbles up post-results gloom [p25]
- Potential for mast sale floated
5G
BT pushes 5G, but in no hurry beyond better broadband [p26]
- Sutton presents a one step at a time approach to 5G
- Table 6 BT’s potential path to 5G
- Options, options…
- No hurry beyond better mobile broadband
- Hanif returns with more urgent message
- Don’t forget Wi-Fi…
- Table 7 People movement highlights
CONSUMER
- Allera’s six pillars
- The A-Team
Strategy update
New Consumer chief, new strategy, familiar buzzwords [p34]
- Brand identity
- Network evolution 2018-22
- When the smoke clears after the fireworks…
- Table 8 Key new BT and EE launch dates, 2018-19
- Allera’s approach more aspirational than attritional
- Potential for BT/EE expansion significant, but unchanged two years in
- Table 9 Rearranging deckchairs: change in BT/EE place in market 2016 to 2018
- Barrage of announcements kicks off strategy event
Consumer: all new and improved? [p37]
- BT TV experiments with YouTube promo
BT family appeal keeping it out of old people’s home [p39]
- BT in its Prime?
EE promises dynamism with hybrid engine [p40]
- Hybrid router coming at convergence from 4G side
- …hybrid prepay tariff to deliver EE new channels
Pay-TV super aggregator to the rescue [p41]
- BT talking its TV offering down to build it up
- What’s so super about aggregation?
BT Sport: Modern sport all about the money [p42]
Watson, the game is afoot! [p42]
BT Sport
BT TV enters pay-per-view ring, renews BoxNation deal [p43]
- EE pipes up on Scottish 4G reach
BT Sport extends production contract with Sunset+Vine [p44]
Premier League finally completes rights auction [p45]
- Amazon joins the game
- Report casts doubt on LTE for ESN
ESN
Motorola predicts five more years of Airwave [p47]
Partners
Ericsson joins EE on CX frontline [p48]
- EE systems exposed by security hacker
- A mobile deal in a converging world?
- Ericsson making presence felt in IT
Products and services
BT Plus launch ramps ultrafast drive [p50]
- Bells and whistles
- Plus size model wearing emperor’s new clothes?
- BT Plus a full-fibre spoiler?
- BT losing its voice?
ENTERPRISE
Products and services
BT launches 4G back-up broadband solution [p53]
Partners
BT turns to Cisco Meraki in the UK [p54]
Public sector contracts
Controversy clings to legacy BT council contracts [p55]
GLOBAL SERVICES
- Radianz Cloud adds more partners
BT Security
BT trumpets more security collaboration [p57]
Partners
Cisco and BT take another step with SD-WAN [p58]
Riverbed recognises BT DNS relationship [p58]
BT Global Services Sales Kick-Off
- Table 10 Partners prominent at the Global Services Sales Kick-Off 2018.
Suppliers
Corvil secures Global Services contact contract [p59]
OPENREACH
Fibre First
Openreach to roll out 12,000 FTTP connections in London [p61]
- City held up as shining example
- Kent Council to extend Phase 2 BDUK project with BT
Edinburgh to see fibre battles as Openreach gears up [p62]
Network
Analogue switch-off inputs sought by Openreach [p63]
- Openreach to open fibre training school in Scotland
- Openreach gets naked
- All-IP at the core of BT’s hopes
- Watson five years into a long-term plan
- CityFibre acquired by Goldman Sachs-backed consortium for £538m
- TV a success for BT – as a network transformation driver
- Threads pull through, from 2013 to 2016 to 2018
- IT running alongside infrastructure
Openreach distances itself from LR-VDSL [p66]
External customers
TalkTalk flags new G.fast trials [p66]
- It’s official: G.fast offered in consumer pilot
FURTHER READING
INDEX
Index
Symbols
21st Century Fox
– Sky
– – NOW TV 35
– – Sky Box Office 43
– – Sky Sports 35, 41
A
Activ Financial 57
Akamai 59
Alcatel-Lucent 64
AllianceBernstein LP
– Sanford C. Bernstein 10
Alphabet
– – Android 53
– – Chromecast 39
– – YouTube 39, 42
– Sidewalk Labs
– – Intersection 53
Amazon 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, 42, 45, 49
– Amazon Prime 34, 35, 45
– Amazon Web Services 49
AMC 39
Amdocs 17
Apple 35, 39, 40
Arbor Networks 59
Arqiva 25, 30
Aspect Software 59
Astute Solutions 59
AT&T 17, 20, 38
Aviva 44
B
BAE 30
BAE Systems 30
Berenberg 25
BoxNation 43
Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) 62
BT Group 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31, 34, 39, 44, 54, 55, 57
– BT Consumer 6, 16, 26, 30, 31, 36, 38, 39, 63, 67
– – BT Broadband 41
– – BT Cloud 58
– – BT Infinity 53, 55
– – BT Mobile 50, 51
– – BT TV 30, 34, 35, 39, 41, 43, 45, 65
– – BT Wi-Fi 37, 54
– – Plusnet 34, 36
– BT Enterprise
– – BT Business & Public Sector 21, 54
– – BT Wholesale & Ventures 31
– – InLinkUK 53
– – Liverpool Direct Limited 55
– – Tikit 31
– – TV Connect 31
– BT Global Services 6, 7, 12, 15, 16, 20, 21, 30, 38, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 63
– – BT Americas 58
– – BT Connect 58, 59
– – BT Ignite 30
– – BT Italia 9
– – BT Security 15, 54, 57
– – One Connect Limited 55
– BT Pension Fund 23
– BT Technology, Service and Operations 13, 16, 18, 26, 34
– – 21CN 31
– – Adastral Park 18, 29
– – Infinity Lab 55
– – Innovation Martlesham 18
– BT Tower 29, 55
– Directors
– – Ball, Tony 11, 30
– – du Plessis, Jan 6, 8
– – Hoettges, Timotheus 38
– – Rake, Sir Michael 7, 10
– – Richardson, Karen 30
Rose, Nick 11, 30
– EE 6, 9, 17, 21, 25, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 47, 48, 49, 50
– – Emergency Services Network 14, 25, 38, 44, 47
– – MBNL 25
– Ex-Directors
– – Bland, Sir Christopher 7
– Executives
– – Allera, Marc 7, 14, 26, 34, 41, 51
– – Brown, Kevin 57
– – Burger, Bas 7, 57
– – Chanmugam, Tony 9
Ginér, Gabrielle 17
– – Harris, Stephen 34
– – Haworth, Andy 34
– – Hindhaugh, Jamie 31
– – Logan, Mark 63
– – Lowth, Simon 6, 8, 9, 14
– – Mears, Kim 62
– – Oliver, Pete 34
– – Patterson, Gavin 6, 8
– – Sabey, Jim 58
– – Selley, Clive 7, 62
– – Sherman, Michael 13
– – Stagg, Matt 31
– – Taylor, Max 34
– – Watson, Howard 13, 18, 42, 64
– Ex-executives
– – Alvarez, Luis 59
– – Bonfield, Sir Peter 7
– – Bronsgeest, Rogier 30
– – Bushell, Delia 30
– – Chanmugam, Tony 9
– – Hanif, Mansoor 29
– – Livingston, Ian 7
– – Petter, John 35, 37
– – Reynolds, Paul 31
– – Verwaayen, Ben 7
– Openreach 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25, 30, 38, 42, 51, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67
C
Check Point Software 59
ChildLine 53
Cisco
– Meraki 54, 70
Cisco Systems, Inc. 15, 54, 58, 59, 70
CityFibre 62, 65, 66
CK Hutchison
– Three Group
– – Three UK 25
Cobalt 57
Colt Technology Services 30
Commonwealth Games 30, 31
Computer Sciences Corp 31
Corvil 59
CrowdStrike 59
D
Daisy Group 53
DCMS, UK
– Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) 62
Deutsche Telekom 7, 17, 24, 25, 38, 48
– T-Mobile 48
Diageo 30
Digital Britain 62
E
eGain 59
Entanet 65
Ericsson 13, 17, 48, 49
European Union 25, 57
F
Facebook 67
Football Association 44
– Football League 44
– Premier League 44, 45, 69
ForeScout 59
Fortinet 59
Fujitsu 17
G
Genesis Technical Systems 67
Genesys 59
Getronics NV 30, 31
Goldman Sachs 65
Google 39, 40, 53
H
Home Office (UK) 47
Honeywell 40
Huawei Technologies 13, 17, 31, 67
I
IMImobile 59
InfoVista 59
IR Prognosis 59
ITV 43
K
KDDI Group 20
Kent County Council 62
KCOM 21, 65
Kollective 59
Korea Telecom 31
L
Lancashire County Council 55
Liberty Global 17
– Virgin Media 21
– – Virgin Mobile 21
LinkedIn 31
Liverpool City Council 55
LogRhythm 59
London Stock Exchange 31
M
M&G Prudential 31, 66
– InfraCapital 31, 66
Microsoft 59
Mobile Broadband Network Ltd (MBNL) 25
Motorola 47
Motorola Solutions
– Airwave 47
N
National Audit Office 47
NEC 20
– Netcracker 20
NetApp, Inc. (Network Appliance) 59
Netflix 34, 39, 41, 42
Nokia 17, 58, 64
– Nuage Networks 58, 59
NTT 20
O
Ofcom 9, 15, 22, 31, 45, 66
– USO 66
Orange 20, 31, 58
Orange Business Services 58
P
Palo Alto 59
Phorm, Inc. (121Media) 31
Polycom 59
Post Office 45
Primesight 53
R
Riverbed Technology 58, 59
S
Samaritans 53
Samsung 17, 39
Scottish Football Association
– Scottish Premier League 44
Skybox Security 59
Sunset + Vine 44
Symantec 54, 59
T
TalkTalk Telecom Group 31, 35, 51, 53, 66, 67
Tech City 55
TechHub 55
Tech Mahindra 18, 20
Telecom Infra Project 67
Telecom Italia SpA 20
Telecom New Zealand 31
Telefónica 31
Telenor 17, 20
Telstra 17, 31, 58
The Number 45
TM Forum 20
Transport for London 31
Twitter 49
U
UBS 10
UEFA 44
– Champions League 44
– Europa League 44
Ultimate Fighting Championship 43
United Nations 17
V
Vela 57
Verizon Communications 17, 31
Vodafone 47, 62, 65
– UK 47, 62, 65
W
Walt Disney Company, The
– ESPN 44
Wandera 59
Westcon 59
WPP
– MEC 28
Y
YouView 25, 31, 39, 41
– Meek, Kip 31
Z
ZTE 17
About
About BTwatch
Report: #296
Published: May 2018
Next report: June 2018
For more information visit: BTwatch