VAS Porting

The client was a provider of software and systems that enable network-based, enhanced multimedia communication and billing services. The company is a  global leader in providing mobile messaging and other VAS products (e.g. personalized data and content-based services, prepaid, postpaid and converged billing and Internet protocol (IP) communications) to various service providers.

The company had launched a white label Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) application with a tier-I North American wireless service provider. The challenge was to provide application porting on all existing and future mobile handsets on a continuous basis. While it was critical for the customer to focus on the core product development, the porting activity was consuming a lot of the bandwidth of the core team, reducing their capability to rollout new features. The client was increasingly challenged in managing interfaces with various third-parties involved in the porting process (e.g. handset OEMs, platform providers, and certification bodies). Additionally, the cyclical nature of demand on launching new mobile handsets meant maintaining optimal man-power to sustain the project. Finally, the customer was facing severe pricing pressures from the operator and needed to lower the cost per handset porting.

Aricent Solution

Aricent worked closely with the customer in designing a transition plan and developing the necessary interfaces, then taking over and successfully running the porting program. We delivered a set of key services from the VAS EXPress line, while adhering to the high quality standards and budget constraints:

• Aricent’s VAS EXPress Porting services provided comprehensive services ranging from the gathering of customer requirements, to porting, testing, certification and product release
• In-sourcing of all the customer’s engineers and adding Aricent resources where necessary for seamless business continuity, on-the-job-training and negligible transition cost
• Setting up a central PMO that operated in a hub and spoke model to manage interfaces with onsite, third-party and customer teams
• Implementing a hybrid model for delivery, comprising onsite and offshore teams
• Implementing a complete offshore model for customization of products for the operators

Results

Aricent assumed complete ownership of the project, allowing the customer to focus on the core feature development roll out products expeditiously. The client was also able to reduce operational expenses by 35% and increase efficiency by optimizing usage of onsite and offshore resources (hybrid model). Additionally, the in-sourcing of the customer’s engineers provided complete business continuity and negligible transition cost.

By leveraging strong relationships with other ecosystem partners, Aricent efficiently aligned its porting cycles with the launch of mobile handsets by the operator. Aricent’s ability to quickly adapt to the changing requirements (for both existing and new features) further reduced the risks typically associated with new product development.