Lionel Reina

Q. What are the major challenges facing big telcos today?

A: Established Telecoms operators and service providers have to face an increasingly competitive environment, as new, non traditional competitors - from internet companies to mobile operators - erode their streams of revenue. Often, these new competitors have the advantage of being fast moving and flexible, without the legacy of traditional networks that encumber the big telcos.

The GCC's rapid economic expansion is driving a building boom and new competitors here include the new real estate developers, who are increasingly willing to become local, campus and regional operators.

The opportunity for them is attractive as real estate investments in the region will exceed $1,000 billion in the next five years and broadband development grows rapidly in the MENA region. Residential broadband connections are set to rise from 8.5 million connections to 18 million, and business broadband connections from 1.5 million to 2.5 million, between 2006 and 2009.

Q. How does your 'solutions for operators' initiative help?

A. Solutions for Operators can benefit all operators - from existing telcos to new service providers. It helps established telcos migrate from a product orientation to becoming customer-centric, allowing operators to develop an integrated portfolio of fixed and mobile services.

It also facilitates the migration from the old network to an integrated IP infrastructure, which will reduce operating costs and create a new platform for developing new services, which can be delivered to market faster.

The IP platform is the fast track towards converged communications and Orange Business Services, through Solutions for Operators, provides a highly flexible modular program that can offer the total solution or selected components.

For existing operators, this helps to avoid years of complex business and infrastructure transformation. For new entrants, such as the real estate companies, Solutions for Operators deliver next generation networks, featuring broadband, enterprise IP services, mobility services, fixed and mobile integration, WiFi hotspots, machine-to-machine and telematics.

Q. What is pushing this transformation process?

A. The need to transform is being driven by a number of factors, including competition; liberalisation and deregulation - the end of monopolies; and technology where IP is driving the convergence of voice/data, IT/communications, and fixed/mobile.

Convergence is critical to meet customer demand and IP is the platform to deliver it - for example, through advanced broadband services for residential customer or modern IP-based data services for business customers.

Orange Business Services can help develop value added services such as managed messaging, managed security, managed-hosting, IP TV and WiFi hotspots.

Q. How does a Solutions for Operators program work?

A. Each Solution for Operators is unique and there is a consulting program which allows operators to choose elements that complement existing capabilities, from strategy to sales and marketing, project management and managed operations.

The Solutions for Operators programme itself follows a 5-step process, which begins with the business opportunity assessment, followed by design, build, operate, transfer.

Q. So why would an operator choose Orange Business Services?

A. France Telecom, our parent company, has built a formidable international track record and a set of proven, pre-integrated services, which dramatically improve the time to market for customers and substantially reduce business risk.

We also have the benefit of a set of technology and business partnerships worldwide, and a network and operational staff in 220 countries/territories. This means that Solutions for Operators from Orange Business Services is available everywhere.

For the Middle East real estate operator, the benefits of the Solutions for Operators program are our international expertise and experience, plus the substantial research and technology resources we can bring through our France Telecom connections, allowing the real estate company to stay focused on its core business.