Embraced as a popular software delivery method by a growing number of businesses, SaaS (Software as a Service) has reshaped the entire software industry.   

A service delivery model easily adoptable by practically any type of business application, SaaS is typically accessed through a web browser by users who subscribe to a service, and is often based on a centrally-hosted software.

Over the past few decades, several global software enterprise giants such as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and others, following in the footsteps of companies as Salesforce and Workday who are already dominating this market, have shifted their strategies, incorporating SaaS-based cloud products and services in their offerings. This trend has resulted in the emergence of SaaS into an eco-system with a market value expected to reach $33 Billion by the end of 2016, and double within the next decade.

When examining the key drivers that have prompted this significant shift to SaaS-based cloud services, there are several different factors which should be considered..

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BillRun implements billing and CRM systems at Monaco Telecom

Tel Aviv, June 15, 2016. BillRun Technologies Ltd., a Tel Aviv based billing company specializing in open-source and cloud solutions, has completed implementation of an advanced billing system for quad-play communication services at Monaco Telecom (MT). The financial scope of the project is worth several hundreds of thousands of Euros.

BillRun sets sail across the Mediterranean

MT services the Principality of Monaco - a territory of only 2.02 sq km with a population of 40,000 inhabitants, and  the world’s most densely populated state. Located on the French Riviera, bordering Italy and Switzerland, Monaco hosts more than 300,000 tourists a year, of which approximately 100,000 are guests at conferences and meetings.

This demographic constraint presents a sizable challenge for MT - the principality's owned telecom company, which has chosen BillRun to implement its new comprehensive billing and customer care solution, following BillRun’s successful deployment of a billing system at Tel Aviv-based Golan Telecom.

Martin Péronnet, CEO of Monaco Telecom, says “We are carrying out a full transformation of our IT, from a legacy multi-vendor complex and CAPEX / OPEX-intensive system with 124 different applications and a lot of dependencies and rigidity - to a full open-source as a simple as possible solution. It is probably one of the first times in the world that an incumbent operator offering a complete B-to-B and B-to-C telecom solution for mobile, fixed, television, voice, data and hosting has accomplished such a transformation. Our purpose, in time, is to master all developments in house, to cut our IT costs by 75%, and to provide an efficient, simple and flexible system to our customers. We have chosen BillRun as our partner because BillRun is one of the best open-source billing systems, and, with the BillRun team, we have been able to deliver almost all the B-to-C in a year and a half. We are confident we will reach full project completion and that the choice of BillRun was the right one.”

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BillRun’s online charging system (OCS) is flexible, fast, and easy to manage.

Our online charging system enables operators to process diversified billing rates in real-time both for prepaid and post-paid subscribers, encourage usage, and enhance customer loyalty.

BillRun’s online charging system - a sophisticated tool converging several data networks - identifies real-time calls and tracks data usage, calculating charges automatically according to geographic location, and generating call records visible to subscribers within a few milliseconds. The system immediately identifies whether a subscriber is prepaid or post-paid,  and determines, in real-time, whether they have exceeded their allocated data volume or calling plan,  alerting them accordingly by sending a message.

An online charging system enhances customer loyalty and increases revenues

Carriers can easily block access of prepaid subscribers to certain services, encouraging them to recharge. Alternatively, they may slow down internet connection for post-paid customers; send pre-configured offers to entice users to purchase a larger package, or inform them how much talk time is left in their package.   

This can be particularly beneficial, for example, for carriers offering special calling plans during the summer vacation for travel abroad, whereby the system can identify the exact geographic location of mobile users, and seamlessly run complex calculations of calling costs according to local carrier rates in each country.

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Predictions show that by 2024, 90% of new vehicles sold will be connected-cars – a market which will be worth $40B by 2020, offering boundless opportunities for multiple players in such industries as insurance, content, communication, retail, transportation, advertising and others.

This trend is stimulated by two factors: Consumer demand to safely bring their digital life on the road with them, and the increasing involvement of mobile network operators in the machine-to-machine (M2M) market. Notably, some vehicle manufacturers are already partnering with mobile network operators, not only for connectivity, but for providing miscellaneous services, such as billing, analytics and others.

Health applications aimed at increasing drivers’ safety is one example which can benefit through the use of connected cars, and which is relevant to both drivers and insurers. Real data could be obtained through sensors that monitor vital signs, and automatic alerts which reduce fatigue, which could impact insurance policy terms.

Network security is another example, as more people share personal information on their mobile devices in the cloud, exposing systems and data to threats, and requiring stronger encryption and security services.

 *This article is a summary of the following two articles: Jaguarlandrover.com, Connected Cars

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