2013 will be a year in which many of the emerging trends and technologies from the last few years will become more mainstream. As mobility take-up continues to increase rapidly, including devices connected, apps available, and data consumed, we will start to see the winners and losers in new business models such as cloud storage and SaaS. As the end consumer, both business and retail, understand what works for them and become choosier in their selection criteria some providers will flourish, others will fail or be bought up.
From a service provider perspective, focus will be on supporting that rapid data and corresponding network growth, with streamlined operations becoming a necessity to maximise return on investment.
A major trend will be the maturation of Customer Experience Management initiatives. The focus for such initiatives will move from traditional front of house processes to a sophisticated operational focus – ensuring the customer is receiving optimal service quality for their needs. This will take service providers into the world of near real time operational intelligence, understanding what is happening with the performance and usage of services across the network, with the appropriate analysis and remediation tools to optimise Quality of Experience.
