BARCELONA, Spain – Telefonica announced the deployment of a big data analytics project aimed at analyzing in real time its customers’ experiences and improving network quality. Telefonica said the goal is to deploy service operation centers in each country in which it operates. These centers will monitor in real time the customer quality of experience and the quality of service to proactively tackle issues.
The SOC implementations are set to begin before the end of the year in Argentina and Chile, with further expansion planned for Spain and Germany. By the end of 2017, Telefonica said it plans to have rolled out the SOCs across all of its markets. Telefonica didn’t disclose the total amount of investment in this particular project.
Enrique Blanco, global CTO at Telefonica, named Huawei as one of the vendors supporting demonstrations at the this week’s Mobile World Congress event. Nokia and Ericsson are also being evaluated as potential network partners.
“We didn’t decide which vendor we will work with,” Blanco told RCR Wireless News. “We are conducting trial and will have that before April.”
Telefonica claims the big data analytics project is aligned with the telco’s strategic “OnLife Telco” plans. Last November, César Alierta, executive chairman of Telefonica, said the telco has defined itself as a company promoting connections in life for people to choose a world of infinite possibilities. Alierta disclosed the strategic plan comprised six key elements: connectivity, integrated offerings, differential experience, big data, end-to-end digitalization and capital allocation/simplification.
The most recent announcement follows Alierta’s statement that Telefonica was going to place the defense of its customers’ interests at the center of its stance, which will focus on three concepts: digital trust, open Internet and digital access.
Juan Manuel Caro, Telfonica’s global director of operations and operating support systems, explained the big data analytics project will help the telco better understand customer demands and help the carrier to better manage its resources.
“It changes our view to look at network,” Caro said, adding with the SOCs, Telefonica will be able to use data to understand trends and act proactive.
“We knew what to do, but now we will know first if customers are facing issues with the network,” said Blanco. “And this is a key factor when see prepare ourselves to the traffic data growth.”
Editors note: Samsung provided travel costs to MWC