We discuss the following topics in this blog:

1. The rise of smartphone and internet.
2. How to Adapt to the Changing Perspectives of Digital Customers?
3. How CSPs can Customize Customer Experience?

In addition to these topics, we shall also be answering the following FAQs:

1. What is WiFi?
2. What is an Optical Fibre Cable?

Overview

In this highly connected digital world, smartphone and internet play a crucial role in redefining the way daily activities are perceived. Right from cab booking, streaming video/music, social networking, online shopping to travel booking, smartphone usage has added more comfort and convenience to day-to-day activities. By 2019, the number of mobile phone users in the world is expected to cross five billion mark¹. The majority of mobile phone market growth can be attributed to the increasing acceptance of smartphones. The number of smartphone users worldwide is expected to reach 2.7 billion by 2019².

How to Adapt to the Changing Perspectives of Digital Customers?

With this transformation in perspective, the digital customers have become increasingly comfortable engaging with brands in a seamless way, switching between devices and channels, allowing their data to be used for providing a personalised experience. The Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are at the centre of this transformation and they are now forced to focus their efforts and investments on developing the capabilities to sell across different customer touchpoints while transforming their operating model to provide seamless customer experience.

In addition, the complexity and cost of these new channels and services have made delivering a consistent experience even more complicated. New digital channels and services have increased the potential risks along the path-to-purchase, resulting in negative experiences for the customer.

How CSPs can Customize Customer Experience?

Creating an omni-channel platform to deliver a positive customer experience is vital for ensuring new growth opportunities. This has become even more important in this digital era, mainly driven by OTT players and technology-led competitors who are filling the gap they spot in the market. To redefine customer experience, CSPs need to map the different ways customers connect with their brand and build the required capabilities aligning their resources accordingly.

CSPs also need to get actionable insights about their customers. The conventional research tools are no longer capable of addressing this requirement. In addition to traditional customer insight methods, CSPs need to use advanced and user-friendly analytical tools to gather the right data about individual customers and interpret it in near real-time to resolve customer pain points without any delay.

To build a long-lasting relationship with customers, in addition to addressing customer requirements or understanding their expectations, CSPs should also gain their trust by providing personalised experience based on their requirements and usage pattern. A strong customer experience can not only lead to stronger financial performance but also form the basis for competitive differentiation. Successfully differentiating the brand in terms of products and end-user experience can have a positive impact on a company’s bottom line with higher conversion rates and increased customer loyalty.

To read more about Digital Commerce & Customer Management platform, click here. ^{1, 2} Source: https://www.statista.com/topics/840/smartphones/

FAQs

What is WiFi?

Put simply, WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to create a wireless network through which devices like mobile phones, computers, printers, etc., connect to the internet. A wireless router is needed to establish a WiFi hotspot that people in its vicinity may use to access internet services. You’re sure to have encountered such a WiFi hotspot in houses, offices, restaurants, etc.

To get a little more technical, WiFi works by enabling a Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN that allows devices connected to it to exchange signals with the internet via a router. The frequencies of these signals are either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidths. These frequencies are much higher than those transmitted to or by radios, mobile phones, and televisions since WiFi signals need to carry significantly higher amounts of data. The networking standards are variants of 802.11, of which there are several (802.11a, 802.11b, 801.11g, etc.).

What is an Optical Fibre Cable?

An optical fibre cable is a cable type that has a few to hundreds of optical fibres bundled together within a protective plastic coating. They help carry digital data in the form of light pulses across large distances at faster speeds. For this, they need to be installed or deployed either underground or aerially. Standalone fibres cannot be buried or hanged so fibres are bunched together as cables for the transmission of data.

This is done to protect the fibre from stress, moisture, temperature changes and other externalities. There are three main components of a optical fibre cable, core (It carries the light and is made of pure silicon dioxide (SiO2) with dopants such as germania, phosphorous pentoxide, or alumina to raise the refractive index; Typical glass cores range from as small as 3.7um up to 200um), Cladding (Cladding surrounds the core and has a lower refractive index than the core, it is also made from the same material as the core; 1% refractive index difference is maintained between the core and cladding; Two commonly used diameters are 125µm and 140µm) and Coating (Protective layer that absorbs shocks, physical damage and moisture; The outside diameter of the coating is typically either 250µm or 500µm; Commonly used material for coatings are acrylate,Silicone, carbon, and polyimide).

An optical fibre cable is made up of the following components: Optical fibres – ranging from one to many. Buffer tubes (with different settings), for protection and cushioning of the fibre. Water protection in the tubes – wet or dry. A central strength member (CSM) is the backbone of all cables. Armoured tapes for stranding to bunch the buffer tubes and strength members together. Sheathing or final covering to provide further protection.

The five main reasons that make this technology innovation disruptive are fast communication speed, infinite bandwidth & capacity, low interference, high tensile strength and secure communication. The major usescases of optical fibre cables include intenet connectivity, computer networking, surgery & dentistry, automotive industry, telephony, lighting & decorations, mechanical inspections, cable television, military applications and space.