In its bid to improve the coverage area and cost of satellite Internet in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has adopted a new approach to delivery of satellite connectivity solutions with the establishment of an eco-system of Virtual Internet Service Providers (VISPs).
They will operate using the digital BSS (Business Support System) PortaBilling, provided by PortaOne, and deliver the service to key markets – such as government, defense, maritime, enterprise.
VISPs will rent data channels from the NIGCOMSAT orbiting satellite and then rely on the PortaBilling self-care portal to manage their tariff plans and subscribers. PortaBilling will carry out all service monetization, – that is:namely service activation, charging, invoicing and payment collection. So a VISP does not need to purchase or implement any infrastructure, and the only action required on the VISP side is to install the customers equipment.
Such low entry barrier enables nearly any local company including system integrator, utility or even a supermarket chain to become an ISP. It will have major effects in several key markets, in particular for Small Office or Home Office (SOHO) these customers will benefit from better satellite connectivity. With the deployment of PortaBilling, according to the Managing Director and CEO of NIGCOMSAT, Dr Abimbola Alale, this robust and flexible solution will address the common challenges that Internet Service Providers in Nigeria face at the moment.
“It will also aid profitability, market readiness and a need for technology, which evolves with the market because PortaOne offers a license, unlimited in terms of number of subscribers or resellers. This helps to maintain a low and predictable TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)”, Alale noted. She expressed her gratitude to PortaOne team agile development work done on the project to integrate with other elements of the solution such as online payment through REMITA
Based in Canada, PortaOne is a leading software developer of agile service provisioning and billing systems for modern telecommunication companies – across the globe. As Andriy Zhylenko, the CEO of Portaone PortaOne adds, flexible convergent digital BSS is a crucial tool which will enable NIGCOMSAT to succeed via monetization of an innovative service and better customer experience.
“At the heart of PortaBilling is an open architecture that will integrate seamlessly with NIGCOMSATs value-added services. The two will work smoothly together to create cutting edge solutions that will meet the needs of todays customers”, Zhylenko explained.
He stated that PortaBilling will make internet access in Nigeria more abundant and affordable, by building a vast network of VISPs in the country. PortaBilling would further enable prepaid Satellite Internet access across Nigeria – by improving revenue collection and reduction of leakage for VISPs and NIGCOMSAT.
“Since the entry is simplified and the operating costs are minimal due to fully automated service provisioning and charging, new Internet Service Providers will be able to appear in regions where they did not exist before. As a result, the overall end-user experience will be improved and there will be more healthy competition,” Zhylenko further pointed out.
The Executive Director, Technical Services of NIGCOMSAT, Kazeem Kolawole Raji said he was deeply impressed with the full open architecture of PortaBilling, which allows enables NIGCOMSAT to seamlessly tie it into various back-office and VAS system. He admitted that this is A true partnership approach where we are empowered to decide on how and who performs the integration within our system.” He also highlighted the benefits of the system as it helps to improve customer management, lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) and significantly reduces time-to-market for new services, such as VoIP, data multicasting, Digital Signage, IPTV, IoT, and many more. To make sure that NIGCOMSATs people learn the ins and outs of the system quickly and can take full advantage of the integration capabilities and API (Application Programming Interface), PortaOne provided on-site training for more than 100 of the company employees.
In line with the efforts to deepen its presence in the Nigerian market, PortaOne will be showcasing its range of unique services adapted for the Nigerian ICT and Telecoms market at Stand 13, NIGERIA COM trade show – from September 11-12, 2019 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel.