Tata Communications launches world's first cloud-based policy management solution for mobile network operators

Wednesday, 20 February, 2013

Hosted Policy Engine enables operators to make the most of revenue opportunities around mobile broadband traffic rapidly and cost-effectively with a hosted solution for policy management

New York (NYSE) & Mumbai (BSE) – February 20th 2013 – Tata Communications, a leading provider of A New World of Communications, today announces the world’s first cloud-based policy management solution that enables mobile network operators (MNOs) to create differentiated mobile data services quickly and with significantly less capital investment. As mobile broadband subscribers increase, the service brings more efficient network optimisation for a higher quality user experience. Developed in partnership with Allot Communications (NASDAQ, TASE: ALLT) and Openet, Tata Communications’ Hosted Policy Engine allows MNOs to move beyond flat-rate data packages to deliver targeted data service offers for new revenue streams.

The Hosted Policy Engine is a pre-integrated policy management solution, which enforces traffic optimisation and monetisation policies in real-time, based on subscriber usage patterns across 2.5G, 3G, 4G and WiFi networks. This allows mobile operators to create targeted service packages to optimise network resources and revenue through tiered service plans for customers. The capital investment needed in a dedicated policy management approach has proved either cost-prohibitive, or lacked the flexibility needed to keep up with mobile broadband demand. Consequently, a large number of MNOs do not have effective policy management tools in place. Based on Openet’s Policy Charging and Rules Function, and Allot Service Gateway, the Hosted Policy Engine means MNOs can now implement policy management cost effectively.

“Mobile operators are under increasing pressure to maximise ROI on the mobile broadband solutions they deploy for their customers, but the sheer complexity of the mobile environment can mean that managing these services is overwhelming both in terms of volume of transactions and scale of investment needed,” says John Landau, Senior VP, Technology and Services Evolution, at Tata Communications. “Our goal with the Hosted Policy Engine is to provide a pre-integrated best-of-breed policy engine that delivers economies of scale for MNOs thanks to our cloud-based approach. It offers the benefits of market leading solution components, but with significantly less capex investment and no support requirements, opening up this solution to a large number of MNOs currently without satisfactory policy management.”

According to Shira Levine, Directing Analyst, Infonetics, “While the benefits of investing in next-generation policy management are clear – including more efficient use of network resources and the ability to create and deliver more innovative, personalised services – the cost and complexity of implementing these solutions remains a deterrent to many operators, particularly those in markets where capex spending remains constrained. A hosted solution offers a faster and more efficient way to get new services to market while also providing a more predictable cost structure. This is an appealing proposition to those operators that lack the resources or the budget to embark on a more traditional deployment of policy control and enforcement solutions.”

The industry-first policy management solution provides operators with a simple way to define and share policy application best practices, and to establish policy hubbing and consistent policy applications for roaming subscribers, thanks to its common platform and library of policy capabilities.

“Policy management has matured from being an access control function to a key platform for mobile broadband monetisation and service innovation,” says Niall Norton, CEO at Openet. “Tata Communications’ Hosted Policy Engine brings the benefits of the industry-leading policy solution to a wider audience of MNOs through a new model with reduced deployment complexity, a lower cost of ownership and faster time to market.”

“Allot Communications is pleased to be providing a flexible, 3GPP standards-based PCEF solution that allows MNOs to match service plans and policy enforcement to the digital lifestyle of their customers,” says Vin Costello, VP & General Manager of the Americas at Allot Communications. “Using Allot Service Gateway, Tata Communications’ Hosted Policy Engine is able to leverage the business intelligence in MNO networks in order to shape the digital lifestyle experiences of their subscribers and to capitalise on the network traffic they generate.”

Tata Communications will be discussing key developments in the mobile broadband space at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona February 25th – 28th, 2013. To find out more about these developments and the company’s LTE Roaming Service, please visit Tata Communications’ stand: 2B85, located in hall 2.

Ends…

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	PRESS RELEASE
Natalie Chak Tata Communications +44 (0)7833 043 779 natalie.chak@tatacommunications.com	Neil Thomas Hill & Knowlton Strategies +44 207 413 3454 neil.thomas@hkstrategies.com

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About Tata Communications

Tata Communications Limited (CIN no: L64200MH1986PLC039266) along with its subsidiaries (Tata Communications) is a leading global provider of A New World of Communications™. With a leadership position in emerging markets, Tata Communications leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.

The Tata Communications global network includes one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to over 240 countries and territories across 400 PoPs, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre and collocation space worldwide.

Tata Communications’ depth and breadth of reach in emerging markets includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services and leadership in global international voice. Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.

https://www.tatacommunications.com

Forward-looking and cautionary statements

Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited’s Annual Reports. The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements.

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