ICO improves provisioning with the Web

ICO Global Communications is tweaking its GlobalRoam service to make it easier for operators to offer it to their customers. GlobalRoam, introduced by ICO in mid-October, allows GSM and AMPS operators to enable customers to roam onto each other's networks. Customers roam using rented or purchased handsets while retaining their phone numbers.

"The biggest contributing benefit is the ability to now penetrate a larger base," said Sanjeev Ahuja, chief information officer and vice president of business opportunities for ICO. Any carrier can offer GlobalRoam by provisioning for their customers via the Web.

The implementation of an automated support service that uses the Web from American Management Systems will expand GlobalRoam's reach.

Until now, the partially manual method for processing requests from customers wanting to roam took about five days. With AMS' system, the process now takes closer to five hours.

Using the Web offers several other advantages. "The Web is inexpensive, offers better access and allows you to deliver applications quicker and at a lower cost," said Chris Rees, sales director of AMS' Mobile Business unit. One reason ICO chose AMS to deliver the system is because AMS could meet its short timeline.

Many operators are interested in Web-based solutions, but high-quality solutions are hard to find. "The real difficulty is getting carrier-class systems," said John Zahurancik, director of telephony and Internet research for The Strategis Group.

Operators could one day allow their customers to provision services themselves via the Web, but Ahuja believes fraud concerns will deter them.

Customers obtain certain information-viewing invoices and minutes used, for example-without increasing the service provider's exposure to fraud, Rees said.