Cerillion Blog

It’s the end of 3G as we know it, as the UK is the latest country to begin switching off the twenty-year-old standard. But how are the cost-of-living crisis, consumer apathy for 5G and the Internet of Things complicating its sunsetting?

MWC is back, but did it deliver? Cerillion’s Product Director, Brian Coombs, picks out the highlights (and lowlights) from four days of roaming around the cavernous exhibition halls.

Will 2023 see a rise of best-of-breed BSS, or is best-of-suite still the best way forward for telcos? Richard Doughty weighs up the benefits and drawbacks of each approach for telcos looking to give their backend a new year revamp.

As MWC Barcelona looms, we offer some vital insider tips and advice on how to maximise your opportunities and make the most of the telecoms industry’s biggest annual event.

The hour of telecoms and tapas is almost upon us as Cerillion returns to MWC Barcelona later this month for the biggest event in the telecoms industry’s calendar – be sure to join us there!

Web3 promises to usher in the next phase of online browsing by introducing blockchain into the mix. Is it third time a charm, or three strikes and you’re out?

The results are in! The top telecoms industry trends for 2023 as voted for by Cerillion’s followers on social media. How will artificial intelligence, the cost-of-living crisis, smart city developments and Open APIs leave their indelible mark on the sector over the next 12 months?

The recent failures of large-scale blockchain projects by both the Australian Securities Exchange and a joint IBM / Maersk shipping platform have spotlighted the difficulties of such major transformations. What lessons can telecoms companies learn when pursuing their own blockchain ventures?

Will we one day access all our lifestyle services from a single mobile app? Having taken Asian markets by storm, can all-encompassing superapps work in the West too? And is there room in this ever-expanding market for telcos to get involved?

When it comes to enterprise connectivity, is 5G now the be all and end all, or are other technologies an equal part of the equation? Richard Doughty and others set out to answer just that at this year’s Total Telecom Congress – read the highlights from the panel here.

In a world of ever-increasing digitalisation, payment methods are subject to unprecedented evolution, from traditional banking infrastructure to revolutionary cryptography, and ‘stablecoins’ that make cryptocurrencies a reality on the ground. Will Central Bank Digital Currencies be the tipping point at which telco customers will increasingly begin to pay cryptographically? Musaddik Ahmed investigates.

Cerillion was a silver sponsor and exhibitor at DTW 2022, the TM Forum’s flagship event in Copenhagen in September. Brian Coombs takes a look back at the show, and picks out some of his highlights.

Following a recent government summit, UK telco bosses have made commitments to help customers with the rising cost of living. Implementing these promises will increase Customer Lifetime Value and make telcos more competitive. In this article, Musaddik Ahmed looks at how Cerillion can help keep the cost of telecom services down.

Despite the importance of protecting personal data being high on everyone’s minds, valuable information on all of us generated by and stored on our phones has never been more vulnerable. How is our data being used and abused, and can users see some of that value themselves?

As the cost-of-living crisis worsens, many consumers are being forced to make difficult choices between connectivity and other necessities. How are UK telcos softening the blow for struggling customers, and what more can they do to help?

Cerillion’s Product Forum offers customers a twice-annual look at the newest enhancements to our product suite and sets out the roadmap for the next 24 months. See the highlights from September’s meet here.

Could major US tech firms soon be paying their dues to telcos to fund network infrastructure upgrades in Europe? Perhaps, if the EU gets its way, but is this a vital new source of revenue for connectivity providers, or a profit-leeching protection racket?

Cerillion’s graduate scheme seeks the brightest and best to join the team and foster their professional development as they advance through the company ranks. Adam Hughes speaks with Natasha Ekrol, graduate turned resident Head of Training Practice, about her journey so far.

Should an hour of video or game streaming cost your customers more than an hour of WFH teleconferencing? Value-based pricing is the key to growing revenue with 5G – how can telcos price their services accordingly?

Investing in and reinventing your B2B customer experience isn’t without its challenges, but it needn’t be so tricky – Leonardo Hodgson, Senior Product Manager, explains how Cerillion’s pre-integrated product suite can help improve your customer experience.

Cerillion are saying “hej” to Copenhagen this September for TM Forum’s latest Digital Transformation World – be sure to see us there to talk telecoms, legacy systems migration, and billing for smart city services.

Mobile phone users are falling foul of SIM swap scams as telcos go lax on their compliance procedures. How can telcos ensure their customers are protected and they remain conformant?

Is there a way for the code-shy to quickly become expert developers, capable of tailoring their business software as they see fit? Adam Hughes talks to Cerillion’s Product Director, Brian Coombs, about the rise of low-code and no-code applications, and how they’re making implementing Cerillion products simpler than ever.

Public cloud infrastructure is the starting point for lots of discussions when our customers are looking at deployment options for a new project, but is it the only way to go? Adam Hughes talks to Cerillion’s Chief Technical Architect, Andy Blackman, on the options available to CSPs/DSPs when choosing the right cloud platform for them and some of the factors that might influence that decision.

As the over-65 population across the world continues to grow, this previously tech-shy cohort will prove a greater source of revenues for mobile and internet than ever before. How can telcos continue to ensure inclusivity and fair pricing for their eldest users?

Music festivals are proving themselves to be a major use case for dedicated private networks. How can private 5G enhance the festival experience, and how are festivals across the world already taking advantage of the tech?

What if the internet was free or heavily subsidised for all to use? As the cost-of-living crisis threatens some customers’ connectivity, could nationalised internet providers help those most in need, or be another drain on the public purse?

Are we getting closer to interoperability between messaging services? Will Rich Communication Services (RCS) be the key to breaking down the barriers between competing technologies, or will industry rivalries threaten to sink the whole matter?

Cerillion’s Shashank Singh reports back from CommunicAsia in Singapore, the largest communications trade show in Asia, as key industry players tackled the future of connectivity, and the intersection of telecoms and sustainability.

Superapps, Total Experience, the changing role of Systems Integrators – we revisit our predictions from earlier this year for 2022’s top telecoms industry trends to see how our expectations have been met so far.

Could a small cohort of customers be costing you millions in profits? Telecoms companies must protect their revenues by focusing their energies on seeking out profitable subscribers. How can CSPs refocus their attention away from value-destroying customers and towards the money makers?

Did Britain’s biggest network operators engage in a “shadowy” conspiracy to consolidate the handset sales market, leading to the collapse of retailer Phones4U in 2014? As a major trial investigates these seismic claims, we take a look at independent mobile retailers, and how they’re resisting declining high street sales.

Is it time to get bearish or bullish with telecoms stocks? While we won’t advise you where to invest, we can answer the question – what do recent quarterly reports say about the state of the sector in the first three months of the year?

Can the quality of 5G mobile connectivity be improved by turning the laws of physics on their head? We cautiously wade into the world of quantum mechanics to explore how it may one day improve telecoms networks.

Have you ever signed up for a free service, only to find yourself caught in a subscription you never asked for? Subscription traps are the latest dubious consumer practice being tackled by the authorities – how do companies create these subscription traps, and what can CSPs do to help prevent them?

Is there trouble in cyberspace, or is the metaverse a brave new world for tech? Musaddik Ahmed takes another look at the metaverse, and the promises of blockchain for telecoms and digital ownership.

5G delivers increased mobility, performance and security – though its impact may be felt more greatly in private networks than in public adoption for the immediate future. How will private 5G change the face of industry, travel and leisure?

As the UK Government seeks to clamp down on “legal but harmful” digital content, new legislation will have far-reaching implications for communications in the UK and beyond. What will the Online Safety Bill mean for users and digital businesses?

Cerillion’s first Product Forum of 2022 offered our customers an exclusive preview of the new features coming in our next product release and set out the roadmap for upcoming updates during the year ahead.

Dumbphones – handsets light on extra features – are increasing in popularity. What’s driving consumers back into the arms of these devices? And how are newer basic models un-dumbing themselves and getting with the times?