iConnect ONE unlocks global connectivity for operators around the world

With soaring demand for data bandwidth and high costs in network deployments, telecom operator margins are increasingly coming under pressure. But the rapidly digitised world of today enables network operators to exploit new business opportunities beyond their national borders.

Many services, including those offered to verticals such as the automotive industry (e.g. connected vehicles), logistics and transport sector (e.g. connected shipping), financial services (e.g. smart banking), infrastructure sector (e.g. smart cities), and other smart technologies, are increasingly global in their scale. These opportunities are further underpinned by technologies such as 5G and IoT, creating a hyperconnected world. This makes cross-border communication services an essential part of service delivery.

Amid these global possibilities, operators are well placed to lead and maximise their potential worldwide. This is especially true for new generation telcos with specialised and unique requirements, who look to strategically outsource supplementary solutions such as value-added services or roaming.

However, those without existing international reach face additional challenges as their lack of global presence and infrastructure limits their opportunities and impacts their time-to-market. Operators looking to gain a competitive advantage and extend their services globally can partner with other communication service providers (CSP), such as China Mobile International (CMI).

This will enable them to focus on their main offerings, strategy and marketing, while outsourcing supplementary services such as applications and innovative services.

iConnect ONE offers a holistic market approach

Recognising this business potential, and with the backing of its extensive global networks and expertise, CMI developed iConnect ONE, a business solution model that offers operators around the world services and supports them with a holistic approach and a global reach. iConnect ONE has been built on the success of CMI’s existing iConnect brand, which was first launched in 2018 and brings with it extensive experience in supporting carrier service providers.

To enable operators to stay ahead of competition, the model offers a complete suite of telecom services. Through a single connection site, it facilitates the deployment of global connectivity services. With a one-stop-shop philosophy, iConnect ONE delivers integrated services, while also customising solutions to address market demands and achieve customer needs.

In so doing, iConnect ONE enables operators to gain access to consultancy advice, strategically outsource operations, and gain value-added services while minimising the costs and time associated with the rollout of differentiated services.

Outpacing competition through Omni Network Enablement

The services offered by this business model fall under four key categories: roaming services, connectivity services, 5G and IoT services, empowerment services.

The roaming services category facilitates the deployment of interconnect and roaming services to help manage data consumption efficiently. This service includes data and IoT roaming, IP Exchange & signalling, sponsored roaming, and roaming clearing services. Finally, it also enables the management of speed control.

With the increasing demand for low-latency connectivity, iConnect ONE’s connectivity services provide much-needed flexible bandwidth options to meet the traffic requirements of each individual partner operator and the needs of their customers. This service personalisation allows operators to truly differentiate their services and maximise service revenues.

iConnect ONE’s 5G and IoT offering provides operators with the capabilities needed to seize some of the most exciting opportunities these technologies generate for telecom operators today. This includes technical support, consultancy services, and platform-as-a-service, helping operators to boost their local network while also offering new and innovative services to their customers.

Dedicated to sustainability, CMI also offers 5G Power Cabinet, which is embedded within this 5G and IoT service offering. An integrated system for base stations which delivers flexibility, intelligence, and efficiency, this solution is designed to meet energy supply challenges even in severe environments. Partner customers can also harness services such as CMI’s 5G private networks and applications, further enabling them to serve their end-users according to their specific industry needs.

Finally, through the empowerment services CMI’s iConnect ONE facilitates a more rapid time-to-market offering, helping operators quickly capture emerging business opportunities and monetise resources more effectively. These include messaging, VoIP and digital content platform services, but also stretch to value-added services that enable CSPs to meet the complex and fast-changing demands of this digital era. This in turn helps operators to future-proof their existing services and provide them with the scope for real innovation and on international grounds.

Conclusion

iConnect ONE is part of a wider organisation underpinned by expertise and experience in all things telecoms. Established at the end of 2010, CMI has more than 230 points of presence across all global regions. Meanwhile, the operator has investments in 15 submarine cables and 23 terrestrial cables, with international transmission bandwidth of over 123Tbps. Additionally, it has five self-owned data centres in key global locations – Hong Kong, Singapore, London and Frankfurt.

CMI’s parent, China Mobile, is the world’s largest operator by mobile user base, numbering almost a billion subscribers in a very-fast-growing part of the globe. At the forefront of 5G, the company has seen the adoption of the technology accelerate at a rapid pace, with the operator counting 721 million subscribers to the technology in China by June 2023 after gaining nearly a third of those users last year alone. In addition, it has signed more than 18,000 agreements for commercial 5G projects across multiple sectors.

Leveraging CMI’s extensive global networks and experience, iConnect ONE aims to empower operators to seize global business opportunities and expand their networks with ease, allowing them to access a whole range of services they need through a single connection site.

With healthy competition a key to the development of the global wholesale market today, such an ecosystem that celebrates collaborations and partnerships will secure opportunities for all.

In the telecom operator world, where everyone’s main goal is to adopt a digital-first approach, CMI’s ability will further provide a model that is committed to its partnerships and combines a full range of services with a wide international reach.