Saudi Telecom Company‘S SOA Journey

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Business Operation

Use Cases

Process Control & Optimization
Predictive Maintenance

Services

System Integration
Software Design & Engineering Services

The Challenge

STC, the major provider of telecommunication services in Saudi Arabia, was facing a rapidly changing business environment characterized by volatility and the need for new and innovative business models. Globalization was impacting the telecom industry as a whole and, in addition, technologies were converging, customers were becoming more highly educated and expressed demands that were both increasing in scope and diversity. Telecom companies, therefore, needed to invest in new and rapidly evolving technologies while at the same time deal with the commoditization of their products and services. Customer volatility and regulatory pressures were also compounding this competitive situation. Winning and retaining customers today is about service excellence and as prices point are lowered so are the entry points into these industries by competitors. To combat this, telecom enterprises are shifting their focus from growth to efficiency.

About The Customer

Headquartered in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is the major provider of telecommunication services in Saudi Arabia and is part of the STC Group. The STC Group has a number of subsidiaries and affiliates in GCC countries, Asia and Africa, particularly in Kuwait, Bahrain, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey and South Africa. STC currently serves in excess of 160 million subscribers with annual revenue of SR 56.2 billion ($15 billion USD). The company is working continuously to fulfill and satisfy the market requirements, keeping pace with the emerging technologies in the telecommunications sector and satisfying its customers’ needs. STC strongly believes this will be instrumental in reinforcing its position and identity in a continuously changing world where the role and usage of telecommunications is becoming ever more significant.

The Solution

Realizing the strategic importance of a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), STC initiated an enterprise- wide initiative that would deliver service excellence over the next three years and at the same time increase competitive advantage in a highly competitive market. The initial phase included the rapid development of the SOA infrastructure and the development of the “first pure SOA business solution” as a test bed and pilot (STC SOA pilot) as well as a quick win for the SOA transformation program leading to a three-year detailed enterprise SOA development roadmaps. The STC SOA pilot was executed in accordance with Software AG’s Model-toExecute (M2E) approach and leveraged TM Forum’s Frameworx® industry standards eTOM and SID. The main objective of the pilot was to validate business process transformation with a process automation perspective as a proof-of-concept and proof-of-value as part of the development of an SOA evolutionary prototype.

Operational Impact

Creation of the first operational integrated working platform (people’s integration) with the FTTH portal
Reduced trouble resolution by 30 percent and IT development by 35 percent
SOA transformation is firmly in motion

Quantitative Benefit