Thursday, May 24, 2007
Artilium Defines Issues and Solutions for Fixed Mobile Convergence
Convergence, Market Fragmentation and Unified Communications Top the List of Critical Issues for Artilium Event Attendees
London, UK: 24 May, 2007 – The rise of Internet Protocol (IP) networks as a communication platform coupled with fragmentation of the marketplace due to the rapid increase in Virtual Network Operators has dramatically altered the telecommunications landscape to create new opportunities and challenges for operators, managed service providers, system integrators and hosting companies.
These issues, along with a discussion on how Unified Communications has become a reality due to major developments in the industry, were the key topics addressed at a customer event hosted in Brussels, Belgium by Artilium (LSE/AIM: ARTA), a specialist in convergence technology that seamlessly integrates disparate fixed, mobile and IP networks to enable the rapid deployment of converged services and applications.
As part of the Artilium event, the company outlined its portfolio of solutions. Robert Marcus, Artilium’s CEO stated “Artilium has developed innovative solutions which have enabled operators to extend legacy networks to launch new offerings which are delivered across fixed, IP and mobile platforms. Founded in 1995 and recognized for its engineering talent and unique combination of IT and telecom expertise, Artilium has completed more than 40 installations serving tens of millions of end-users in 11 countries.” Attended by more than 125 customers and partners and including key speakers from communications industry leaders, Artilium’s customer and partner event enabled delegates to discuss:
- Fixed Mobile Convergence: The reality of convergence today focuses on the issues of seamless call routing between networks and service integration and features such as One number (or multiple numbers), one invoice (or multiple invoices), and Find Me/Follow Me presence capabilities which forward calls and emails to the location of the user.
- Fragmentation: Mobile and fixed-line providers see VNOs as a crucial new way of increasing revenue and growing their subscriber bases. However, in order to do this VNO’s need autonomy and real-time control of the network. Ideal solutions enable real-time subscriber creation, the ability for real-time fraud detection, fixed/mobile routing of calls and the ability for VNOs to offer online self-care tools and to own and quickly change product, price and promotion offerings.
- Unified Communications: Convergence is here. The advent of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is bringing Unified Communications to the forefront of new service offerings. Today, operators and service providers are laying the foundation for offering services such as: 1) centralizing telephone, fax, SMS/MMS and email messages into one place to be accessed via an easy-to-use interface; 2) Linking Microsoft Exchange 2007 desktop presence technology with telecoms networks to enable subscribers to define their availability and preference for receiving communications; and 3) Integrating voice with business processes to maximize existing networks and provide revenue-generating, differentiating offerings.
“Moving forward, Artilium is scaling our suite of solutions for global customers that seek to capitalize on the fixed mobile convergence initiatives in Unified Communications by Microsoft and others,” Marcus added. “The need for people to connect to their desktop is not only the domain of road warriors anymore; prosumers are rapidly demanding access to communications in one place. Our portfolio of open, flexible and modular solutions - Arta VNO Enabler, Arta Convergence Enabler and Arta Business Voice Enabler - drives the ability to launch new services which merge the desktop with networks to increase revenues for operators today and position for future convergence.”
In conjunction with the customer and partner event, Artilium also announced two new nonexecutive board members, Richard Hooper and Michael Hulme.
Richard Hooper joins Artilium as Non-Executive Director after a long and distinguished career in the communications industry. From 2002 until 2005 Richard was founding Deputy Chairman of the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) and served prior to that as Chairman of the Radio Authority. Richard has devoted his career to the convergent world of media and communications, having been a radio and television producer at the BBC; Chief Executive Officer of the Value Added Systems & Services division of British Telecom; and Chief Executive Officer of the satellite channel, Super Channel Limited. Mr Hooper is also a partner of Hooper Communications.
Richard is currently a Non-Executive Director of Yell Group plc and of i-mate plc. He recently stepped down as Chairman of the £2.5 billion specialist information provider, Informa plc, following nine years of service on the Board. Since 1988 his career has combined board positions across the public and private sector. Other directorships in the past five years include IMS Group plc and UK e-Universities Worldwide Limited.
Also joining the Board is Michael Hulme, 50. Michael is Honorary Professor and Associate Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Studies at Lancaster University where he is a member of the Lancaster University Development Board. He is a Fellow of the UK’s Royal Society of Arts and a member of the Market Research Society.
Michael is Director of the Centre for the Study of Media Technology and Culture, a social insight consultancy and director of the Social Futures Observatory an independent think-tank closely associated with the Institute for Advanced Studies. His involvements outside social research include chairing a public-private special investment partnership providing seed and growth funding to small and medium businesses. Michael’s career began in corporate finance before moving into marketing and then strategy in the computer industry, becoming head of strategic marketing for one of Europe’s then largest financial services software houses.
For more information regarding these appointments and the a complete view of Artilium’s leadership team visit http://www.artilium.com
About Artilium
Artilium [LSE/AIM: ARTA] delivers innovative software solutions which layer seamlessly over disparate fixed, mobile and IP networks to enable the rapid deployment of converged services and applications.
Founded in 1995 and recognized for its engineering talent and unique combination of IT and telecom expertise, Artilium has completed more than 50 installations serving tens of millions of end-users in 11 countries.
Customers include Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs), Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), Fixed and alternative operators, Hosting Providers, Systems Integrators and Managed Service Providers.
Artilium is now expanding its leadership in telecom and unified communications platforms on a global scale.
Artilium is headquartered in London, England with offices in Bruges, Belgium and Seattle in the USA. Artilium plc is a publicly listed company with AIM on the London Stock Exchange (LSE/AIM: ARTA). For more information, please visit: http://www.artilium.com
For more information contact:
In Europe:
Stuart Marks/Laurena McKenna
Lighthouse PR
+44 (0) 20 7494 6590
In the United States:
Jeff Fishburn or Gerry Van Zandt
OnPR for Artilium
Tel: 503.802.4400
Email: or