Telecom industry in Africa is experiencing high rates of cross-border expansion where operators are spreading their services to regional markets. A recent report by Reuters has indicated that a number of telecommunication firms are hastening to form partnerships in a bid to enhance connectivity in East and West Africa, as mobile penetration keeps on increasing. This growth is not just in infrastructure, but this is closely intertwined with the way networks cross borders. With the expansion of operations, the seamless roaming experience has been a major concern to operators.
The Dilemma of International Expansion
Interoperability is complicated when telecom networks are introduced in new countries. Both networks have configurations, agreements and technical parameters. Unless properly validated, the user can encounter problems of unsuccessful connection, slow delivery of SMS or uneven data rates. It is here a roaming testing solution is very instrumental.
To prepare the services being offered to new regions, operators are venturing into the use of a sound roaming testing solution to replicate real life situations prior to the introduction of services. Such tests can be used to find out possible loopholes among network partners in order to provide easier user experiences on the first day. At times of such expansions, Telcovas has been assisting telecom providers by providing sophisticated tools which simulate roaming. Telcovas notes that a roaming testing solution can greatly minimize disruptions in the post-launch phase when the solution is implemented at its initial stages.
Pre-Launch Testing to Constant Optimization
In the traditional view, testing could be regarded as a single process that was undertaken prior to the rollout of the service. But this has been altered by the increasing complexity of telecom ecosystems. The operators are today following a model of continuous testing whereby the roaming testing solution is not only applied prior to launch but also during the life cycle of the service. This makes sure that roaming performance does not decrease with the development of the networks. As an example, with the introduction of new technologies such as 5G, the established roaming deals should be reconsidered. An effective roaming testing system can make operators adjust to these changes fast without affecting the quality of their services.
Customer trust is also another crucial factor. In the emerging markets, where users are increasingly adopting telecoms, bad roaming experience may scare users away using cross-border service altogether.
Telcovas points out that proactive testing helps operators to maintain a steady performance and this directly reflects in the confidence and retention of the users in the long run. With Africa still in the process of integrating its telecom networks, the current priority is no longer on the expansion but quality assurance. In such a dynamic environment, a roaming testing solution is no longer a luxury- it is an inherent tool which can be used to guarantee that networks are in place to provide a smooth cross border connectivity.
