How Covid-19 Affects Telecoms: Telco Operations During Pandemic

Coronavirus has transformed everyone’s life in some way by making it necessary to adjust. The one change that has had the biggest impact on the telecommunications industry is the shift from regular, “outdoor” life to a home-based one - including home office and home schooling.

But, every change or crisis brings an opportunity.

Covid-19 impact on telecoms

The Covid-19 outbreak has brought many challenges for telecommunications operators and technology providers. Our goal is to analyze some of them and evaluate possible improvements and solutions for the benefit of the industry.

The home has become the center for our everyday life. Children are being educated via home schooling, and office staff now have their desks in their domestic space. This has given CSPs new opportunities to provide more services to their customers.

Facing the challenges of the impact of coronavirus on telecoms

The challenges that come with current changes can be tackled in many different ways. At Comarch, we identified the following approaches:

1. Wider and more stable Internet connection

Operators can intensify the improvements roadmap to offer their customers better Internet access technology and plans. According to recent studies, churn rates are likely to decline, and offering new features to customers might further strengthen their relationship with their service provider. Another possibility is to differentiate the traffic. Offering free access to some applications, for instance video conferencing or educational platforms, and offering better rates at different hours to encourage users to access the Internet at different times of day, might be a way to gain favor with customers.

2. Safer Internet access

With more traffic, attacks and attempted illegal access to different systems and networks become more likely. In order to protect systems and data, operators should deploy different cybersecurity strategies and even monetize them by offering contracts that include enhanced security bundles.

3. Counting on enterprise features such as VPNs and conferencing

While working remotely, many end customers may be more interested in contracts offering enterprise features that can facilitate their day-to-day operations from home. Let’s remember that not everyone is an IT expert, and some of the now mandatory tools can be offered to workers in a home service model.

4. Remote problem-solving

Delivering on-site support during the pandemic is pretty difficult – not because of the resources, but because of the increased risk that technicians and their clients will be exposed to COVID-19. Reinventing on-site support with the use of videoconferencing tools or augmented reality techniques can help both parties maintain safe social distancing while addressing any technical issues that may arise.
With call centers at the traditional heart of troubleshooting, the crisis is also a great opportunity for operators to implement robust omnichannel processes and strengthen self-care channels to ensure their customers enjoy a true digital experience.

5. Changing the methodology for field service engineers, while protecting their health

On-site operations require radical reinvention if they are to adapt to the “new normal”. The FSM software tools are required to be rich in features so they can support the new reality and service demand.

Supporting CSPs during Covid-19

At Comarch, we support all these initiatives. We have a wide-ranging, comprehensive portfolio that helps CSPs adapt to the new market demands. With over 26 years of experience in accompanying different operators as they improve, digitize and modernize their processes, and irrespective of the COVID-19 challenge, we have the team, the knowledge and the solutions to support telecoms.