Managed Services Opens $100m per Month Honeypot

Renewed focus on core competence and the current economic downturn has breathed life into managed Services, one of selective outsourcing, now increasingly viewed as a rather sound, pro-active method of fulfilling enterprise requirements, often within demanding timescales, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
Challenges of security, huge cost of providing power and increasing vandalization and equipment theft are also some of the key drivers of the managed services.
Already, IHS Nigeria, Helios Tower and others are offering some form of managed services or the other in the sector.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the managed services estimated at $100 million a month (based on the over 20,000 base stations in the country) is set to assume another life with the entrance of major turnkey services providers; Harris Stratex, Ericsson and Nokia Siemens.
They are all eyeing the recurring revenue from the some $5,000 spent every month to run a typical base transceiver station of a telco.
With managed services, telcos are able to increase the efficiency of their infrastructure and system management. They also increase cost efficiencies and improve the security and stability of the technology environment.
The renaissance in the managed services was bolstered by the recent agreement between Zain Nigeria and Nokia Siemens Networks.
In the agreement, Zain handed over management and operations of its backhaul network to Nokia Siemens Networks — the first of such deal the vendor has signed in Africa.
A managed service model provides a non-invasive approach to outsourcing, providing skills and competencies, with support tailored to client’s requirements and the flexibility to implement and manage key projects without the disadvantages of full blown outsourced contracts.