Telecom
Over 500 Global MNCs Demanding More Service from Telcos- Ovum
A recent survey by global analyst firm Ovum of more than 500 multinational corporations (MNCs) has found that ICT services buyers want much more from their global telecoms service providers when it comes to network performance and customer support.
David Molony, principal analyst at Ovum, suggests that the “big six” telcos with dedicated global enterprise services, AT&T, BT, Orange, T-Systems, Verizon, and Vodafone, are rated hardly any better than the many upstart regional service providers in emerging telecoms markets.
Ovum’s new report, based on its Enterprise Insights survey of ICT decision-makers and influencers, provides analysis of CIOs’ and telecoms managers’ ratings of their primary telecoms operators, where these operators are suppliers of global ICT services.
The respondents were asked to rate their main supplier across a range of performance criteria and their replies indicate the following:
The effective operation and management of an efficient, reliable, and secure global network is still by a distance the most important thing that MNC users want from their telecoms suppliers.
Yet even the top-scoring telco service providers scored poorly on criteria such as problem resolution, geographic coverage, and delivery to SLAs.
The big six need to improve in account management, co-innovation with customers, and delivering value for money, three areas in which their customers gave these suppliers their lowest scores.
Challengers such as Easynet, Interoute, Level 3, Tata Communications, and Telstra recorded some high scores, rewarding their investment efforts in customer service organizations and advanced networking.
“Our research highlights the challengers’ achievements, and we feel it sends a particularly strong message to the big six,” said Molony. “Global service providers in the telecoms industry should be treating existing contracts as if they are in continuous competitive tender. They should be looking to improve overall service performance across a range of criteria, and not just to address or improve on shortcomings.”
Overall, the big six achieved an average performance rating of 105 in global services, compared to an average score of 104 for all other service providers (maximum score 200).
Among the largest telcos in global services, BT Global Services and AT&T Business Solutions get the highest ratings from their customers, with T-Systems and Vodafone Global Enterprise reaching the next-best level of performance rating.
“AT&T and BT might be most satisfied with their ratings, at least in terms of their standings against their immediate tier-1 rivals.
However, all the big six global service providers should be concerned that they do not stand out from the pack that is following them,” concludes Molony.
Ovum’s 2014 Enterprise Insights survey covered a sample of ICT decision-influencers and decision-makers at 2,708 enterprises worldwide, of which 537 were MNCs. MNCs were defined as companies with operations in at least five countries, supported by managed ICT services in more than one region. Of the MNCs, 255 said that they use one of the big six as their primary global provider, with the rest naming other regional or national service providers.
Ovum is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. Through its 180 analysts worldwide it offers expert analysis and strategic insight across the IT, telecoms, and media industries.
Founded in 1985, Ovum has one of the most experienced analyst teams in the industry and is a respected source of guidance for technology business leaders, CIOs, vendors, service providers, and regulators looking for comprehensive, accurate, and insightful market data, research, and consulting.
With 23 offices across six continents, Ovum offers a truly global perspective on technology and media markets and provides thousands of clients with insight including workflow tools, forecasts, surveys, market assessments, technology audits, and opinion.
In 2012, Ovum was jointly named Global Analyst Firm of the Year by the IIAR.
Lynda Saint-Nwafor, chief Enterprise business officer, MTN Nigeria, has assured the network subscribers that the new end-user billing system for the use of USSD services will jot affect them.
USSD, otherwise Unstructured Supplementary Service Data codes are commonly used for banking transactions, airtime recharges, and other mobile services.
The telco said that there is no significant impact or change other than the fact that they will now pay the same N6.98 per session (120 seconds) with their airtime instead of direct bank debit.
Saint-Nwafor, said this during a chat with MTN MIP fellows, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have ordered telecom operators to ensure that the new billing model resolves trust issues and ensures transparency in the billing process.
“Our regulator insisted that at the end of every month, we are going to be providing history and statistics on the performance of the service across the board”, she explained.
Saint-Nwafor added that the new billing model has standardized messaging across all operators and ensures consistent communication with customers.
“We will take all the error codes and map them into messages that are standardised across the board. So, if you initiate a transaction, you will know if it is failing. And, when the transaction fails, you will know if it is from your bank or the telco,” she explained.
The U.S. government has recovered $225 million in what is now the largest seizure of funds linked to a cryptocurrency investment scam.
In a statement released Wednesday, June 18, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the recovery followed an extensive investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service, using blockchain analysis and other forensic tools. The statement did not confirm whether any arrests had been made.
According to the authorities, the stolen funds originated from fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that tricked victims into believing they were making legitimate investments. More than 400 individuals around the world, including dozens in the United States, were reportedly affected.
The operation involved a sophisticated money laundering network that carried out hundreds of thousands of blockchain transactions to obscure the source and ownership of the stolen assets.
“These scams prey on trust, often resulting in extreme financial hardship for the victims,” said Shawn Bradstreet, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Secret Service office in San Francisco.
Bradstreet added that U.S. officials hope the recovered funds can eventually be returned to the rightful victims.
Cryptocurrency investment fraud accounted for over $5.8 billion in reported losses in 2024 alone, according to the statement.
In a rousing declaration that is electrifying minds across the continent, Hon. Nnaemeka Ani, Special Adviser on ICT to Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a homegrown digital revolution under the banner “Africa Will Rise: By Code, By Courage, By Us.”
Hon. Nnaemeka Ani
The message, part challenge, part philosophical—seeks to galvanize African innovators to move beyond buzzwords and build technology with impact and legacy in mind.
“Let’s stop building for hype. Let’s start building for legacy,” Ani urged while speaking to ICT journalists over the weekend. “Let’s stop waiting for someone else. Let’s start creating the future—on our own terms.”
At the heart of Ani’s vision is a shift from tech consumerism to tech authorship. With innovation hubs sprouting across cities like Enugu, Lagos, Kigali, Jo’Burg, and Nairobi, and a growing community of developers, engineers, and entrepreneurs determined to solve Africa’s unique challenges, the movement is already taking shape.
Ani emphasized that Africa’s future lies not in flashy apps or international admiration but in persistent, intentional solutions that uplift communities—solutions that digitize public services, bridge rural-urban divides, empower women and youth, and build resilience in food and climate systems.
“We have the talent,” he said. “Now it’s time to harness it—to stop building for likes and start building for lasting impact.”
With support from leaders like Ani and rising momentum in Africa’s tech corridors, it seems that a new chapter is being written—one line of code at a time.
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