[May 24, 2012] Seeing the future Tweet May 24, 2012 (Bangkok Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Consumers are being flooded with digital devices, services and offerings _ smartphones, tablet computers, pay TV and the internet. And they not only want these products and services but also want to use them together even though they may work on different systems. Amdocs Ltd, a New York Stock Exchange-listed provider of software and network services, is very well aware of this problem. "We're committed to exploring and defining what the future consumer experience might look like and continuously working with service providers to map out plans to serve future needs," said Eli Gelman, the president and chief executive. Amdocs sees four major strategic drivers for information technology (IT) and communications in the coming years. The company believes service providers should help customers navigate the blizzard of choices they face and that the experience should be seamless, consistent and personalised across services, devices and touch points. The company said data connectivity is practically becoming a human right. Operators continue investing to optimise networks to reduce costs. However, people are willing to pay for service quality. Next, the company said customers prefer new services, and this results in intense competition among operators. Good solutions are needed to connect home services with those at work. Finally, mature markets are saturated due to economic uncertainties, so operators need to reduce operating costs and time-to-value. Mr Gelman said consumers around the world have just about the same IT and communications appetites. While the US and Europe are leading with new technologies like 4G, other countries will catch up quickly. Amdocs said its growth engines are emerging markets such as those in Southeast Asia and Latin America. "We see a lot of potential in Southeast Asia. We won't have a big market share in this market until we understand it and know who will be our customers," said Mr Gelman. The company made a strategic decision not to enter the Chinese market due to unclear regulations. Amdocs has assisted many service providers in Asia-Pacific with network integration, sales, customer management, and ordering and billing systems. Its clients in Thailand include True Corporation. The company believes its business can grow twice as fast as the overall market for at least 10 years. Amdocs will focus on future technologies including next-generation video, information and communications, and cloud computing. Data consumption continues to skyrocket as customers connect at home, at work and in the car while using a number of different personas, said Jonathan Schmukler, the product marketing director. John Oslen, a senior vice-president of MetroPCS Communications, said the outsourcing trend is on the rise for many IT companies. The US computer company has hired Amdocs to manage its payments, call centres, web hosting, billing and ordering as well as customer relations. "The partnership with Amdocs allows us to reduce risk, increase continuity and focus on business initiatives," he said. Like dislike 1 people liked / 0 people disliked this article ___ (c)2012 the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) Visit the Bangkok Post (Bangkok, Thailand) at www.bangkokpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]