Pervenio proves invaluable for mobile networks
In a fiercely competitive market, mobile operators face a challenge in providing services for thousands of handsets on the global market, but Reach Server is proving to be the answer to their troubles, writes TRISH DROMEY
IRISH EXAMINER. Monday 21st Aug 2006
Getting an audience with the major global mobile network operators isn’t easy for a new Irish company even when it’s developed an innovative new product with the potential to increase their revenues and improve customer service.
But Cork company Pervenio has succeeded in selling to Digicel in the Caribbean where its software is now deployed across seven GSM networks. Pervenio MD Ian Deakin expects to sign contracts for nine other networks this year and is also planning to launch it in South American, Asia and India next year. After that he hopes some of the major networks will get interested.
Pervenio's software product called the Reach Server is a patented solution which enables mobile operators to detect what kind of handset their customers have and to configure the mobile network and the customers handset to receive all compatible data services.
In the very competitive mobile phones market where the cost of voice services have been reduced, networks need to sell data services to maximise revenue says Mr Deakin.
“People are now changing their handsets every year – there are thousands of different handsets on the market and without our software operators don’t know what capability their customers have,’’ he explains.
While all handsets can be used for talking and texting not all are configured for mobile data services such as picture messaging, mobile games, ringtones and mobile TV services.
Mr Deakin says the Reach Server is now the only immediately the phone is switched on and automatically configure the network to support these. “ The benefits are that it increases the speed of access to mobile data services – and it reduces the money spent on customer care since subscribers don’t have to ring in to get the services configured,’’
A native of Sheffield Mr Deakin has 20 years experience in the telecommunication industry before moving to Ireland in 1996 to marry his wife Rachel from Cork. He worked in Motorola and Logica CMG before going out on his own in 2003.
“I’d always thought about setting up on my own – but you always need a push and the push came when CMG closed its office in Cork.” says Mr Deakin.
In 2003 he signed up for the Genesis Enterprise Programmes – an Enterprise Ireland sponsored course which helps entrepreneurs get their companies off the ground. He set up Pervenio to provide consultancy services to mobile phone companies and he also started work on developing the Reach Server.
“ It wasn’t the best of times to set up a company in the telecommunications sector - the industry was in recession and the networks were cutting costs after spending huge amounts on Third Generation Licences,’ observes Mr Deakin
But he persevered and kept the cash flow going by providing revenue assurance consultancy and software development services for mobile phone companies – helping them detect where they were losing money.
In 2004 Mr Deakin started trials and testing on the Reach server.
Meanwhile he entered the Inter Trade Ireland Seedcorn competition and was the winner in the Cork region. The presence of Digicel chief executive Denis O’Brien at the award ceremony presented Pervenio with a significant opportunity which Mr Deakin made the most of.
“A film on the company was presented at the awards– this attracted Mr O’Brien’s interest and he emailed me soon afterwards and gave us an order in mid 2005. Our software is now used in several Digicel networks,’’
Up until now doing consultancy work has kept the cash flow coming and allowed the company to engage in R& D but it’s hasn’t allowed Mr Deakin to focus on developing Reach server sales.
“Now that we have proved our product we want to be able to grow as quick as we can and to do this we need to target larger markets,’’ he says explaining that the company is now raising money to fund sales and marketing activities.
The plan is to have a Product launch next January at the GSM World congress in Barcelona - the world’s largest mobile technology event.
Mr Deakin expects to have the necessary funding in place by October and is already looking for partners in the Indian and South American markets.
These markets offer enormous scope for growth. The number of mobile subscribers in South America grew to 161 million last year, an increase of 55% and there are now 730 million mobile owners in the Asia Pacific area.
“It’s easier to get into the emerging markets because the networks are not as mature than in Europe and the US. These markets are also growing rapidly and the subscribers are data service hungry,’’ says Mr Deakin.
Mr Deakin expects to sign up 30 new customers over the next three years. By this time he hopes to have got an audience with the major operators. |
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