Mobile service providers (i.e., Telecommunication Companies, or TELCOs in short) that helped trigger the explosive growth of the industry in the mid- to late-1990s have long reaped the benefits of being first to market. But to stay competitive, these companies must continuously refine everything from customer service to plan pricing. In fact, veteran carriers face many of the same challenges that up-and-coming carriers do: retaining customers, decreasing costs, fine-tuning pricing models, improving customer satisfaction, acquiring new customers and understanding the role of social media in customer loyalty Highly targeted data analytics play an evermore- critical role in helping carriers secure or improve their standing in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Here’s how some of the world’s leading providers are creating a strong future based on solid business and customer intelligence.

Questions for Discussion
1. What are the main challenges for TELCOs?
2. How can data warehousing and data analytics help TELCOs in overcoming their challenges?
3. Why do you think TELCOs are well suited to take full advantage of data analytics?