2013's Top TEM Trends: A CCMI Survey

October 10, 2013 | by Samantha Schultheis

In August 2013, CCMI surveyed 100 executives with telecommunications management responsibilities. The goal of the survey was to identify current and emerging trends with respect to:

Overall telecommunications management responsibilities, especially with regard to mobility
Managing a telecom expense management multi-vendor environment
The impact of new technologies on end-user network plans
The bring your own device (BYOD) phenomena

The survey respondents had an overwhelming bias to IT and C-level responsibilities (83% combined). The majority of respondents (55%) were from companies with annual revenue in excess of $100M, and 39% of all respondents spend more than $10M annually on telecommunications.

Cass Survey Data 1 resized 600

KEY FINDINGS

Telecommunications Management Environment

Centralized IT management of both fixed and mobile telecom management is the dominant model
No single service delivery method (SDM) is preferred
The overwhelming majority of respondents use three or more vendors
The majority of respondents plan on network upgrades with “Big Data” as the largest driver

Mobility

Mobility is top of mind with more than 73% of respondents answering ”yes” to each mobility initiative listed in the survey

BYOD

Corporate liable remains the favored strategy for mobile devices
69% of respondents have a policy with 87 of those indicating they have an electronic system in place to monitor compliance
Expense report is the most frequently used reimbursement method
For a majority of respondents, smartphones, tablets and laptops are covered for reimbursement
Under BYOD, 54% of respondents have company “authorized” devices
Mobile apps are being developed equally in-house and by 3^rd parties
BYOD reduced costs for 37 respondents and improved productivity for 59, but raised security challenges for 59 and increased IT support demands for 57

Cass Survey Data 2 resized 600

The telecommunications management environment, aside from the emergence of IT as the key management function, continues to be in a state of flux. Based on the number of vendors providing services and the absence of a preferred SDM, it does not appear that any one vendor has developed a comprehensive TEM solution for the mid- to large-enterprise market. This is also being compounded by the recognized need for enterprises to be aggressive and forward thinking with mobility. The survey also found that despite being a “hot topic,” BYOD has not been fully accepted as a widespread corporate policy. Those companies who have widely adopted this policy have found that it delivers mixed results at best.