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Segment Analysis: Telecom Software

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VoicenData Bureau
New Update

From a pure technology point of view, the definition of communication software is rather vague. However, broadly

speaking, they are of three types. Telco software, embedded/systems software,

and networking software.

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Indian

Telecom Software Companies
Company Market Type Sales



 (Rs Cr) (1999-00)
Mahindra BritishTelecom Mostly export Contract development 240.3
Hughes Software Systems Export/Domestic Contract

development/products
107.3
Infosys Mostly export Contract development/ 92
Satyam Export/Domestic Contract development/Integration 48.7
Future Software Export Contract development 47.96
Usha

Communications
Export/Domestic Products/Integration 34
Access Technologies Export Contract development 23.3
Astral Telefoundation Export Contract development/Products 3.55
Infozech Software Export/Domestic Products/Integration 2.09
V&D Estimates

The first two can broadly be called "telecom

software" and are discussed here.

  • Keeping up with global trends, Indian software developers

    also started concentrating on telecom software. Almost 90 percent of the

    telecom software sales were exports. In terms of growth, however, telecom is

    the fastest growth area in software exports. Today, telecom software

    development is restricted to primarily three types of companies–big

    software companies like TCS, Wipro, and Satyam, the specialized telecom

    software companies like MBT, Hughes Software, and Usha Communication

    Technologies, and the in-house developers like Alcatel, Tellabs, Lucent,

    etc.

  • An estimated 65 percent of the telecom software exported

    from India is estimated to be system software, largely related to switching,

    wireless technologies like GSM and CDMA, SS7, IP, Frame Relay, and ATM.

    These are developed by in-house development companies of major telecom

    companies or through contract manufacturing by some big software companies.

  • The Indian market for the telecom software constitutes

    almost entirely of the telco software market. After initial deployment of

    basic billing and customer services, most operators have been slow in

    investing on telecom software. A few operators have changed their billing

    systems. However, the area that has seen maximum new deployment is pre-paid,

    customer care systems including call centres, and of late WAP based

    solutions. The only active market has been that of ISPs. Few Indian ISPs

    have gone for powerful billing packages. Portal and Wipro have been quite

    successful in this market.

  • This year, the Indian market will see more action, with opening up of

    vacant basic services’ circles and Domestic Long Distance (DLD) services.

    A few other telecom majors are planning to have their development centres in

    India and some having the facilities are looking at expanding them.
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