Argela and Oracle Partner to Help Telecom Operators Compete | MMA Global

Argela and Oracle Partner to Help Telecom Operators Compete

November 6, 2009
Submitted by Argela Yanlim ve Bilisim Teknolojilesi Sar.ve Tic A.S.

By Alison Weiss

This profile is part of the Oracle OpenWorld Show Daily Celebration of Innovation series, highlighting individuals and companies in the region contributing to our changing world.

The global telecommunications market is forever changing. Due to global economic challenges in 2009, consumers are more focused than ever on using no-cost or low-cost options to make international phone calls via the internet or cell phones. Argela, an Oracle partner headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey, offers an innovative way for telecom operators to meet consumer demand, with its Oracle-platform-based Multimedia Sponsored Call (MSPC) application. MSPC is part of Argela's targeted advertisement platform, which helps operators monetize a multitude of subscriber touchpoints—mobile, fixed, calling card, and Voice over IP (VoIP)—by enabling brands to deliver relevant and interactive campaigns to their target audience across multiple channels, including precall, within SMS messaging, IPTV, and WebTV. The solution won a 2008 Oracle PartnerNetwork Innovation Award for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region, and Argela has continued to enhance it and recently launched a new release with advanced features to meet customer needs in a very dynamic market.

Ercan Yilmaz, Argela vice president of International Business Development, says, "During the recession, players in both emerging and mature markets have been extremely cautious. Yet they have been willing to explore new and innovative technologies and associated business models, especially when the solutions offer incentives for subscribers, generate new revenue streams, and enable customer acquisition and retention for the operator. By the same token, our solution's value proposition has been extremely well received by our customers."

MSPC enables brands to deliver targeted and relevant advertising to telecom operators' phones. Operators generate extra revenue from these advertisements and increase customers' satisfaction by offering them relevant and desirable information and discount opportunities. To access these services, customers provide relevant profile information and must opt in to receive advertising. In return, they enjoy incentives offered in line with their profile information.

MSPC uses Oracle Communications Presence Server, Oracle Application Server, Oracle TimesTen In-Memory Database, and Oracle Database. With a standards-based modular architecture, MSPC can be deployed to 2G and 3G networks as well as on Interprocess Message Switch (IMS) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) networks. Customers can access services by using fixed phones, PCs, or mobile phones.

"Telecom operators are trying to prevent the churn that happens when they lose business to VoIP operators. They have also seen that voice has become a commodity," says Yilmaz. In response, Turk Telekom, a fixed line telecom operator in Turkey, recently implemented Argela's network convergence solution to introduce an internet-based service that enables its customers to add a feature to fixed phones so they can make phone calls wherever they are and be charged their fixed phone tariff. In addition, Argela customers are looking at mobile marketing and advertising opportunities. "We've had huge interest in our targeted advertisement platform in various regions around the world," adds Yilmaz.

Argela is working closely with Oracle to find ways to use new Oracle technologies to further improve MSPC and the targeted advertisement platform with enhanced delivery channels, predictive algorithms, and advanced reporting. Yilmaz says, "We believe that pursuing innovation is the only way to be able to meet the rapidly changing needs of the market and stay competitive. We see Oracle as a perfect match, in the sense that Oracle gives us the opportunity to create added value and flexibility for our customers."

For more information, visit www.argela.com.tr.

Contact: Nurcan Bicakci Arcan
Mobile: +90 554 746 28 38