Developing and Emerging Market Communications Service Providers Are Outperforming Says New TM Forum Report

In a new Insights Business Intelligence Report, “Winning in a Shrinking World: Seizing the Opportunities,” TM Forum revealed today that Communications Service Providers (CSPs) implemented cost reduction measures early and are now producing positive revenue growth. Total revenue growth ranges from slightly negative to double-digit positive depending on market and region, with Developing and Emerging Markets outperforming the Developed Markets, says the report.

Available today, TM Forum’s new business intelligence report analyzes revenue growth by region and steps to assure successful completion of transformation initiatives. It combines Analysys Mason’s 2008 through 2012 revenue growth expectations with TM Forum’s Q1 2009 year-to-year performance data.

The analysis concludes that the Developed Markets of North America, Western Europe, and Asia/Pacific have the softest performance. Some negative growth was seen for the recent 12-month period, but the majority of the Developed Market is delivering flat to low double-digit growth. On the other hand, Developing and Emerging Markets show stronger overall performance with total revenue growth averaging 10-20%.

The Business Intelligence report concludes that:

The economic downturn is real
Cost reduction is a primary driver
Strategic initiatives continue
Hot services are still hot.

“Successful CSPs are focusing on how they can turn the current economic malaise to their advantage,” said Martin Creaner, president and COO, TM Forum. “Playing it safe by just cutting costs will miss today’s and tomorrow’s opportunities. The winners will be the companies that combine fiscal caution with focused aggression along a strategic path.”

“Most services are growing in alignment with our earlier forecasts, but some are exceeding expectations,” added Tonia Graham, TM Forum Business Benchmarking program manager. “Strategies that include investment in growth services or expansion into high growth regions will be positioned to succeed as the economic climate turns positive.”

“Winning in a Shrinking World: Seizing the Opportunities” is the latest in a series of TM Forum Insights Business Intelligence reports, exclusively available to the Forum’s membership of more than 700 companies, addressing strategic Service Provider issues. TM Forum members can download the report now at http://www.tmforum.org/ResearchPublications/Summer2009Insights/7713/Home.html

To learn more about this Business Intelligence report, or to participate in the Business Benchmarking program, please contact Tonia Graham at benchmarking {at} tmforum(.)org or visit www.tmforum.org/benchmarking.

Members of the press interested in obtaining a copy of the report should contact Geoff Devlin, PR director, TM Forum at pr {at} tmforum(.)org.

About TM Forum
With more than 700 member companies in 75 countries, TM Forum is the world’s leading industry association focused on improving business effectiveness for Service Providers and their suppliers. Serving the information, communications and entertainment industries, the Forum provides practical solutions, guidance and leadership to transform the way that digital services are created, delivered and charged. Members include the world’s largest Service Providers, cable and network operators, software suppliers, equipment suppliers and systems integrators.

TM Forum provides a wide range of information and support to help its members reduce the costs and risks associated with creating and delivering profitable services. These include industry research and benchmarks, technology roadmaps, best practice guidebooks, software standards and interfaces, as well as certified training, conferences and publications. The Forum also provides its member community with extensive marketing and networking opportunities, enabling business with new customers and partners.

About TM Forum’s Business Benchmarking Program
“Winning in a Shrinking World: Seizing the Opportunities” is the latest in a series of Insights Business Intelligence Reports that address strategic operations within Service Provider organizations. The reports are created by the TM Forum Business Benchmarking Program and available exclusively to TM Forum members.

The TM Forum Business Benchmarking Program is a one-of-a-kind program that provides tools, reports, and analysis that enable Service Providers to compare their business and operational performance to the performance of over 130 Service Providers from 20 countries around the world.

The Business Benchmarking Program manages and delivers metric-based benchmarking studies, surveys on qualitative aspects of performance, and business intelligence reports. All Service Provider data is contributed anonymously through a secure portal to a secure database.

To learn more about this report or to participate in the Business Benchmarking Program, please contact Tonia Graham at benchmarking {at} tmforum(.)org or visit www.tmforum.org/benchmarking.

Global TM Forum Media Contact
Geoff Devlin PR Director
gdevlin {at} tmforum(.)org
+44 (0)7894 300 280

United States Media Contact
Nate Hubbell
March Communications
tmforum {at} marchpr(.)com
+1 617 960 9875