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Customer Installations Made Even Easier with COS Business Engine

Fiber network deployments can be separated into two distinct phases – Distribution network buildout and customer connections, often referred to as “drops”. COS Business Engine has always automated the activation of the ONT to validate and document the connection between the service location and the installed equipment to guarantee correct service provisioning. With the latest release of COS Business Engine we’ve launched a full workflow solution for managing and documenting customer connections.

Once you’ve got fiber built to the street, connecting a new customer to your network may sound to some like an easy task. “Just send the crew out and get it done!” Well, this is another one of those things in running a fiber network that are easier said than done. If you start to break down all the work of getting a customer installed into smaller tasks, you will quickly realize that it requires an almost overwhelming amount of planning, coordination, information sharing and documentation to avoid problems.

 

A typical workflow could look like this:

1. A customer has signed up and you’ve decided it’s time to connect their home.

2. Drop design. A fiber drop assignment must be made from the connection point in the street to the house. It requires information about where the fiber terminal is, what it looks like at the location, which building and where on that building the fiber should be connected, etc.

3. Staging the drop. As the fiber drop design is complete a person has to access that information to know what equipment has to be prepared for the installation crew as they go out to do the installation. What length of drop cable is to be used? Which type of ONT? What kind of enclosure?

4. Build the drop. A crew will take the prepared material and drive out to the home to connect and bury/hang the drop fiber cable from the fiber terminal in the street to the wall of the house to connect. It’s key that the correct material has been prepared and that fiber drop information is easily accessible.

5. Install the network interface unit. This is where the fiber drop cable terminates at the outer wall of the house.

6. Install the ONT/CPE. This is the final step, before the subscriber can go live with their service. The in-home installation crew will drill through the outer wall and pull a fiber through to the inside of the house and install the ONT where the customer has chosen to put it. It includes the activation and confirmation that the correct ONT is installed at the correct location. If this is not correct, service orders from one customer could be provisioned to the neighbor! Such errors can be incredibly time consuming to resolve since you may have to come into customers’ homes.

7. Configure the service and test the connection port is performing as expected.

 

All these tasks must be coordinated, and every person/crew involved must know for sure that the previous step was successfully completed. Imagine if a crew has an appointment to make the final installations in the customer’s home, then meeting up with the customer who has stayed home from work excited to start using their new service, and then finding out the fiber drop to the house has not yet been completed. That’s a huge waste of time and that subscriber will in a matter of seconds go from excited to extremely disappointed. This might be the worst possible scenario, but lack of control in this rather complex process will be extremely costly.

It’s also extremely valuable to have good documentation of how the work has been performed. Not only to continuously verify that installation crews/subcontractors are doing quality work, but also for future support and maintenance.

 

Deployment portalThis screenshot shows the installer’s view of the installation workflow. The customer and service location information is there and also the status of each and every task in the installation workflow.

 

With the new customer installation workflow in COS Business Engine we’ve solved all of these potential pitfalls. As soon as a new customer location is created, either manually or by an import, but most likely through the integration to our demand aggregation platform COS Service Zones, a complete installation work order is created. This work order includes a set of predefined tasks that can then be assigned to the appropriate installer responsible to execute it. Each person will have a user profile set up in COS Business Engine where they will be able to access all the relevant information about the task to be performed on their own device. An installer will have all their work orders and tasks listed on their overview page as they log into their installer view in COS Business Engine.

Any files, be it drawings, signed contracts or pictures taken in the field, will be available to not only the admin user, but also every installer with tasks to perform in that specific customer connection. With real-time access and updates there is no need to distribute papers and manually confirm work performed using phone or email.

This new functionality is part of the standard set of features delivered with the COS Business Engine and we’re excited to receive feedback from our existing and new customers as they start using it.

Finally, a special shout-out to the great team at WideOpen Networks in Virginia who are using our full product suit to manage everything from initial interest surveys, to pre-signups in fiberhoods with take-rate targets, taking deposits, managing the customer connection workflows described in this blog post, to the Marketplace where subscribers can manage their own service orders on their Open Access network and finally billing. Their vast experience provided invaluable feedback in our development of this new functionality.

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COS Systems Gears Up for American Growth, Welcoming Linh Nguyen to the Team

The FTTH market is set to grow at an unprecedented rate in North America, with skyrocketing demand for high-speed internet and both grants, public and private funding more readily accessible for fiber projects. To meet this surge in demand COS Systems is strengthening its presence by welcoming Linh Nguyen to the team as the Customer Success Director for North America.

“We are delighted to have found a person with such a perfect professional background and personality as Linh.” says COS Systems CEO Mikael Philipsson, who also recently joined COS Systems as the company sets out for rapid growth.

Linh has extensive telecom experience, with the last fifteen years focused on almost every aspect of FTTH (Fiber-to-the-home). He started his FTTH career as one of the early employees at MetroNet and held various management positions within Engineering, Network Planning and Operations as the company grew from one to 15 communities served. The last five years before joining COS, Linh spent at Nokia as a Business Development Manager for the Fixed Networks with a focus on Tier 2 & 3 Market FTTH Operators.

In his current position as Customer Success Director, his vast experience in so many aspects of FTTH roll-outs and operations is extremely valuable. The COS Systems software suite is built to streamline everything from initial broadband interest surveys to zero-touch activation of subscriber orders placed on the online Marketplace. The software implementation projects typically include a lot of knowledge sharing and discussions on how to best configure the platforms to meet and exceed the operator’s expectations, and most importantly, create a fantastic subscriber experience. With his background, Linh can not only understand our clients’ needs, but also advice on best practices in FTTH operations.

In his free time Linh and his family love to travel near and far to experience new cultures in different cities and countries.

“The first couple of months with COS has been great! As the company is headquartered in Sweden I’ve had the opportunity to start learning the Swedish culture and how a Sweden based company operates. The Swedes are humble and are more likely to be too modest in what they can achieve than to over-promise. The software they have developed over the years is nothing but incredible in terms of the automation and efficiencies it brings to FTTH operators, “ says Linh.

Bringing Linh on-board is only the beginning and COS is actively recruiting more FTTH champions in the USA over the next couple of months.

“We are currently looking for two sales executives and believe we will also recruit another Customer Success Manager by the end of the year. Reach out to any of us at COS if you are interested in joining a successful international software company with ambitions to help give everyone access to fast and reliable internet and a connection for the future, “ says COS Systems Chief Revenue Officer Isak Finer.

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COS Systems, Render Networks redefine a customer-driven approach to fiber and wireless network rollouts

Partnership to optimize network construction in line with customer demand and priority service zones, capitalizing on forecasted ~$100B near-term investment in network infrastructure.

Denver, Colo. – January 28, 2021 – Communication Service Providers (CSP) across North America and global markets will now be able to harness real-time, geospatial data to streamline customer sign-up to connection experience and significantly reduce network build-out duration.

Today COS Systems, provider of market-leading software platforms COS Business Engine and demand aggregation platform COS Service Zones, announced a partnership with Render Networks (Render), an innovative Digital Network Construction platform, to optimize the end-to-end delivery of fiber and wireless networks.

With escalating consumer expectations for connectivity and the forecasted $100B near-term investment in network infrastructure, optimal delivery is critical. The industry is looking to efficiencies and ‘best-of-breed’ technologies to accelerate broadband accessibility. This newly formed digital alliance and fully-integrated approach break through traditional network rollout constraints with proven demand, deployment, and network services management technology.

Together, COS and Render enable CSPs to quantify demand, build dynamically in response to evolving priorities, and – with real-time geospatial insights – dramatically improve deployment durations and connection experiences.

The COS software suite provides a customer and revenue-focused approach to network rollouts. COS Service Zones covers everything from initial broadband surveying to driving demand with pre-sign ups that inform deployment priorities. COS Business Engine provides customer-centric delivery of services, from the initial installation of equipment to a self-service marketplace that supports True Open Access Network, increasing customer choice while maximizing network utilization and revenue.

Render’s Digital Network Construction platform converts network designs to sequenced tasks for field crews and enables construction teams to build based on optimal build scenarios without manual, paper-based processes. Accurate as-built data is progressively collected and readily integrated into downstream systems, including COS Business Engine.

“With skyrocketing demand for connectivity and bandwidth, our industry is looking for solutions to rapidly deliver network infrastructure. Previous regulatory and funding constraints have subsided, and it’s incumbent on us to collaborate and seamlessly integrate to enable CSPs to achieve their network objectives.

At COS Systems, we’ve spent more than a decade automating traditional network processes. By integrating with Render, the industry has a highly automated network deployment and operations solution generating significant efficiencies for fiber and wireless projects.” said Isak Finer, CMO & VP North America at COS Systems.

“Given the pace at which the industry needs to deliver these networks, the ability to dynamically build for the greatest potential return has never been more important or achievable with the integration of our respective innovations,”

“Customer expectations are rising, and a digital-first demand to delivery approach can achieve significantly faster network ROI. We’re thrilled to partner with the team at COS Systems to accelerate the delivery of critical communications infrastructure at a time when it’s needed most.” said Sam Pratt, CEO for Render Networks

Both organizations are founding members of the Digital Network Alliance; best-in-class technology innovators with a shared mission to make available an integrated, end-to-end digital value chain for communications infrastructure planning, delivery, and operations.

About COS Systems
COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

About Render Networks
Founded in 2013 with a mission to build networks better, Render has a successful history of streamlining large-scale network construction for network operators and construction teams across Australia and the United States. Utilizing GIS, mobile and automation technologies, Render’s Digital Network Construction approach solves the complexities associated with network deployment by digitizing design and construction workflows and eliminating manual hand-offs. Render converts a complex network design directly into simple tasks, defined on a map-based interface and sequenced for optimal delivery, resulting in cost and time efficiencies of up to 50 percent. Real-time, geospatial data provides a single, integrated view of progress to all stakeholders, improving project visibility and control across network rollouts.

For more information about Render, visit www.rendernetworks.com and follow Render on LinkedIn and Twitter

For additional information contact:

Isak Finer
CMO & VP North America
COS Systems
+1 (540) 988-3224
isak.finer@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

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Mikael Philipsson appointed new CEO of COS Systems Group

The board of COS Systems Group, owned by Swedish private equity-fund Pivot, has appointed Mikael Philipsson as the new CEO. Mikael succeeds Peter Lidström who has for the past six years as CEO successfully implemented a comprehensive strategy that has resulted in a solid improvement of both operating profit and cash flow. Peter Lidström will continue as COO/CFO. Mikael Philipson will assume his position on February 15th.

“Peter Lidström has led COS Systems’ successful development over the past six years. Now, with a further emphasis on growth and international expansion, COS Systems strengthens the team capacity with the vast business- and technology leadership experience of Mikael, while Peter continues in the role as COO/CFO, ensuring the solid base of a well-run operation. Mikael Philipsson is one of the industry’s most qualified individuals and he has previously held the role as CEO of IP-Only. Mikael is an obvious choice to head COS Systems Group,” comments Stefan Georgi, Chairman of the Board at COS Systems Group since the acquisition by Swedish private equity firm Pivot.
He adds further: “The Board would also like to take this opportunity to thank Peter Lidström for his significant contribution to the company’s success so far”.

Incoming CEO Mikael Philipsson has extensive experience from large scale FTTH rollout of open access in IP-Only as well as from a global SaaS/service provider in Open Systems. At IP-Only, Mikael held the position as CEO, CTO as well as Sales and Marketing Director and most recently Mikael Philipsson was Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Open Systems with a global responsibility for customer operations.

“I am very much looking forward to taking on the role as CEO of COS Systems Group. Together with the team, my priority will be to continue to spearhead the automation of fiber networks to further fuel and meet the demand of FiberToThe Home (FTTH) globally. Out of the box we enable our customers to dramatically improve the business case for FTTH projects as well as create a unique customer experience with an open access model.” comments Mikael Philipsson, newly appointed CEO of COS Systems Group.
He adds: “With over 10 years of history in the market we are now poised to become the leading global provider of business automation software for the fiber infrastructure industry. Our outmost objective, not least in times like these, is to support infrastructure stability and democratization of broadband on a global scale”.

 

About COS Systems
COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

About Pivot
Pivot is a Swedish private equity-fund, investing in- and developing qualitative, high-potential companies in the Nordics, with a focus on development and growth initiatives. For more information, visit www.pivot.se.

 

For additional information contact:

Stefan Georgi
Chairman of the Board
+46 70-966 69 90

Mikael Philipsson
CEO
COS Systems
+46 70-843 10 43

 

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We are happy to welcome Anders Lindehall back to COS Systems!

As one of COS Systems founders and over ten years of experience, Anders brings invaluable expertise and knowledge within COS Systems products and the broadband industry.

Anders will be working as a Partner Manager – managing and strengthening our relationship with both new and existing partners. We’re all extremely excited to have Anders joining us again.

“I’m happy and grateful to have had the opportunity to collect experience from a different workplace this past year, but home is where the heart is and I’m glad to be back at COS Systems”, says Anders Lindehall, Partner Manager

We at COS Systems believe that working closely with partners is key to a comprehensive and successful product. If you’re interested to know more on how we work together with partners, you can read more here or get in touch with Anders.

 

Anders Lindehall
Partner Manager
COS Systems
+46 (70) 656 66 86
anders.lindehall@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

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COS Systems Recognized as One of the Fastest Growing Companies in Sweden

COS Systems, the developer of software for fiber network builders and operators, has shown years of strong growth. This resulted in the acquisition of the company that was recently announced. Today, COS also received the DI Gasell (Gazelle) prize and earns a spot on the list of Sweden’s fastest growing companies.  

Umeå, Sweden, October 15, 2020 – The leading Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri has since year 2000 recognized the fastest growing companies in the country with their DI Gasell prize. This year COS Systems was one of the companies meeting the criteria to be awarded with this prestigious prize. This was announced at a ceremony held in COS System’s hometown Umeå. COS Systems was founded in 2011 and after an initial focus on product development the company has expanded rapidly during the last five years. Today the company has a strong base on the Swedish municipal Open Access network market, customers on multiple continents and a majority of their customers in the USA.

Less than one percent of Swedish companies meet the criteria to qualify for this prize. In short, the company needs to show a track record of multiple consecutive years of significant profitable growth. The idea of Gazelle companies was developed by American economist David Burch who introduced the concept in his 1987 book, Job Creation in America: How Our Smallest Companies Put the Most People to Work. He meant that small fast-growing companies, despite being few, accounted for the creation of 70 % of new jobs.

“We do have growth highest on our agenda and I’m proud that we have managed to more than double over turnover in the last years, while increasing our profits significantly. It feels amazing to receive this Gazelle prize, as a receipt on a job well done. Our plans for the future are of course continued growth with new customers and markets, but also a large number of new recruitments. After all, that is what is expected by a Gazelle company,” says Peter Lidstrom, CEO at COS Systems

About COS Systems

COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

 

For additional information contact:

Peter Lidström
CEO
COS Systems
+ 46 70 656 58 72
peter.lidstrom@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

 

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COS Systems acquired by Pivot Partners

COS Systems, the provider of the leading software platforms COS Business Engine for operators of True Open Access Networks, and demand aggregation platform COS Service Zones, has been acquired by Pivot. The Sweden-based private equity firm steps in as new owner as the broadband industry is at a pivotal point in time, where communities are starting to invest in fiber infrastructure at an exponential pace.

New York, NY, October 5, 2020 – Having a strong foundation in the mature Swedish Open Access market and a global customer base, COS Systems is currently expanding rapidly in North America. With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic still spreading across our world – changing the way we live, work, and learn, one thing has become clear to community leaders; Without access to high speed internet your community is vulnerable.

“The digital divide has been a known problem for a long time, but it took a crisis to put it on top of the agenda. Outside of the largest cities, residents and businesses are struggling to go on with their day-to-day lives, with outdated or non-existent infrastructure to connect to the internet. Now, community leaders are stepping up and taking their digital future in their own hands by investing, or finding partnerships to build high-speed fiber infrastructure,” says Isak Finer, CMO & VP North America at COS Systems.

This critical infrastructure has been proven to be as important to communities as roads, water and electricity and should therefore be treated as such. The True Open Access business model, supported by COS Systems since the company’s inception, is ideal for these infrastructure projects.

“With one entity owning the infrastructure and multiple service providers selling services on it, the subscriber can choose what suits their needs best, while competition between providers will drive the quality up, and price down. It is also a future-proof model since providers of not only internet, but any type of services such as tele-health, and smart services are free to use the infrastructure. Even small rural communities can become ‘smart’ as the capital-intensive network deployment, the largest entry hurdle for providers, has been removed,” explains Bjorn Wannman, Sales Manager at COS Systems.

“COS Systems’ has established a strong position in a market with enormous potential for growth. We are excited about the unique product offering of both demand aggregation and open access BSS/OSS platforms, paired with the turning point towards larger community investments in fiber optic infrastructure. The logical business model to choose for a community is True Open Access as it offers better revenue potential and allows a democratization of broad band services. We will ensure COS Systems has the resources to meet this increasing market demand,” says Niklas Hofverberg, partner at Pivot Partners.

COS Systems’ international expansion will be supported on the Board of Directors by Stefan Georgi as Chairman, who brings significant experience from the sector as an industrial and strategic advisor, and Mikael Philipsson as a member, who has previously been the CEO of IP-Only and has deep sector expertise.

“I am proud of what our great staff and original owners have accomplished this far. As the industry is now at a point of change and expansion never seen before, it is the perfect time to get new owners on board. Pivot Partners brings expertise and resources to build on our previous successes and take COS to the next level,” says Peter Lidstrom, CEO of COS Systems.

 

About COS Systems

COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

 

About Pivot Partners

Pivot is a Swedish private equity-fund, investing in- and developing qualitative, high-potential companies in the Nordics, with a focus on development and growth initiatives. We invest capital and engagement – lots of engagement. We support our investments with experiences, processes and networks to instill new energy and capabilities to develop and capitalize on dormant opportunities through Innovation. We like local companies. The explanation is simple; Less Talk – more action. We believe in retaining the local footprint, whilst growing the business on a global scale – strengthening the region by creating job opportunities. For more information, visit www.pivot.se.

 

For additional information contact:

Isak Finer
CMO & VP North America
COS Systems
+1 (540) 988 3224
isak.finer@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

Niklas Hofverberg
Partner
Pivot Partners AB
+46 (70) 190 75 58
niklas@pivot.se
www.pivot.se
 

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COS Service Zones Used to Build Fiber Case in Brownsville & Oldham County

Brownsville, TX, has been on the list of the least connected US cities for the past few years. Oldham County is only a short drive from Kentucky’s largest city Louisville but does not have adequate access to broadband. Through a partnership with Lit Communities, COS Systems is part of the solution for both of these cities.

Lit Communities are helping municipalities build a plan for improved broadband access, as well as offering support in financing, constructing and operating networks. With the firm determination that it’s always feasible to find ways to deploy a future proof broadband infrastructure in every community, each project starts with an in-depth assessment of the unique conditions of the specific market. The result is a business case that outlines how a sustainable network can be built and operated.

Even though this kind of business case is incredibly complex to produce, it builds on getting answers to two questions that are simple to ask; What will it cost to build and operate the network, and what will the revenue be?

It is on the revenue side of the business case preparation that COS Service Zones comes into play. While the cost is calculated by producing network designs based on service locations to be connected and existing assets in the form of fiber, conduit, poles, etc. the revenue side is harder to estimate. It is determined by how many subscribers will sign up and what services they will buy. This is why Lit Communities are using COS Service Zones to perform what is known in the industry as Demand Aggregation.

Two recent projects where COS Service Zones have been launched are in Brownsville, TX and Oldham County, KY. Both of these projects are in the first phase of demand aggregation where residents and businesses are encouraged to go to their localized COS Service Zones sites to show their interest by taking a survey. In this survey they will be asked questions about their current service and provider, as well as indicating what service package they would be interested in and their likeliness to sign up. The survey also asks market specific questions to gather information valuable to building the plan for that community. After answering the short questionnaire, the respondents will also be asked to complete a speed test that will give them what download and upload speeds they are receiving from their current provider. The results will give a good picture of what speeds are available, where customers have access to high speeds already and which incumbent providers can provide proper broadband speeds. One particularly interesting question to answer is how many respondents actually reach the definition of broadband, which today is set at 25 Mbps download and 3Mbps upload – A definition most can agree is far too low with everything the internet is used for today.

By integrating to social media and allowing local residents to sign up as “Champions”, the COS Service Zones platform aims to build a grassroots word-of-mouth movement, where the local community will drive as many people as possible to show their interest. In most communities this works incredibly well, with hundreds and even thousands of survey responses in a just a few days. This is especially true in communities currently unserved or underserved, or where incumbent providers have used their monopoly position to keep the prices high and network upgrades to a minimum – unfortunately, something common in smaller cities and rural areas.

With access to this real-time data, captured from the same persons who would be the subscribers on the network, Lit Communities can accurately predict future take-rates and revenue. The data will also help to determine what service offerings and pricing would be optimal for ensuring high take-rates and network sustainability. With these results, it takes the guesswork out of play and creates an accurate business case for the municipality and investors.

Despite the value the survey produces, the major strengths of the comprehensive COS Service Zones platform are still to come into the play when the decision to move the project forward from planning to execution is taken. Now, knowing exactly where in the city demand is greatest and competition weakest, based on the survey responses, service zones –“fiberhoods”- can be created. These are neighborhoods that will have their own signup page where the number of households required to get on the construction list is highlighted. It is now up to the neighbors to come together and sign up. The best neighborhoods will be prioritized in the build-out, ensuring that the financials of the project are always intact, and that revenue can be optimized.

“With a dedication to close the digital divide for everyone, a vision we at COS share, Lit Communities’ ultimate goal is always to deploy a complete fiber based network to every home and business in the community and then operate it on a True Open Access model, allowing local as well as external service providers to offer services to the residents and business on their networks. It will offer local companies the opportunity to grow and an attractive assortment of services and providers to the subscribers. We hope and believe that this will become a reality in Brownsville and Oldham County, “says Isak Finer, CMO and VP North America at COS Systems.

About Lit Communities

Lit Communities is both a forward-thinking builder and operator of next-generation network infrastructure and a consultancy that guides communities across the country through the complicated process of deploying their own open application fiber optic utilities. Lit Communities believes that by separating the network infrastructure from the services provided on it, a more resilient and consumer-friendly environment is created. This approach makes otherwise prohibitively expensive networks feasible to build in communities of all sizes. Learn more at www.litcommunities.net

About COS Systems

COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

For additional information, contact:

Isak Finer
CMO & VP North America
COS Systems
+1 (540) 988 3224
isak.finer@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

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COS Systems a Top 100 FTTH Company in the USA for the 8th consecutive year

Every year the leading fiber broadband publication Broadband Communities Magazine lists the Top 100 companies in the Fiber To The Home Industry in the United States. For the 8th year straight COS Systems earns a place on the list for its innovative software solutions allowing fiber builders to capture demand for fiber and operate True Open Access Networks with world-leading efficiency.

As the FTTH market continues to grow in the USA, COS System’s solutions are becoming increasingly important. Today, compared to eight years ago when COS first earned a position on the prestigious list, more types of entities are entering the fiber industry. While eight years ago mostly the incumbent carriers and some private ISPs were making efforts to deploy fiber networks, today many of the buildouts are driven by communities, utilities and coops.

The COS Service Zones platform, playing a vital role in any fiber deployment is used to survey communities about their need for better broadband as well as allowing the fiber builder to pre-sign up customers. By dividing the planned build-out area into smaller “fiberhoods” and letting them compete to reach signup take-rate targets, the fiber builder will know where demand is sufficient for initiating the build-out. While this helps any kind of entity reduce the risk of a build-out by signing customers up beforehand, COS Systems other solutions are very well suited to meet demands of the new entrants to the market.

As community focused entities are planning to build out fiber networks they tend to have an infrastructure view, in contrast to traditional service providers who focus largely on the services. For a municipality the biggest interest is rather what community benefits a fiber infrastructure would bring in the form of quality of life for residents and competitiveness of their businesses. With COS Business Engine, the BSS/OSS platform developed specifically for streamlining operations of True Open Access networks, COS Systems shares this infrastructure view of fiber. While the community can focus on finding ways to get the fiber infrastructure deployed, choosing an Open Access model allows them to partner with private service providers for bringing services to the

“We are happy to be on the list for yet another year and with the market development we are seeing I am certain we will be on the list next year as well! As municipalities are stepping up and taking lead in the efforts to get their communities connected, the interest in Open Access networks is increasing rapidly. This will especially benefit rural America since they will be able to attract service providers who would otherwise not be able to offer services due to constraining deployment costs. If communities can find ways to get the infrastructure in place, Open Access and the market forces within the private sector will take care of the rest. We’ll be there to make sure there are systems supporting both the demand based incremental build-out as well as the efficient operations of a network with multiple competing service providers”, says Isak Finer, CMO and VP North America at COS Systems.

 

About COS Systems

COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and operate modern broadband networks that support services from one or more providers, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. Specializing in True Open Access Networks, COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue, and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems at www.cossystems.com

For additional information contact:

Isak Finer
CMO & VP North America
COS Systems
+1 (540) 988 3224
isak.finer@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

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COS Systems Ready to Automate Open Access Networks as a Nokia Connected Partner

COS Systems is specializing in software to operate broadband networks open for multiple providers delivering services on a shared infrastructure. Nokia is a global leader in fixed and wireless networks and networking technologies for open network architectures, software defined networking and network slicing. After recent integration work the cooperation between the companies is now formalized as COS Systems becomes a Nokia Fixed Networks OSS Connected Partner.  

With new types of services emerging, such as telehealth, internet of things and smart services, it is becoming increasingly important to have a network open for multiple providers. Instead of building a proprietary network and trying to produce all the services current and future customers will need, it is attractive to provide a robust infrastructure and then open it up to multiple specialized providers on a wholesale basis.

“In 2014 when we established COS Systems in the United States Open Access was almost unheard of, but in just a few years this has changed dramatically. Especially municipalities are realizing that their best choice is not to become a provider of telecommunications services, but to ensure that this critical infrastructure is in place, just as with other utilities such as roads, water and electricity,” says Bjorn Wannman, Sales Manager at COS Systems.

With COS Systems heritage from Sweden, where their BSS/OSS platform COS Business Engine is used to operate more than a hundred municipal and utility fiber networks, this is not something new. For over a decade COS has enabled True Open Access Networks, where subscribers can access an online marketplace and choose freely between any type of services provided by many competing service providers. The competitive nature of the marketplace brings service innovation, increased quality, and lower prices. This is also where the partnership with Nokia comes into play. For a network deployed using Nokia Fixed Access equipment COS will be able to fully automate the subscribers’ interaction with the marketplace. As subscribers are managing their services on the marketplace, COS Business Engine will instruct Nokia’s management and control platform to instantly perform desired changes in the network.

“With the tools to simplify business and network operations, COS Systems is able to uniquely meet operator needs for network automation. With this cooperation, operators – regardless of whether they are new or existing players in the market – can easily automate the delivery of high-speed broadband services to their residential and enterprise customers. ” says Bassam El-Zakhem, Vice President, Fixed Networks Americas at Nokia.

“We’re excited to be part of Nokia’s OSS Connected Partner Program. They share our visions about open networks and what we see today is just the beginnings of what will come. Working together with a global leader such as Nokia on current and emerging Software Defined Networking and network slicing technology is thrilling. Network owners and operators working with us will know they are choosing an open and future proof solution,” says Isak Finer, CMO and VP North America at COS Systems.

“COS Systems has unique understanding and experience in the open type of networks that are becoming increasingly important. By combining the Nokia AMS and Altiplano management and control platforms with the COS Business Engine, operators can more effectively keep up with rapidly changing customer demands. We’re happy to welcome COS Systems as OSS Connected Partners,” says Bassam El-Zakhem, Vice President, Fixed Networks Americas at Nokia.

About COS Systems
COS SYSTEMS is a leading provider of software to plan, deploy and manage True Open Access fiber networks, using a powerful yet simple self-service interface. COS Systems takes customer needs and delivers innovative software solutions that streamline operations, accelerate revenue and deliver more satisfied subscribers. Learn more about COS Systems on www.cossystems.com.

For additional information contact:

Isak Finer
CMO & VP North America
COS Systems
+1 (540) 988 3224
isak.finer@cossystems.com
www.cossystems.com

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