Telecom Managed Services Vendors Ericsson and Huawei Locked in an Epic Struggle, Each With 30% of the US$ 13B Market

ABI Research finds that “slow and steady” describes the overall 2013 Telecom Network Managed Services market, but notes fierce competition among the vendors.Based on full-year reporting and analysis, ABI Research finds the leading vendors have reaped the benefits from an industry in rationalization turmoil.The top three vendors continue to improve their execution skills and now account for 85% of total Telecom Managed Services revenues.

“Managed Services is an industry where scale and execution are everything,” says Joe Hoffman, mobile networks practice director, “and we expect the The Rule of Three and Four will continue to sculpt the landscape.” With the market divided among the top three, it will become harder for the smaller vendors to maintain economies of scale as the leaders continue to sharpen their performance and improve their competitive advantages.

The vendors are not simply competing on price, though cost-effective performance is a key metric. Rather, they are expanding their portfolio of services for which operators gladly off-load.“Huawei boasts of never losing a managed services renewal because of its focus on execution and total customer satisfaction,” states Hoffman, “and Ericsson is relentless with its innovations in creating value adding services which it can manage for it’s operators.”Both vendors have to watch their backs, as Nokia returns to the contest and kicks the competition up a notch (Visualize This! Fixing a Telecom Global Services Business).

Managed Services vendors are moving up the value chain, accruing increasing benefits to their operators with new services that enable smaller operators to compete as effectively as the top tiers.“All operators are looking for opportunities to increase margin, and Managed Services Vendors are stepping up to the task,” notes Hoffman.

These findings are reported in ABI Research’s Telco Big Data, CEM, and Managed Services Market Research. ABI Research provides unique market and strategic insight for operators, vendors, and other clients throughout the world.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.