TM Forum, the world’s premier industry group focused on business effectiveness for the communications and media sectors, has recently announced availability of its latest Business Benchmarking performance study report. One of the Revenue Assurance Maturity Model Survey’s major findings is that Mobile operators are the most mature in their approaches to revenue assurance. In addition, the report finds that Service Providers around the world are rapidly adopting the TM Forum Revenue Assurance Maturity Model and its principles.

The Revenue Assurance Maturity Model Study, conducted by TM Forum, assessed the penetration of revenue assurance concepts by geographic regions and markets, including mobile and fixed line. Data was contributed by 33 Communications Service Providers from 26 countries, with subscriber bases ranging from less than 500,000 to more than 10 million. Participants responded to 53 questions that characterized the maturity of their approaches to revenue assurance. The report was supported through sponsorship by cVidya Networks.

As a group, the 19 mobile operators survey participants scored 36% higher than fixed line operators across all the measured dimensions, with an average score of 3.55 out of 5. Mobile operators’ rapid adoption of revenue assurance principles has been driven by their need to generate increasing revenues while rapidly introducing new services and technologies.

“We see strong adoption of the TM Forum Revenue Assurance work in general and of the Revenue Assurance Maturity Model in particular, especially in Europe and Latin America,” said Martin Creaner, TM Forum President and COO. “The study findings demonstrate the growing traction worldwide of Revenue Assurance principles and TM Forum best practices, but also highlight there is still significant room for improvement in service provider’s revenue assurance strategies.” TM Forum’s Revenue Assurance Maturity Model defines a consistent framework for assessing the maturity of a Service Provider’s revenue assurance business, determine their revenue assurance business priorities, and identify a strategic path to improve their delivery of revenue assurance.

The study focused on 5 dimensions of revenue assurance: Organization, People, Influence, Tools, and Process. Service Provider responses were mapped to the 5-step Maturity Model that ranges from Initial, in which revenue assurance processes are dominated by individual, chaotic efforts, to Optimizing, in which the Service Provider takes a holistic approach with continuous improvement feedback.

Tonia Graham, TM Forum Business Benchmarking program manager added, “The industry as a whole scored roughly 3.5 out of 5 overall in the Revenue Assurance Maturity Model. Strong correlation between the scores in all 5 study dimensions indicates the industry is maturing along all 5 simultaneously, which is consistent with TM Forum best practice.” The Revenue Assurance Maturity Model Study is the latest in a series of TM Forum Business Benchmarking studies that provide detailed insights into specific topics. The Revenue Assurance Maturity Model Study report complements the ongoing work of TM Forum’s Revenue Management Initiative, which drives the TM Forum’s extensive billing, revenue, and customer management efforts.

To learn more about this report, or to participate in the Business Benchmarking program, please contact Tonia Graham attgraham@tmforum.org or visitwww.tmforum.org/benchmarking.

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
The Revenue Assurance Maturity Model Study is the latest in a series of Business Performance Reports that address strategic operations within Service Provider organizations. The Study reports are created by the TM Forum Business Benchmarking Program and are available without charge to participating Service Providers and by subscription or purchase to others.

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 industry update 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 attgraham@tmforum.org or visit www.tmforum.org/benchmarking.