Panorama Case Studies

Company: Mobiltel

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Wireless Telecommunications Operator Builds a Business Intelligence System

"We decided to use Microsoft technology for the data warehouse because with the SQL Server, we receive three systems in one: Data Transformation Services, warehouse management, and OLAP server."
Victor Vidolov, Head of Business Intelligence and Software Development
Department, Mobiltel

With 3.3 million customers Bulgarian Mobiltel is the biggest telecommunications network in Bulgaria and one of the most successful mobile operators in Europe. The penetration rate for mobile communications in Bulgaria is 62.4 percent and rising, where Mobiltel's installed base is more than 60 percent and the revenues in 2004 were €486.3 million.

The company decided to implement a data warehouse and business intelligence (BI) project based on Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 to more efficiently analyze traffic and revenue data. Prior to this, the company's IT division had to generate each report requested by users by pulling data from various systems. As a result, there were often conflicts in the data, as different systems accounted for some data in slightly different ways. Mobiltel wanted a system that would unify the data and allow business analysts to prepare their own reports.

Situation

Mobiltel needed to implement a data warehouse and business intelligence (BI) project to more efficiently analyze traffic and revenue data. The company also needed to produce reports that could be used to make key marketing, sales, and business strategy decisions. Prior to the implementation of the BI project, the company's IT division had to generate each report requested by users in marketing, finance, sales, and other divisions by pulling data from various systems. As the information was coming from different systems, there were often conflicts in the data, as different systems accounted for some data in slightly different ways.

Mobiltel wanted a system that would unify the data and would allow business analysts to prepare their own reports. The data is crucial to the company and is mainly used to support marketing and business initiatives such as loyalty and retention programs.

Solution

Mobiltel was already using Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000, part of Microsoft Windows Server System™ integrated server software, for about four years and was very happy with the product. But the company wanted to add an online analytical processing (OLAP) tool and a more user-friendly graphical interface. The decision to proceed with Microsoft was made by the company's IT division, the chief information officer (CIO), and the executive director. Also involved in the decision was Victor Vidolov, Head of Business Intelligence and SoftwareDevelopment Department, who served as project manager.

Mobiltel was especially drawn to the Microsoft solution because the OLAP tool is included with SQL Server 2000. "We decided to use Microsoft technology for the data warehouse because with the SQL Server, we receive three systems in one: Data Transformation Services [DTS], warehouse management, andOLAP server," Vidolov says.

Price was also an issue. Because the company's billing system is running on Oracle software, Mobiltel could have gone with an Oracle data warehouse solution, but decided against that option.

"We receive full functionality in the Microsoft SQL Server, and it is a far less expensive solution than Oracle's. Since we already were using Microsoft [SQL Server 2000], it made easier the transition to Microsoft OLAP. We believe here that Microsoft Analysis Services is the best OLAP server," Vidolov says.

OLAP technology enables data warehouses to be used effectively for online analysis, providing rapid responses to iterative complex analytical queries. OLAP's multidimensional data model and data aggregation techniques organize and summarize large amounts of data so it can be evaluated quickly using online analysis and graphical tools. The answer to a query into historical data often leads to subsequent queries as the analyst searches for answers or explores possibilities. OLAP systems provide the speed and flexibility to support the analyst in real time.

Vidolov spoke to a number of vendors who could provide graphical interfaces, including ProClarity and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Panorama Software. Ultimately Mobiltel chose Panorama's NovaView to run on top of SQL Server 2000 due to the level of support provided by Panorama and the added functionality of NovaView.

Panorama's NovaView BI solutions provide telecommunication companies the ability to share information across the entire enterprise. Panorama's flexible solution improves data management flows and reduces inefficiencies of redundant data.

By providing the flexible platform, other software and customized applications can be easily integrated. Panorama NovaView BI solutions enable a deeper business understanding for fast-informed high-quality decision making. The implementation of Panorama NovaView went smoothly and without problems. Panorama trained key users onsite in just a few hours and these key users were then able to train others.

Benefits

Enterprise-wide Access to Data
There are now no delays in the processing of the reports as the analysts have instant access.

Self-serve Access to Data
The new system has given business analysts the ability to create their own data reports and perform live data analysis. Easy access and analysis of live data are critical business tools and the analysts now feel more in control of their own data. It saves them the step of explaining to IT what they need and waiting for IT to generate the report and it reduces the time-to-market.

Increased Competitive Advantage
The new tools also cut substantially the amount of man-hours required from the IT division in the generation of reports. It enabled marketing initiatives that otherwise could be very slow in implementation and therefore not acceptable for achieving competitive advantage.

Low Total Cost of Ownership
SQL Server 2000 includes Analysis Services for OLAP, DTS, data staging services, and data warehouse management. These capabilities are included out-of-the-box. Mobiltel says the cost of SQL Server 2000 was far lower than the competing product from Oracle.

Support of Business Initiatives
The new system enables and supports major marketing and business initiatives such as customer segmentation and profiling, tariff analysis, customer retention, and campaign  management.

Microsoft Windows Server System
Microsoft Windows Server System is a comprehensive, integrated, and interoperable server infrastructure that helps reduce the complexity and costs of building, deploying, connecting, and operating agile business solutions. Windows Server System helps customers create new value for their business through the strategic use of their IT assets. With the Microsoft Windows

Server® operating system as its foundation, Windows Server System delivers dependable infrastructure for data management and analysis, enterprise integration, customer, partner, and employee portals, business process automation, communications and collaboration, and core IT operations including security, deployment, and systems management.

For more information about Windows Server System, go to:
www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem

For More Information

For more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary.

To access information using the World Wide Web, go to:
www.microsoft.com

In Bulgaria, call the Microsoft Bulgaria Information Centre at 0800-15555 or
visit the Web site at:
www.microsoft.com/bulgaria

For more information about Panorama Software products and services, call
(416) 545-0990 or visit the Web site at:
www.panoramasoftware.com

For more information about Mobiltel products and services, call
+359 (88) 8500031 or visit the Web site at:
www.mtel.bg www.mtel.bg

 

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