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Visual Wireless was founded in Sweden in 1990 and today provides revenue assurance solutions to the world's telecommunications operators. The company is VC backed and is currently expanding its operations internationally.
The company's solution addresses revenue leakage - which studies indicate could constitute as much as 14% of revenue: or US$ 168 billion per annum.
Tomas Julin is Chairman of Visual Wireless and an adviser to UK-based venture capital firm Quester. Having spent 27 years with Ericsson, Tomas has since been CEO of Swedish mobile operator Comviq and Unisource Mobile, and COO of the MSI Group.
We caught up with Tomas to talk about revenue assurance, venture capital and the role of Chairman.
Q. What is 'revenue assurance'?
A. End-to-end revenue assurance helps telco operators optimise efficiency and profit margins. Our solution detects, stops and prevents further revenue leakage that results from unknown traffic on the network.
Q. Why is revenue assurance creating more market interest now?
A. All operators, whether they are fixed or mobile, have revenue leakage. The question is how much; independent studies show that these service providers lose between 5 - 14% of revenue through leakage. Globally, this equates to $168 billion per year.
So revenue assurance has become an emerging focus area - and the reason it has not yet reached its full potential is because of uncertainties about how to implement effective solutions.
However, with high penetration, maturing markets and, as a consequence, lower revenues per subscribers, the likes of Vodafone and Orange have issued global directives on addressing the problem.
Q. What causes revenue leakage?
A. There are a whole host of reasons that result in leakage: for example this may be a due to old network infrastructure, interconnect issues or due to unrecognised network routes. Pre-paid platforms are notorious for revenue leakage.
Q. Visual Wireless was recently successful in raising additional venture capital finance to assist with your global expansion plans. What did you look for when selecting a VC?
A. There were a number of key criteria for us:
- We wanted a VC that had demonstrable knowledge
in data warehousing and with whom we had an intellectual
rapport.
- We wanted the VC to be actively involved
in the business and to demonstrate real passion and engagement.
- The cultural fit was important also and, as such, we were looking for a firm that had invested in Swedish companies and which has Swedish staff in its global team.
- Finally, we took quality references.
Q. On the other side of the coin, what were the VCs looking for from Visual Wireless?
A. There is a general investment anxiety right now. I think in this market the VCs are rightly focused on meeting a number of key criteria. We felt these to be:
- That the product is proven
in some way.
- That revenues are already
being generated.
- That the management team is stable
and totally committed.
Q. Having been a CEO in the past, how have you personally adapted to the role of Chairman?
A. Comfortably! My role now is really to provide quality rather than quantity input. My role as Chairman is two-fold:
- Firstly, I am a resource at
the disposal of the CEO and I have, for example, been
actively involved in fundraising and in partner negotiations
in Asia.
- Secondly, I am here to govern
the CEO and the Board of Visual Wireless.
Q. You also advise UK-based venture capital firm, Quester. What value do you bring in such a role?
A. My job with Quester is to advise on trends in the industry and to advise from a different perspective: i.e. not from a purely numbers focused perspective, but to add a different element to the mix. I am also there to provide operational and Board assistance as and when required, and to utilise my industry contact network.
To find out more about Visual Wireless visit www.visualwireless.com To find out more about Quester visit www.quester.co.uk Tomas can be contacted at tomas.julin@visualwireless.com.
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