Spirent Communications is one of the leading providers of test and measurement (T&M) solutions worldwide. It provides tools for service management and field test to improve troubleshooting and quality and its lab test solutions are used to evaluate performance of the latest technologies. The company recently announced the completion of 10 years of operations in the Indian market. In the past decade, Spirent?s solutions have enabled several customers in India to increase their revenues by reducing the time-to-market for their products and services. In an interaction with tele.net.in, H S Bhaskar, Director Sales ? India, Spirent Communications, talks about Spirent?s journey in India and the way forward for the company in the Indian market?
Give us a brief background of Spirent Communications and its presence in India.
Spirent Communications is where the world?s leading communications companies come to test and evaluate their next-generation devices and applications. In fact, most of the industry?s significant advances have been made using Spirent?s tests as the benchmark. Spirent develops innovative hardware and software solutions and test methodologies which help shorten our customers’ product development cycle, improve the quality of their services, whilst reducing cost and risk.
T&M industry is a very niche industry with a presence of several established players. The key difference between Spirent and other players that is that, with its broad portfolio of solutions and services, Spirent is uniquely positioned to address its customers? complex testing needs.
Spirent has been in the Indian T&M industry for about 10 years. In fact, the global market downturn of 2009-10, proved to be some of the best years for the company as during this period Spirent focused more on supporting the newer technology.
Spirent?s key clients include the service providers, network equipment providers besides the research and development (R&D) houses in India.
What are the challenges that Spirent faces in the Indian telecom sector?
The biggest challenge that Spirent goes through in the Indian telecom sector, especially in the service provider segment, is bringing these entities up to speed with the latest technologies. Educating about a certain technology and the way certain testing should be pursued is the biggest challenge in the current scenario. By and large we have been successful because we are amongst the first set of people who deliver something different.
What are some of the technology trends that you foresee in the Indian telecom space?
The long term evolution (LTE) technology will evolve predominantly in the Indian landscape in the coming years. Spirent?s wireless and service experience solutions apply innovation to functional and performance testing of 4G/LTE and 3G mobile devices, services and infrastructure, and satellite positioning devices, under real-world conditions in the lab prior to commercial launch.
How has the operators? T&M requirements changed with the launch of 4G services?
The T&M requirements are rising owing to the evolution of the network and communication systems. So the service providers have to catch up onthe high speed data service and network rollout fronts, otherwise they are going to lose out on their subscribers and average revenue per user (ARPU). Most of the broadband and high ARPU customers today are more focused on applications and service delivery rather than the price.
What are your views on the current regulatory and policy environment sector in the telecom sector?
One area which the government or the industry should look into closely is the location solutions. The number of crimes, especially women related crimes, has escalated in the past few years and location based technology can help preventing these crimesto a certain degree. Every handset has a location capability, and if the service providers are mandated to enable this service wherein a call can be made in a crisis situation, then the exact location of the call can be extracted. With such location-based solutions, we would be in the proactive mode rather than a reactive mode.
What are the growth opportunities that Spirent is expected to tap in the next 2-3 years?
LTE and LTE advanced and also near field communication are the areas where Spirent will continue to focus in next few years. Satellite communications is another market which we feel would evolve in the next one-two years. There are going to be more satellites that will be launched in the coming years. We have an India-specific satellite system called IRNSS. There are high chances for these satellites to be commericalised.
What are your investment plans in the Indian market?
Spirent has invested heavily in India in the past years. We have offices in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai to better serve our customers. We have been investing into R&D in India and the company is planning to double its R&D capacity in the next one month.
