The potential power of new intermediaries such as the Googles, Amazons and E-Bays – often already having their own billing systems and payment mechanisms in place – is set to pose a major threat to the service provider's traditional dominance of the entire value chain. As the industry starts making the long awaited strategic shift from simple survival to positive growth, new challenges continue to emerge. Unless service providers of all shapes and sizes confront these, they're going to be reduced to little more than mere bit-pipe players. However, knowing where you've got to get to is only part of the problem facing operators as they try to transform themselves through the addition of content and applications to their service portfolios...

Industry analyst firm Analysys has conducted global surveys on revenue assurance for the last several years, and the findings in the most recent reports point to a shift in how service providers view revenue assurance. The study, which is underwritten by Subex, surveys approximately 100 service providers of all types and sizes worldwide. The investigation focuses on revenue management, including revenue assurance, fraud management and other domains that seek to address revenue leakage and cost overruns...