Service Electric Cable TV
Case Study
SECTV simplifies operations with Alianza's cloud communications platform.
Before Alianza: SECTV Struggled with Third-Party Bottlenecks
INDUSTRY
Brownfield, Cable Multiple System Operator (MSO)
VERTICAL
Broadband Internet and Telephone Services
SOLUTIONS
Alianza’s Cloud PBX and SIP Trunking
Company
Service Electric Cable TV & Communications became the nation’s first cable television company in 1948 and is now a group of affiliated cable television companies serving New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Key Challenges
Service Electric Cable TV & Communications sought to transition away from their current voice provider, whose strict control over the platform created substantial delays for customers when activating and porting lines. SECTV was “never allowed to make an order,” which created a bottleneck for onboarding new customers and often required repeating processes “two or three times in order to get a customer installed,” resulting in a negative customer experience.
By the fall of 2017, SECTV had lost its confidence in their current voice provider. They simply “didn’t want to release any of the responsibility,” said Craig M. Brady, Voice Services Manager for Service Electric Cable TV & Communications.
Goals & Requirements
SECTV evaluated Cisco, BroadSoft, GENBAND, and several other softswitch vendors, but their end user pricing was more expensive than SECTV’s retail pricing, making them untenable. And when Blue Ridge Communications left Sprint, Sprint suggested SECTV look at Alianza for a replacement platform.
With considerable local competition from over-the-top (OTT) providers and a noticeable acceleration of customer expectations, SECTV sought a future-forward platform with the following requirements:
Leverage their local presence as a key differentiator
Increase their speed-to-market and enhance their growth
Stave off infringing competition
Level the playing field against OTT competitors
Remove the burden of working through a third-party to activate services
Provide interoperability with SECTV’s in-house Unix billing platform
Why Alianza Works for SECTV
“The really cool thing about having VoIP with Alianza is that they are the ones working on the solution development,” said Craig M. Brady, Voice Services Manager of Service Electric Cable TV & Communications. “Rather than Alianza nickel and diming its customers, they see that every new feature will benefit the broader customer base and allows service providers to serve more people. And that’s a really significant difference between the old traditional TDM industry and the VoIP industry.”
In comparison, phone companies “like Ribbon Communications have to pay off the development costs of new features and functionality of a Nortel DMS switch. So when a new feature is available, it’s an additional cost.” The Alianza suite affords SECTV to offer new features and functionality to their end users a no cost “because Alianza doesn’t charge us.” As new features are developed, they are delivered in a continuous, non-disruptive fashion, so service providers can focus on taking their business to new heights.
In addition, with Alianza’s full-stack cloud communications platform, SECTV is reaching a larger customer base within their footprint and are “installing [net-new services] as fast as is humanly possible.”
Cloud Hosted PBX
This virtual phone system features remote deployment, seamless integrations, and modern calling features like IVR, call groups, inbound virtual fax, voicemail, and more. It’s a modern solution with predictable pricing for SMBs.
Cost Savings
“[Alianza’s] cost versus our current voice provider’s cost was significantly different,” said Craig M. Brady, Voice Services Manager.
Self-Managed Solution
Automatic distribution of software updates and new features to customers is managed by Alianza.
Customizability
Centralized cloud management allows IT administrators to tailor for any VoIP environment.
SIP Trunking
Customers can upgrade to the cloud and keep their existing phones by connecting their on-premises PBX to Alianza’s VoIP network. It’s an easy to use, self-maintained solution for happier customers with less effort.
Self-Maintained
No in-house expertise is needed for deployment, meaning happier customers with less effort.
Recurring Cost Savings
One SIP trunk takes the place of the several traditional lines, leading to predictable billing and cost savings.
Ease of Use
“I find that it is much easier to implement services. It’s been very, very successful.”
Benefits of Alianza's Cloud Model
Leverage Local Presence
Alianza’s cloud communications platform enables SECTV to leverage their local presence and private network broadband assets to deliver a more secure, higher quality, lower cost, and more profitable solution than OTT competitors.
Complete Control
SECTV receives services directly from one of Alianza’s data centers in Ashburn, Virginia, which stays on their private network cable network and is delivered directly to end users. SECTV controls the bandwidth, and quality of service with “no OTT problems.”
Eliminate Growth Bottlenecks
Alianza’s product and platform agility enabled SECTV to install the customer the same morning they received an order. Now “all we need to do is drop by and plug in an MTA and hook it up to their voice lines in their house.”
Interoperability
Alianza’s powerful API suite enables SECTV to integrate Alianza services with their in-house billing platform. Integrated business systems and workflows are easier to consume, sell, manage, support, and bill.
Centralized Management
Alianza’s easy to use, intuitive portal enables SECTV to order, deploy, manage, and use services online with a user-friendly administration portal. “I find that it is much easier to implement services,” said Brady.
Radicalized Speed to Market
With Alianza’s SaaS pricing model and agile cloud communications platform, SECTV is able to win business and meet escalated timelines. “We installed the equipment on Monday, and we turned up the service on Tuesday — and that included porting.”
InterviewDitch the Switch
How Alianza's full-stack, cloud-native communications enable CSPs to transform their networks and radically simplify operations.
White PaperBeware Significant Hidden Costs
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