Integrated flowthrough, in telecommunications, refers to the disciplines and techniques by which a Communications Service Provider (CSP) may achieve and maintain high levels of automation, efficiency and accuracy in operational processes such as fulfilment and assurance.
Typically, this involves optimization and integration of various Operations Support Systems (OSS) or Business Support Systems (BSS) as well as structuring and optimizing the activities of personnel involved in handling order fallout, with the goal of both reducing the number of orders that “fallout” and require manual handling and reducing the time and effort required to handle orders that do fallout.
The growth in the order management market is due to CSPs having higher expectations about guaranteed order completion times, thus making issues such as the management of order fallout a priority for CSPs. (Order fallout occurs when the progression of an order has been or rejected, resulting in the order not being successfully completed.)
While many CSPs have spent decades on continuous improvement to achieve high levels of order flowthrough for traditional services, many find that converged, triple-play or quad-play operations environments require renewed focus on this discipline due to the increased complexity of orders in this environment.
Integrated Flowthrough employs a methodology that blends the service design, network technologies, OSSs, fulfillment and assurance processes, enabling CSPs to examine assurance and fulfillment operations from every dimension, including leadership, people processes, technology and systems/data.
Integrated Flowthrough can help CSPs realize the following benefits: