OTS IS MANDATORY
Ofcom introduced One Touch Switching (OTS) on April 3rd 2023 to make it easier for customers of landline and broadband retail providers to switch between providers.
What do retail providers need to do
The One Touch Switching Company Ltd (TOTSCo) is building an OTS Hub to handle the exchange of customer service information between gaining and losing providers.
To comply with the Ofcom regulations, all retail providers must exchange this information with the OTS Hub via an API. This will involve significant updates to their IT systems and processes. OTS will impact:
- New Processes
- BSS systems
- OTS Integrations
- New OTS functionality
- OTS hub integrators
Losing providers will be impacted more than gaining providers. It’s not just existing BSS systems that need to be integrated with the OTS Hub. For example, new functionality will have to be introduced to satisfy imminent industry SLAs regarding responsiveness.
How Sonalake can help
Assessment of OTS readiness
Assessment of OTS readiness
Regardless of their IT capabilities, few retail providers have had an opportunity to properly evaluate their systems’ readiness for the imminent OTS regulations. As participants throughout the OTS process and BSS/OSS specialists, we have designed a service to assess how retail providers’ IT and process environments meet OTS requirements.
Our service will:
- Identify impacts on existing work processes and the IT systems that support these processes
- Provide options to satisfy mandatory OTS requirements
Possible examples of required changes include:
- Making service data available to other retailers upon demand (via the OTS Hub)
- Communicating implications of switching to end customers
- Developing interfaces to the OTS Hub
- Integration to specific back office environments
Plug-in software modules
It is likely that changes to existing BSS/OSS code or modules will be required. We can also offer retail providers pre-developed software modules that:
- Easily integrate with any BSS/OSS
- Interface with the TOTSCo APIs
This minimises the impact on IT environments and significantly expedites the level of testing required to interface with the OTS Hub, particularly in respect to ‘unhappy paths.’
What to expect from Sonalake’s Advisory Service
- Analysis: We assess the retail providers’ current systems and processes over 5-10 days. Our report will identify key areas to be addressed and potential options to satisfy OTS requirements
- Design and implementation: Clients can request detailed specifications and a design for any impacted systems Testing and integration: If we design a solution, we can support retail providers during the pre-launch phase as they test and integrate it with the OTS Hub
- Plug-in software modules: This option can be made available as part of an overall solution
Opportunities for wholesale providers
The introduction of OTS can also be an opportunity for vertically-integrated providers, who provide end-customer services on their own access infrastructure. They can leverage the marketing spend of UK retail providers by providing a wholesale offering.
Sonalake has a proven track record of providing wholesale BSS solutions.