Single platform marketplace introduces new monetisation opportunities and optimises new service delivery for CSPs

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – News Direct – 3 May 2021 – CSG® (NASDAQ: CSGS) today announced it is working with Axiata Digital Labs (ADL), to create a joint innovation initiative for an open API digital marketplace that will enable rapid time to market for enterprise offerings. The co-collaboration integrates CSG’s industry-leading charging and digital monetisation capabilities with ADL’s Digital Telco Enabler (DTE) open API digital layer technology to deliver a single open API, multi-tenant, cloud platform.

“Enterprise opportunities have evolved for service providers and are creating new opportunities for our customers to capitalise on revenue streams that require open, modular, cloud-based architectures for rapid bundling and touchless partner settlement,” said Ian Watterson, head of CSG’s Asia-Pacific business. “This co-innovation between Axiata Digital Labs and CSG combines our collective expertise in cloud, open API, modular architecture and microservices technologies to accelerate the launch of digital monetisation use cases.”

Working with Axiata, CSG is extending DTE to its billing and charging communications service provider (CSP) customers, positioning them for accelerated growth and increased abilities to offer new products and services. Concurrently, ADL is extending digital monetisation capabilities to its customers through CSG’s award-winning Ascendon platform, enhancing ADL’s digital capabilities across its consumer and enterprise operations.

“Axiata Digital Labs is transforming the way our customers drive revenue and create superior customer experiences through the investment and development of new and emerging 5G technologies, products and services,” said Namal Jayathilake, VP of Emerging Technologies of Axiata Digital Labs. “By partnering with CSG, we are aligning our efforts with one of the global leaders in the wireless sector and creating a breakthrough solution that will help customers from both organizations identify new growth opportunities, operate more efficiently, and create truly unique customer experiences,” he further added.

Together, CSG’s Ascendon charging and digital monetisation capabilities combined with Axiata’s DTE technology optimise new service delivery for CSPs by integrating a digital marketplace into their existing network. The solution offers infinite flexible bundling with rapid time to market, giving CSPs the ability to quickly launch new digital offers and services for their enterprise and consumer customers.

The joint solution adheres to TM Forum Open API standards and offers a single platform that seamlessly integrates into CSG and ADL customers’ existing ecosystems, eliminating the need for a full network transformation. The platform also provides the flexibility and scalability to support multiple CSP business models, while simplifying operational complexities and reducing cost.

Leading companies rely on CSG’s broad portfolio of digital monetisation solutions to efficiently shorten their time to market and reduce operational costs while delivering innovative services and optimising customer experiences. For more information, visit https://www.csgi.com/capabilities/digital–monetization/.

View source version on NewsDirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/csg-and-axiata-digital-labs-announce-co-collaboration-to-deliver-enterprise-digital-marketplace-635186678

About CSG

For more than 35 years, CSG has simplified the complexity of business, delivering innovative customer engagement solutions that help companies acquire, monetize, engage, and retain customers. Operating across more than 120 countries worldwide, CSG manages billions of critical customer interactions annually, and its award-winning suite of software and services allow companies across dozens of industries to tackle their biggest business challenges and thrive in an ever-changing marketplace. CSG is the trusted provider for driving digital innovation for hundreds of leading global brands, including Airtel Africa, América Móvil, AT&T, Charter Communications, Comcast, DISH, Formula 1, Hutchison 3 Indonesia, Inmarsat, Mastercard, Maximus, Microsoft, Mobily, MTN, New Leaf Service Contracts, State of California DMV, TalkTalk and Telstra. To learn more, visit our website at csgi.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Copyright © 2021 CSG Systems International, Inc. and/or its affiliates (“CSG”). All rights reserved. CSG® is a registered trademark of CSG Systems International, Inc. All third-party trademarks, service marks, and/or product names which are referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners, and all rights therein are reserved.

-By industry leading research insistution Counterpoint’s most recent report, TECNO is recognized as one of the few brands that have make break-throughs in AI-enhanced mobile photography and videography.

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 30 April 2021 – Counterpoint Technology Market Research, a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry, recently released a whitepaper named: “Technology Convergence Clicks in Smartphone Cameras”. The report charts the intertwined evolution of both the smartphone and camera technology and predicts that both these ecosystems will be increasingly dependent on each other for progress, given current trends in Artificial Intelligence (AI) computing power in smartphones. In its report, Counterpoint has cited TECNO, a rising global smartphone brand, and its upcoming CAMON 17 Pro as a stellar example of a modern phone that embodies this trend, incorporating camera technology, AI, scene recognition and more into a technologically advanced everyday product.

Bringing together camera technology with smartphones has been a core tenet of user demands since its introduction 20 years ago, with the release of Japan’s Kyocera VP-210 in 1999. Today, more than one-third of all smartphones have 32-108 Megapixels (MP). This is the most common band, of which 48MP and 64MP seem to be considered the mainstream currently. The CAMON 17 Pro is representative of this category and bring the selfie experience to the new high with its 48MP front camera. As 108MP or even higher is a trend of competition, TECNO shared that consumers have two options – either through high Magic Pixel function or computational photography system at software level. According to Counterpoint, it “expects this high-resolution trend to continue into the 5G decade, aiming to realize the human-eye capable perception”.

Expect not only the phones, but also the cameras to get smarter, as AI plays an increasing role in smartphone development. Smartphone AI is now capable of assisting user to edit right from their phones. User-friendly editing tools help the average user to perform complex effects and functions without flipping through thick instruction manuals. AI has helped in removing or reducing background noise and clutter, conceal blemishes and re-engineer body shapes to an appreciable degree. Counterpoint uses the example of TECNO’s TAIVOS (TECNO AI Vision Optimization Solution) technology, which is an advanced signal processing technology that interprets raw data through an AI multi-framed, portrait segmentation based on tens of millions of data points, which can filter image noise better and optimize image clarity, thereby enhancing night photography effects. TECNO’s CAMON 17 Pro brings the next generation of TAIVOS into the hands of users, as its robust imaging system has proven to fit into various complexions and social environments. The Super Night Mode in CAMON 17 Pro supported by TAIVOS adds unrivalled clarity to the photos even when they are taken in the dark. TAIVOS enables 1.6 μm camera let in more light and optimize details against a low-light background.

The new features and innovations powered by AI are expected to play a more critical role for smartphone makers in differentiating their products, predicts Counterpoint. One of the main pillars supporting a selfie generation is not just the ability to take stunning pictures, but that of storing them as well. The handphone has well and truly become a portable computer wrapped snugly in our hands. Users now demand storage of thousands of photos and videos, as well as hundreds of apps, all in a palm-sized phone. As users get more enthusiastic about the selfie culture, the hours spent on this habit get extended subconsciously, calling for longer-lasting battery life. To this end, TECNO CAMON 17 Pro’s 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM will go a long way in ensuring seamless switching between applications and a smooth experience throughout. And its huge 5000mAh battery is helpful in preventing those awkward or frustrating moments when the battery dies out. Flash charging capabilities also mean that such dire situations can be salvaged when inevitable.

However, there is still much to do in bringing AI and smartphone hardware together. One of the greatest criticisms of the handphone has always been the low utilisation of features. With these latest developments in the TECNO CAMON 17 Pro, this point has been thankfully addressed. These new features are all pertinent to the identified needs of users – the taking, editing, and storing of selfies. These upgrades make a lot of sense and are significantly more applicable than their predecessors. It is an exciting era we are looking at whether it is through the lens of a state-of-the-art selfie or an AI-enhanced video.

For full report, please refer to counterpoint.

Workshop Organised with APRU Teaches How to Win Heavyweight Brand Sponsorships for Esports Development

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 30 April 2021 – Hong Kong Cyberport and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a consortium of 58 leading universities in the Pacific Rim region, today held the APRU Esports Fellowship Workshop on the Cyberport campus and online. Talon Esports, a Cyberport incubatee and well-known organiser of esports leagues, shared its perspective on the esports business ecosystem and how marketing and business sponsorship can benefit the industry’s development. 30 students from universities in Hong Kong and the Pacific Rim, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the School of Professional and Continuing Education of the University of Hong Kong (HKU SPACE) and the Open University of Hong Kong, joined the workshop and exchanged views with fellow students who share their passion for esports.

Participating students conducted a mock sponsor pitch to enhance their knowledge of the esports ecosystem.

Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport, said, “Cyberport is committed to cultivating local young talent and providing them with diversified entrepreneurship and career opportunities. As a high-growth emerging industry, esports and digital entertainment present younger generations with a rich array of opportunities, from content development to team management and training, and from event planning to brand marketing. Through this workshop, participants learned about the esports industry’s business models and the unique advantages of Hong Kong’s esports companies. Those aspiring to a career in esports could also broaden their horizons and enjoy fruitful exchanges via the APRU network with their counterparts from other universities in the Pacific Rim.”

Industry Leader Shares Tips on Winning Sponsorships

According to the latest forecast from industry research institute Newzoo, the global esports market’s value will reach USD1.084 billion in 2021, representing year-on-year growth of 14.5%. Business sponsorship will account for USD641 million, close to 60% of the total value. This demonstrates that business sponsorship is the esports industry’s bread and butter.

As a Cyberport incubatee, Talon Esports is well-known for its League of Legends team, PSG Talon, as well as for the successful esports events it has staged, such as the VALORANT competitions in Hong Kong and Taiwan which have attracted lucrative sponsorships from a wide variety of businesses including sportswear company Nike, KFC Thailand, Hong Kong virtual bank Mox and gaming seat developer Recaro. Today’s workshop tutor, Sean Zhang, CEO and Co-founder of Talon Esports, noted: “Everything begins with the fans. Esports fans typically represent a very valuable consumer segment for many brands, but they are also notoriously difficult to reach through traditional channels. So the most important thing for us to understand from a partnership perspective is what our partners are looking to achieve, from both a business and a branding standpoint, and then our job is to work out how we can best help them bridge that gap between them and the gaming community in a way that is authentic and adds value for our fans too.”

Sponsor Pitch Simulations

Each participating university, including the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, HKU SPACE, the Open University of Hong Kong, the Far Eastern Federal University, the National Taiwan University, the National University of Singapore, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, the University of British Columbia, the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Washington, arranged for two to three representatives to join the workshop. Grouped into five teams, the students were required to conduct a sponsor pitch for a popular esports league. To enhance their knowledge of the esports ecosystem, feedback and suggestions were provided by the tutor.

Organising inter-university tournaments and academic competitions

Dr Christopher Tremewan, APRU Secretary General, said, “Empowering future Esports leaders in the Pacific Rim brought APRU and Cyberport together to create the APRU Esports Fellowship Program. Through Cyberport, the new generation will have access to the resources they need to develop skills and build networks for careers in the thriving Esports industry, including access to over 140 Esports start-ups. A perk of our program is that students will have the exclusive opportunity to pitch to industry leaders after learning about sponsorship relations and insider tips that cannot be found in textbooks. Going forward, we will forge ahead with this partnership and offer more opportunities for students to learn through student-led inter-university tournaments, academic competitions and fellowships.”

APRU is a premier alliance of research universities, established in Los Angeles in 1997 by the presidents of UCLA, Berkeley, Caltech and the University of Southern California. It aims to foster collaboration between member universities to promote economic, scientific and cultural advancement in the Pacific Rim. APRU now has a membership of more than 50 leading research universities.

Organised by Cyberport in partnership with APRU and the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, the APRU Esports Fellowship Program is a one-year programme dedicated to the esports industry. Cyberport’s session in Hong Kong is the programme’s third workshop, with the first two hosted by the National University of Singapore and the University of California, Los Angeles. The next workshop is planned for May, and will be hosted by the University of British Columbia. In addition to workshops, the programme also includes competitions which aim to boost the student’s esports skills and techniques.

About Cyberport

Cyberport is an innovative digital community with over 1,650 start-ups and technology companies. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, which is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government. With a vision to be the hub for digital technology thereby creating a new economic driver for Hong Kong, Cyberport is committed to nurturing a vibrant tech ecosystem by cultivating talent, promoting entrepreneurship among youth, supporting start-ups on their growth journey, fostering industry development by promoting strategic collaboration with local and international partners, and integrating new and traditional economies by accelerating digital transformation in the public and private sectors.

For more information, please visit www.cyberport.hk.

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