Telecom & Telecom Management — What Are They

Different telecom consulting services say, remember when telecommunication meant phones sitting on desks all over the office? Well, that was then, but today, telecom means more than just voice. Besides traditional wired telephones, we now have wireless (cell phones) and much, much more.

When we speak of telecommunication today, we mean all communication, not just voice. Also, telecommunication encompasses those devices used for communicating too. Telecommunication means voice, video, text — almost any type of communication you can think of.

The components of telecommunication covers all kinds of devices along with hardware and software solutions. Telecommunication today means email, fax, cellular phones, and computers, not to mention the providers that go along with all of those technologies.

Also read: How do the Internet and Cell Phones Make the World Bigger?

When you think about it, telecommunication has been part of our evolution in some way since we started communicating via smoke signals beacons, and carrier pigeons. As we became more technologically savvy, we developed new ways in which to communicate, such as the telephone and now the Internet.

Now, telecom has its roots running through every facet of society thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones, tablets, smart watches, laptops, TVs and other devices. Humans spend an inordinate amount of time with these devices every day, which means that communication has changed from a simple phone call to texts, emails, and social media communications.

In the workplace, most companies utilize some form of internal communications other than email to communicate with one another. With this explosion in how we interact with one another, and the increase in the number of devices used to communicate, there’s a business emerging to manage all these tools and ways of communicating. And that business is called Telecom Management.

Telecom Management is a term that many business owners either don’t understand or find confusing because effective telecom management requires the coordination of a variety of services, devices, and infrastructures. In some companies, the managing of telecommunication was handed off to the IT department because, in the eyes of some managers, the technologies were the same. However, these IT departments have often felt overburdened by the new tasks, and in many cases, both IT and telecom management suffered.

The fact that IT departments are often overwhelmed with their primary tasks, and now have telecom dropped in their laps is the reason why there needs to be a separation of both IT and telecom management for the sake of the employees and the company’s efficiency and productivity. In some cases, telecom has become a subdivision of IT or a separate department altogether.

While some companies may find an outside telecom management solution to be expensive, the fact is that they’re usually saving money in lost productivity from having their IT workforce spread too thin. Also, effective telecom management means seeking out ways to save money, and identifying waste, within the company’s current telecom solutions.

To be effective at telecom management, one has to expertly handle services, carriers, operators, equipment, software, billing, contracts, reports, maintenance, cost analysis and the constant updating of the infrastructure to keep it running smoothly. Not to mention, one also has to be adept at managing all of the ways in which people are communicating, such as texting, social media, email, fax, video chat, phone, etc.

With typical IT departments, companies can expect that team to ensure that the computer systems, networks, and software run at maximum efficiency. These traditional IT departments are responsible for maintaining the systems, securing the network, and keeping hardware and software updated. Likewise, the telecom management department is responsible for the day to day needs of those communicating with one another, which also includes systems, devices, software, and overall infrastructure.

How effective your telecom management solution directly affects how successful your business is, and it directly affects your company’s bottom line. A robust telecom management solution is essential for ensuring the smooth operation of your business, and the satisfaction of your customers and the effectiveness of your employees. As mentioned, effective telecom management means finding ways to save you money, and identifying places where your company is wasting money on services or devices they don’t need.

It’s worth noting, however, that successful telecom expense management is easier said than done, which is why it’s essential that you employ a professional telecom management team who will be on top of all the assets involved in your company’s telecom. Their expertise is necessary because of the many facets you’ll have to navigate. There’s literally so much to consider and keep track of that it takes a dedicated team whose job is nothing but telecom management. Remember that ensuring that all of these platforms work seamlessly with each other is a burden that’s best left to people who know what they’re doing.

So, even though we’ve been communicating with each other since we became humans, today’s telecommunication is a vast, complex world that’s getting more and more complicated by the day as new technologies emerge. We’ve seen an explosion since the 90s in how we talk to one another both personally and in business, and there’s no sign that it’s going to slow down any time soon.

That’s why there’s a genuine need for effective telecom management that’s separate from a company’s IT department.

| About the Guest Author: Mark D. Hearn


As CEO and President, Mark D. Hearn leads the vision and direction of Network Control. He has been an active steward in the telecommunications management marketplace since 1987 and is recognized as a pioneer in the TEM industry, having started one of the first software-based TEM companies

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