OSS/BSS: A Critical Enabler

Until the late 90s, the Indian telecom industry, particularly the mobile part of it, was wholly run on postpaid subscriptions. Services were few

The phenomenal growth of the Indian telecom industry was predominantly triggered by the spectacular rise in wireless subscribers, which encouraged mobile handset manufacturers to enter the market. Additionally, the manufacturers introduced low-priced handsets and in- novative features like colored display and FM radio to rope in more subscribers.

Factors Driving the Market

Until the late 1990s, the Indian telecom industry and particularly the mobile part of it was wholly run on postpaid subscriptions, and services were few. In the late 90s, prepaid cards were introduced in India which set a milestone for the wireless sector. These cards lured more subscribers into the industry while lowering the credit risk of service providers due to its upfront payment concept. This system received a positive response from the first-time users who wanted to control their bills