Transforming MVNOs: PortaOne’s Vision for Driving Innovative Telecom Solutions 

At Gitex Africa 2024, Andriy Zhylenko, CEO of PortaOne, engaged in a forward-looking discussion with TechAfrica News about the transformative strategies reshaping the telecom industry.  He highlighted how PortaOne is empowering Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) to transition into business productivity providers by offering innovative service solutions that go beyond traditional telecom offerings.

Zhylenko pointed out the evolving landscape where telecom services increasingly blend with non-telecom offerings, driven by software advancements. PortaOne, he explained, is at the forefront of this shift, advocating for telcos to expand beyond mere connectivity services. Instead, they should integrate value-added tools like business productivity solutions tailored to specific sectors such as agriculture IoT.

“We observe this shift not only with MVNOs but across the entire telecom industry. The line between telecom services and non-telecom services is increasingly blurred as everything moves towards software. Telecom operators need to embrace this change or risk becoming obsolete if they continue only selling SIM cards or connectivity. Today, it’s crucial to offer customers value beyond basic services. This could be through business productivity tools that enhance sales or customer loyalty, or new services tailored to sectors like agriculture IoT.” 

Andriy Zhylenko, CEO of PortaOne

PortaOne’s strategy revolves around enabling telecom operators to diversify their revenue streams by integrating value-added services like business productivity tools and sector-specific solutions such as IoT applications for agriculture. Zhylenko highlighted the importance of leveraging PortaOne’s systems to manage and monetize these services effectively, allowing companies to innovate without starting from scratch.

Regarding technology integration, he elaborated on PortaOne’s approach to combining Cloud PBX and CRM systems and highlighted the seamless connectivity and AI-driven functionalities embedded in their solutions, which empower SMEs with tailored communication tools designed to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement.

The discussion also touched on the challenge of transitioning from traditional hardware PBX systems to cloud-based solutions. Zhylenko emphasized PortaOne’s comprehensive support through professional services and data integration tools, ensuring a smooth migration path that preserves user experience while unlocking new capabilities for modern business needs.

Innovations in AI were another focal point, with Zhylenko highlighting AI’s transformative potential in enhancing communication processes within enterprises. PortaOne’s integration of AI-driven features such as call transcriptions and automated assistance aims to streamline operations and drive productivity gains across business operations. 

“Recently, we integrated Whisper from OpenAI into our Cloud Marketplace of value-added services, and we plan to add more components to enhance user connectivity. While AI is heavily utilized in our development and engineering to boost productivity, I believe critical decisions will still be made by humans. AI’s role is to efficiently execute these decisions, transforming them into effective software systems or data workflows.” 

Andriy Zhylenko, CEO of PortaOne

Looking towards the future, Zhylenko outlined PortaOne’s commitment to fostering innovation among SMEs and startups. Their accelerator program provides crucial support, including consultancy, cloud credits, and access to PortaOne’s systems, enabling emerging companies to scale their solutions globally.

By embracing technological advancements and nurturing strategic partnerships, PortaOne continues to lead the charge in transforming telecom operators into dynamic providers of integrated, value-added services tailored to meet the evolving demands of the digital economy.