Service providers have progressed from selling single services to offering bundles, then triple play, quad play and now multi-play packages. Having watched this evolution firsthand, many professionals assume they understand multi-play thoroughly. But some widely held beliefs about multi-play may be inaccurate.
A white paper by independent research firm Analysys Mason, titled “IT Infrastructure of Service Providers – Analysis and Future Direction,” highlights several surprising findings that challenge common assumptions about multi-play offerings.
Myth #1: New service types in multi-play packages exist solely to attract new customers
Fact: While some developments—such as M2M (machine-to-machine) services—do target new customer segments, Analysys Mason found that many additions to bundles are enhancements to existing services rather than only acquisition tools. Examples include adding cloud storage, managed Wi-Fi and OTT (over-the-top) content like Netflix to existing bundles. These enhancements not only help attract new customers but also reduce churn and improve the experience of current subscribers.
Myth #2: Bundled services remain static and are mainly used for promotions
Fact: Globally, service providers are actively reworking bundles by integrating previously separate services into unified offers and applying discounts to encourage adoption. Bundles serve as a revenue driver and a retention mechanism: customers are less likely to leave when multiple services are combined under one provider. Analysys Mason reports that many providers are expanding beyond traditional quad plays by incorporating additional content and services—third-party media, home networking, home security, Software as a Service (SaaS) for home and enterprise, cloud capabilities and OTT services.
Moreover, the explosion of connected devices—smartphones, tablets, smart TVs—and the rollout of faster networks enable customers to access services on any device, anytime and anywhere. This device and network proliferation creates opportunities for service providers to extend bundled offerings and counteract margin pressure in legacy product lines.
Myth #3: Financial strength and longevity automatically enable greater convergence in mature providers
Fact: Contrary to this belief, Analysys Mason’s research shows mature service providers generally exhibit less systems convergence than newer entrants. Several factors explain this trend. Long-standing operational processes are often complex, entrenched and difficult to change. Over time, network and system diversity increases, creating greater heterogeneity. Established providers also tend to offer a wider range of services, each requiring specific functions that were frequently implemented as separate projects focused on short-term goals rather than comprehensive system transformation toward convergence. As a result, these environments often rely on adjunct systems rather than a unified platform.
That said, when convergent systems are implemented, they significantly improve an operator’s ability to launch multi-play and other complex services quickly. Nonetheless, convergence strategies must be tailored—there is no universal solution that fits all providers.
Myth #4: Small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises have identical multi-play requirements
Fact: Large enterprises typically require low-volume but highly complex and customized services. Historically, systems supporting enterprise customers have remained separate from the high-volume, automated platforms used for retail and SMB segments. SMB requirements often align more closely with retail customers than with enterprise customers. Consequently, operators and vendors must differentiate solutions by customer segment and work with partners experienced in delivering multi-play solutions designed to meet specific operational and business needs.
Myth #5: A consolidated customer experience can be delivered simply by adding a thin layer to the CRM
Fact: Delivering a genuinely consolidated experience across multi-play services requires more than a superficial CRM overlay. While a thin integration layer can present a unified front to customers, it does not achieve deep convergence. Deeper convergence—integrating service, billing, provisioning and operational systems—is necessary to create and launch new service bundles more rapidly and cost-effectively than by piecing together multiple specialized systems for each service.
The Last (and Greatest) Multi-Play Myth
The most important misconception concerns what multi-play actually means. Defining multi-play merely as a bundle that extends beyond quad play misses the operational and organizational requirements needed to make multi-play genuinely effective.
Key questions highlight the gap between perception and reality: Do multi-play bundles present as a single, integrated offering to customers, or do they appear as a collection of separate businesses each with their own processes and systems? Are the operational systems that support these services integrated? Can operators present a single company view across major customer touch points related to multi-play operations? Can they launch new services—such as home security, SaaS, cloud capabilities and OTT offerings—quickly and efficiently?
If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” then the provider has more work to do to realize the full potential of multi-play. True multi-play success requires integrated systems, streamlined operations and an ability to add services rapidly while delivering a cohesive customer experience. Providers that invest in deeper convergence and targeted solutions by segment will be better positioned to grow revenue, reduce churn and respond to evolving market opportunities.