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Meet Colin Brooks
An interview with the general manager
BT Telconsult
Future issues of Global Telecom News will feature a regular column from Colin. Here we introduce him to you.
Colin, what is BT Telconsult?
Our website describes BT Telconsult well: "We provide management consultancy for the global telecommunications sector. Our clients, including fixed line and mobile telecom operators and internet service providers value us as one of the few consultancies with real-life telecommunications-operator experience. We can use that experience to create flexible, scalable solutions for your business. We can also offer you the advantage of being able to draw on the global resources of the BT Group - recognised worldwide for its technical and operations skills, managerial proficiency and commitment to innovation."
How did you come to be working in BT Telconsult?
I first joined BT Telconsult some years ago as a managing consultant to lead and develop their Sales, Marketing and Customer Service Practice. After about 18 months I left Telconsult, but not BT, and moved to Singapore to help BT implement the joint venture companies it was acquiring in Asia Pacific. I returned to run the BT Telconsult business. I am very pleased to be here again and delighted with the progress we have made.
What excites you about working in BT Telconsult?
It is a truly global role and every day is definitely different. My team and I work with other telecoms companies across all geographies, time zones, cultures and markets. We work with some fascinating people and with our experience as BT, we understand their business and the opportunities and challenges they are facing. As an operator ourselves we have experience in not only identifying solutions for our customers but also in helping them with the implementation. We like to be there to see the end results rather than just make recommendations!
What do you like to do in your spare time? Do you have a family?
As with many people, spare time is a rare commodity these days! But, although I travel extensively with my work, I do still like to visit some of the more unusual and developing parts of the world for my holidays. I have two daughters and a French Canadian partner and I like to spend as much time as possible with all of them. I play golf badly, which is something I continually promise myself to improve!
What kinds of projects are you working on at the moment?
These days our customers are most interested in developing their broadband strategies and assessing the business case in their home markets for fibre to the home (FTTH) versus the ever-evolving technologies that can deliver higher bandwidth to customers over existing local networks. It is a complex issue for all telecoms providers now and a case of balancing capital outlay versus the additional income and competitive advantage that can be gained from supplying FTTH.
Mobile operators are more and more interested in what they can do to generate revenues from the enterprise market. Developing corporate products and services and building organisations that are equipped to sell and deliver to this demanding set of customers is at the top of the agenda for many mobile operators.
Many fixed line operators are faced with the challenge of fierce competition from companies that are also potential customers. Developing a mature view of this complex set of relationships takes time in some markets and requires a strong retail and wholesale perspective and strategy. BT has vast experience and success in this area and as a result we advise and assist many companies to establish and run their wholesale businesses.
What makes BT Telconsult the right team to address the challenges of your clients?
BT is an operator so telecoms is our day job. It’s not just what we talk about, it's what we do.
In BT Telconsult, our consultants are real subject-matter experts with many years of experience in the industry. Telecoms is their passion!
Unlike many consulting companies, we do much more than give advice, produce reports and leave. We like to stay on to support the implementation, to help our customer get things working successfully and to transfer our knowledge before we move on.
If you would like more information about BT Telconsult, please see our website or get in touch with me. I answered the first question with a quote from our website and I'd like to close the interview with another one: "Contact us now to find out how we can best support your business needs."
I look forward to hearing from you and to writing to you again in future issues of Global Telecom News.
With all best wishes,
Colin
Biography
BT Telconsult General Manager Colin Brooks has over thirty years experience in the telecommunications industry, particularly in the international arena. Colin has worked in over fifty countries, leading commercial and technical negotiations for BT, delivering consultancy support to companies all over the world and implementing BTs joint venture companies in Asia Pacific. He has greatly contributed to sustaining and growing BT's international business. Among his successes are the delivery of revenue and profit growth of £80 million for BT IPLC products and the integration of £4 billion joint venture assets into the BT family.
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