This IDC study presents the key concepts and structures of the operational support system (OSS) and billing market, including IDC's market taxonomy. This document outlines the foundation for IDC's research into OSS and billing opportunities at service providers and within the telecommunications industry. It may be used as a reference for market segmentation and as a general overview of market forces. It explores the industry impact of telecommunications industry competition, SP spending choices, packaging/delivery models, regional and emerging market considerations, and the rise of Linux, as well as technology advances in networks, software, and hardware. The factors influencing spending shifts, industry growth, SP competitive advantage, and OSS and billing vendor competitiveness are also discussed.

"OSS and billing systems continue to evolve in step with telecommunications industry trends. Users and suppliers of OSS and billing systems are shifting product and service priorities as business goals become more important. Along the way, new categories such as service quality management are coming up to bridge the technology-business gap," said Elisabeth Rainge, program director, Next-Generation OSS and Billing at IDC.