UNN Brunei Picks BICS to Focus on Customer Excellence

BICS has been appointed as the main provider of managed roaming services by Unified National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN). Comprising three mobile sales companies (Imagine Sdn Bhd, Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd, and Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd), UNN sought to consolidate roaming services to advance its capabilities and ensure a seamless experience for both inbound and outbound travellers.

By appointing BICS to manage roaming operations, UNN has accelerated this consolidation, reduced roaming complexity, and ensured subscribers can benefit from complete voice, SMS, and data roaming services wherever they travel, and support visitors to their network with premium-quality services.

Through the collaboration with BICS, UNN’s partners providing retail services based on UNNs network will now benefit from BICS’ full managed roaming services which includes:

· Increased operational efficiencies with end-to-end management of global voice, SMS and data roaming.

· Expert round-the-clock support in proactive testing, monitoring and troubleshooting, providing ‘Follow the Sun’ customer support.

· Enhanced customer experience through value-add services, such as VIP monitoring, ensuring tailored testing of roamer experience for dedicated individuals ahead of their travels.

Roaming is an integral part of the mobile user experience for those living and travelling in Brunei. The country has high frequency travel connections, both between the neighbouring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, and further afield. There is a large demand for both inbound and outbound roaming services, with the country seeing 20% increase to record numbers of inbound travellers in 2019, making international connectivity a key requirement.

The collaboration will enable BICS to run the operational management and the complexities associated with the multiple agreements needed to support such high roaming levels. By adopting this approach, UNN harnesses BICS’ roaming expertise, leveraging BICS’ relationships with over 800+ operators worldwide, and significantly expediting the roll-out of roaming services. This strategic move enables UNN to focus its resources on their core priority – its domestic network.

Dr Steffen Oehler, CEO UNN Brunei says: “UNN has a large subscriber base of frequent travellers, so roaming has become an integral part of our service offering. Through partnering with BICS we have been able to deliver seamless mobile coverage and a great user experience not just to our subscribers, but to inbound visitors to Brunei. The roll-out of advanced roaming capabilities has enhanced the service for our country’s mobile users, and helped bring us one step closer to our goal of a more connected and digitally integrated future. With the anticipated return of tourism with the vaccine rollout globally, we need to be equipped to be ready with the pent up demand of roaming coverages. It is important to remain focused and not lose sight of the benefits of these services designed to support long-term growth.”

Malcolm Chan, Managing Director, Asia, BICS says: “UNN Brunei’s vision of creating a modern and cost-efficient digital platform is exactly where BICS can provide value through these services. We’re pleased to be working with a digitally-forward operator so dedicated to providing connectivity excellence to its subscribers. In a single month we were able to quickly and easily roll out roaming for Brunei subscribers in an additional 40 countries as a result of the bilateral partnerships we have with operators. By optimizing management of roaming operations through BICS, UNN Brunei is able to focus on accelerating its growth strategies, while delivering a seamless roaming experience for subscribers.”