Home Wi-Fi is getting faster and smarter, so it only makes sense that service providers also adopt smarter ways to approach whole home Wi-Fi. The need for smarter whole home Wi-Fi is evident. The vast number of IoT devices are a burden on home networks, creating monumental challenges in device connectivity. While these issues can be caused by a number of things, outdated technology in the home is partly to blame. Zero touch service deployment allows Service Providers to update their service offerings without truck rolls or the risk of service downtime.

The Cost of Outdated WiFi Technology

Home networking is already plenty complicated, and it’s often further complicated by subscribers who are using outdated CPEs or when new services are deployed to your legacy subscribers. When an issue in service occurs, it can cost Service Providers in a multitude of ways.

• Service calls – When the subscriber notices that their service isn’t working, they will likely call their provider for a resolution. Customer support calls related to Wi-Fi networking cost an average of $30 per call.
• Truck rolls – When an issue can’t be resolved with a support call, a truck may be dispatched to the subscriber’s home. 75% of truck rolls cost up to $150 per roll. Across the Service Providers entire network, truck roll costs add up quickly. In addition, about 25% of truck rolls require a second visit to resolve issues, doubling the expense for a solution.
• Equipment swaps – Wi-Fi troubleshooting calls and truck rolls often result in an equipment swap. Equipment swaps can cost between $50 and $100, not to mention the refurbishing costs of that swapped equipment.
• Subscriber trust – When all is said and done, if the subscriber is left unsatisfied and disconnected from their service for too long, they lose trust in their Service Provider. Service Providers who don’t meet their subscriber’s expectations are at risk of high churn rates.

Become More Agile to Deploy Services

While Service Providers can’t replace all legacy CPEs in a cost-efficient way, they can invest in smarter solutions that minimize risks when taking on large scale deployments. Agile deployment allows Service Providers to grow their network and service offerings without replacing any physical components. With zero touch deployment, Service Providers can fully automate the setup of network devices, ultimately reducing the time it takes to make them operational.

Zero touch deployment addresses all four cost concerns for Service Providers. By leveraging agile deployment solutions, Service Providers can skip the truck roll to subscriber homes when deploying service upgrades. Automation makes it easier for the subscriber to set up their equipment and gets the subscriber connected to Wi-Fi faster than a truck roll would allow. In addition, zero touch provisioning also allows Service Providers to address and resolve widespread technical problems remotely, allowing for more efficient resolutions and fewer customer support calls across the network.

Zero-touch Deployment and Hardware Agnostic

Optim Managed Assurance Platform is designed to remotely manage and address the subscribers whole home Wi-Fi network. This includes using zero touch deployment strategies to keep service running smoothly and ensure the network is up to date on the latest software. Optim offers unparalleled network visibility, providing Service Providers with essential network data and insights that influence new updates and services. When network wide updates are deployed through Optim, the update is siloed, meaning it will only impact the intended element of the network, not the entire network.

Optim Managed Wi-Fi takes the responsibility of CPE updates off of the subscriber. Optim agent software can be installed on gateways and routers . Optim is not limited to Actiontec specific equipment either, as the clients can also be enabled on third-party hardware via APIs. Optim agents have no negative impact on equipment performance and coordinates with Optim cloud to provide an extended view of the home network. The current and historical metrics can point to future enhancement needs and upgrades across the service provider’s entire network while also informing service technicians of issues that subscribers are facing for efficient troubleshooting support.

While Optim’s zero touch deployment capabilities eliminate some of the risks of service outages, it also includes features to address the inevitable technical difficulties that subscribers can face. Optim managed Wi-Fi offers a suite of Wi-Fi diagnostic tools that allow Service Providers to improve their subscriber’s Wi-Fi experience. From the technician dashboard, support technicians can view real-time network data, including network status information, statistics, signal strength, connection duration and other performance indicators. When tech support agents have access to current and historical network data, they can remotely identify, diagnose, and resolve a majority of subscriber Wi-Fi performance issues. As a result, service call lengths can be reduced by up to 75%, fewer truck rolls are deployed, and churn rates drop.

Zero touch deployment is an essential addition to the Service Providers array of tools as it allows the provider to be agile and provide up to date services to their subscribers. Optim allows the Service Provider to efficiently manage their entire Wi-Fi service network and reduce the number of service issues that the subscriber experience. Take the guesswork and risk out of deployments and get new services to your subscribers faster with Optim Managed Assurance Platform and zero touch deployment.

Optim has been deployed to over 5 million homes as the first managed Wi-Fi and service level platform. Service Providers wanting to learn more about Optim’s home networking and data management tools, should contact us today.