Operators, OTT providers and device manufacturers are prepared to work together to improve customer experience, but only to a point, a new survey has found.

The Amdocs-led research found that while all parties recognise the need to form strategic partnerships to compete and grow their business, they remain heavily invested in their own interests.

Customer ownership is a continuing source of friction: 66 percent of operators said that they must own the customer in any partnering agreement, while only 13 percent of device manufacturers and 14 percent of OTT players were prepared to cede ownership.

All groups, however, expressed a cautious willingness to share core assets in order to achieve common goals: 74 percent of OTTs, 73 percent of device makers, and—most significantly—56 percent of operators.

Operators are seen by all players as desirable partners, based on core assets such as brand strength, network quality and customer data.

However, while 70 percent of operators view OTT players as potential partners, 42 percent also said they could offer any service that an OTT could deliver, only better.

The reasons for seeking partnerships varied.

While all players saw partnerships as a means to raise revenues and cut costs, more operators are motivated to extend their network reach and develop new offerings.

Device manufacturers seek partnerships to deliver seamless experience and better quality of service – a key benefit also noted by a majority of OTT players.

“Successful partnerships demand open and effective partner management systems for revenue sharing, easy onboarding of new partners, high quality of system (QoS), and a winning customer experience that is only possible with integrated IT systems that effectively leverage the customer data,” said Rebecca Prudhomme, Amdocs VP for product and solutions marketing.

The findings back up another study earlier this year, which showed that operators are either unable or unwilling to make the necessary organisational changes that would enable them to execute partnership strategies.