Nordic-based operator group Telenor announced  a “unique cross-border billing platform initiative,” with its operations in Pakistan, Malaysia (DiGi) and Thailand (DTAC) deploying a common system. In a statement, the company said: “the result is, simply put, increased competitive advantage.”

The company said the strategy is built around two objectives: to enable it to adapt to customer needs, and to leverage its scale. The three units have a combined 60 million subscribers, and the project was described as “one of the most challenging IT sourcing projects Telenor has ever undertaken.”

The operator said that from an initial list of 23 potential vendors, Huawei was “the vendor that best met both the technical and commercial requirements” of the deal. In some markets, the implementation phase will be conducted by a third-party. Telenor this week signed a global frame agreement with the Chinese infrastructure giant.

Hilde Tonne, EVP of group industrial development at Telenor, said: “It’s a strategic requirement to build flexible systems for billing and charging in an environment where business models are constantly changing. In the future, operators will need to find inventive ways of packaging the new data-based services in a way that consumers find attractive.”