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    Mel Prescott

    Mel Prescott

    All posts by Mel Prescott

    Mel Prescott is a senior consultant in FICO’s telecommunications practice, helping companies to use the most advanced analytics, decision rules, orchestration, mathematical optimisation and more. He has more than 15 years of experience working in analytical telecoms roles to provide subject matter expertise. Mel has held credit risk management positions at EE, Orange and Bank of America. He holds an MSc in Analytical Credit Risk Management from Sheffield Hallam University.

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    • Identity Verification for Telcos: Are Selfies Enough? Identity Verification for Telcos: Are Selfies Enough?
      Identity Verification for Telcos: Are Selfies Enough?
      May 07, 2020
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      The transition to digital methods of identity verification and validation during the onboarding process has been accelerated by the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent restrictions in non-essential travel. Here in the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) wrote to the industry on 31st March, providing guidance on a relaxation and some flexibility to obligatio…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Mobile Operators and Coronavirus: Ideas to Help Slow the Spread Mobile Operators and Coronavirus: Ideas to Help Slow the Spread
      Mobile Operators and Coronavirus: Ideas to Help Slow the Spread
      March 10, 2020
      Customer Development

      COVID-19 continues to lead global headlines and, the World Health Organisation is calling on countries to adopt “early, aggressive measures which can stop transmission and save lives”. Whilst it isn’t a new concept, the prospect of using telecoms operators’ network data to help officials map, predict and contain the spread has been mooted in several quarters. Hu…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Telecommunications Predictions 2020: Ready for the AI Fiasco? Telecommunications Predictions 2020: Ready for the AI Fiasco?
      Telecommunications Predictions 2020: Ready for the AI Fiasco?
      December 18, 2019
      Customer Development

      “Siri, do you have any thoughts on stuff that might happen in the telecommunications industry in 2020?” “What, you want me to think for you again?” “Yes, please” “Think for yourself, I’m busy answering existential questions” “Fine, whatevs” Well, seeing as Siri wasn’t in the mood to help write this post for me, I figured I’d start this piece with a pred…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Top Fraud Issues for Telecommunications: Survey Results Top Fraud Issues for Telecommunications: Survey Results
      Top Fraud Issues for Telecommunications: Survey Results
      December 16, 2019
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      The Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA) recently released the findings from its Global Telecom Fraud Survey. Whilst the headline figures show that fraud has increased by 37% since the last survey in 2017 (when measured as a % of overall revenue) it should be noted that the ‘global’ survey is heavily skewed toward Western Europe and North America, which mad…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Using Machine Learning to Improve Telecom Business Assurance Using Machine Learning to Improve Telecom Business Assurance
      Using Machine Learning to Improve Telecom Business Assurance
      August 07, 2019
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      How can machine learning and advanced analytics improve business assurance in telecommunications? That was part of the challenge we sought to solve in our first Catalyst project with TM Forum, which was showcased at Digital Transformation World Nice. Catalysts are proof-of-concept projects developed collaboratively by TM Forum members. These projects bring together…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • How to Fight Telecommunications Subscription Fraud How to Fight Telecommunications Subscription Fraud
      How to Fight Telecommunications Subscription Fraud
      July 30, 2019
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      There are a number of controls and tools that leading CSPs are putting in place to reduce financial losses from subscription fraud, the topic of my last two posts. Before getting started, CSPs should determine who “own”’ and is accountable for subscription fraud. Is it the fraud team? Credit risk? Revenue assurance? Also, is there a clear and agreed fraud risk…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Account Takeover Fraud in Telecom – 4 Things to Watch Account Takeover Fraud in Telecom – 4 Things to Watch
      Account Takeover Fraud in Telecom – 4 Things to Watch
      July 23, 2019
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      My last post introduced the topic of subscription fraud in telecommunications. Here, I will broaden the focus to include account takeover fraud. As CSPs have looked to introduce additional controls and checks at the front-end onboarding process, fraudsters have moved to account takeover. As with onboarding, the customer experience and convenience are king for…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • What Is Telecom Subscription Fraud? What Is Telecom Subscription Fraud?
      What Is Telecom Subscription Fraud?
      June 20, 2019
      Fraud Protection & Compliance

      Fraud is a serious concern for the communications industry, with proceeds and services used by organised crime and terrorist networks. Whilst reliable statistics are difficult to come by, industry association Communications Fraud Control Association estimates the total global fraud loss at around $29 billion annually, according to a CFCA 2017 Global Fraud Lo…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • Advanced Analytics in Telecommunications: Why the Lag? Advanced Analytics in Telecommunications: Why the Lag?
      Advanced Analytics in Telecommunications: Why the Lag?
      November 09, 2018
      Customer Development

        Arguably no other industry has access to as much rich data about their customer base as telecommunications. Communication Service Providers (CSPs) are able to understand their customer location, habits, behaviours and marry this with contextual data. Advanced analytics in telecommunications can facilitate a huge range of insight that should enable them to effe…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • How to Address Overpayment for Mobile Phones How to Address Overpayment for Mobile Phones
      How to Address Overpayment for Mobile Phones
      October 04, 2018
      Customer Development

      An estimated 4 million consumers in the UK have been charged for mobile phones that they already own, at an additional cost of £490 million, according to recent research from Citizens Advice. Consumers that have paid off the device subsidy do not automatically have their monthly service plan reduced when the device has been paid, leading to overpayment for mobile phon…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • How Can Analytics Improve the Customer Experience? How Can Analytics Improve the Customer Experience?
      How Can Analytics Improve the Customer Experience?
      March 28, 2018
      Customer Development

      Communications Service Providers are competing on customer experience powered by data, advanced analytics and connected decisions. In this third and final article of our series, we take a look at how embedding real-time analytics can lead to higher customer satisfaction. We have already discussed how CSPs have internal obstacles to overcome with regard to understandi…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
    • How a Bad Decision Process Ruins Customer Experience How a Bad Decision Process Ruins Customer Experience
      How a Bad Decision Process Ruins Customer Experience
      March 20, 2018
      Customer Development

      Communications Service Providers are competing on customer experience powered by data, advanced analytics and connected decisions. In this second article of my series, we’ll look at customer experience scenarios that can be improved by advanced analytics and how CSPs could and should take a more customer-led approach. The landscape has shifted for CSPs, and identifyi…

      Mel Prescott by Mel Prescott
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