In the UK, it has a large team of reporters and correspondents based across the UK bringing the latest breaking news and ongoing coverage of the big stories of the day. 

CNN relies heavily on its global team of news professionals to produce multimedia content for broadcast.

As such, having global access to reliable voice services and fast data connectivity via the mobile network is crucial to CNN’s team, both in the UK and around the world.

The Challenge

Spectrum worked in close partnership with CNN to understand its challenges and objectives, to ensure we developed and recommended the right mobile telephony solution.

It has a team of news professionals based across the UK producing multimedia content for broadcast across CNN’s multiple channels and, as such, relies heavily on effective voice services and fast data connectivity via mobile.

Because of the fast-paced nature of the global breaking news agenda, CNN’s previous blend of individual roaming data tariffs for each user made it difficult to forecast individual usage, especially as users could be travelling to different countries at short notice to report on breaking stories.

It wanted a solution that essentially reduces costs for roaming data and voice, while also limiting exposure to high charges without restrictions when users travel globally.

Spectrum’s approach

Spectrum Telecoms worked with CNN and liaised closely with CNN’s chosen business mobile provider, to improve its voice roaming rates in the zones where CNN has high usage and designed a bespoke custom stepped data roaming solution.

• Competitive custom bespoke roaming data tariff
• Advanced Super Fast4GEE Network
• Technology Fund & on-going rebate
• Managed Mobile Service - complete service wrap
• 400+ mobile voice connections
• Dedicated End User HelpDesk Centralised and co-ordinated control of activities
• Access to SpecBill - Customer Management Portal
• Spectrum technology ecosystem & enhanced Services
• Pro-active advanced reporting

The Results

The solution limits CNN’s exposure to high roaming data charges without limiting user access, future proofing CNN’s mobile strategy and providing additional peace of mind.

Other benefits to the Spectrum solution that CNN enjoyed are as follows:

• £750,000 saving on roaming data alone
• 35% overall cost saving
• Reduced bill shock
• Stabilised bills for the new contract term
• Future-proofed mobile strategy

The Solution

CNN has enjoyed the benefit of a bespoke, scalable worldwide roaming data solution which has stabilized its bills to reduce billing shock and help it budget and forecast more effectively.

As a result of this custom tariff, Spectrum has delivered significant cost savings of around £750,000 on roaming data alone, delivering against CNN’s complex requirements efficiently and affordably.

The flexible nature of this solution means that CNN’s users are free to roam globally without restrictions to any country where EE has roaming agreements in place, providing significant cost saving and more reliable budgeting.

Testimonial

“We have worked with Spectrum for a number of years and they have always taken a collaborative and innovative approach to finding the best solutions to our mobile requirements. As a global broadcaster which prides itself on our ability to break the biggest stories, we are heavily reliant on mobile and data to stay at the front of the ever-changing news agenda.”

“It’s critical for us that our reporters can work from wherever the story takes them and sometimes when travelling to war-torn countries their lives are at stake, so it’s essential for our provider to be completely reliable and Spectrum have been fantastic”

“We needed to be able to plan and forecast our costs accurately and Spectrum have allowed us to do just that. They’ve delivered a solution which has limited our exposure to higher roaming data charges wherever possible. This has not only resulted in significant cost savings but has also enabled us to forecast more effectively and not have to worry about any of our news team being caught without data or voice whilst out reporting.”

Rick Greenfield, CNN
Senior Business Operations Manager EMEA/APAC