Overview of Telecom Expert Group and the TEG Methodology
Telecom Expert Group (TEG) brings together more than 60 professionals experienced in analyzing and operating both fixed and wireless telecom companies in the USA, Europe, and Asia. TEG specializes in analyzing all aspects of a telecom operating company to determine how performance can be improved, and then providing the hands-on management to carry out the improvements.
Many TEG personnel originally were employed by Ameritech International, and worked as operational management in the European telecom companies in which Ameritech invested, such as Belgacom, Matav, Tele Danmark and others. The strategy of Ameritech International was to either purchase a minority stake in a former PTT, or start up a cellular company competing with the PTT.
In both cases, the key to success was to add value to these companies' operations by assigning Ameritech managers to introduce advanced management and operating techniques. The areas for adding value to the company were identified before the purchase or startup by operational due diligence teams of Ameritech managers, many of whom later took multi-year assignments in the target company. This same operational due diligence methodology is used today by TEG.
Telecom Expert Group (TEG) was established in 2001. It is an American-based corporation, which brings together project teams of experts chosen according the match of their skills and experience with the requirements of the client. All the TEG consultants operate under contract with TEG, and many have worked side by side over many years. This approach allows TEG to offer its clients the maximum flexibility and quality in the resources brought to each individual project. TEG consultants are all fully qualified, experienced professional consultants and managers with a minimum of 20 years of operations experience in all areas of telecom – fixed line, data, internet and wireless.
Most TEG consultants participated in Ameritech's operational due diligence teams, or held multi-year expatriate operating assignments, or both. They have held leadership positions in European as well as American telecom companies, and led operational improvement projects for telecom operators throughout Europe and America. They were invited to join TEG by its founder, Tom Gray, based on his knowledge of their capabilities and his goal of offering management consulting on all aspects of the operations of a fixed or wireless telecom company.
As an employee of Ameritech for 30 years, Mr. Gray led the due diligence and "deal teams" for several of Ameritech International's acquisitions, including Belgacom, Telekom Austria, and Bell Canada, and was VP-Special Businesses in Belgacom. This enabled him to understand the opportunities for adding value in such companies, techniques for doing so, and the abilities of various Ameritech managers to successfully implement those techniques. Other TEG members led Ameritech's due diligence and transformation efforts for Matav (Hungary), Netcom (Norway), and Tele Danmark (Denmark).
TEG provides a wide range of expertise, covering every major function needed to successfully operate a modern fixed or wireless company. When a project encounters unexpected requirements for additional consulting experience, TEG's depth guarantees we can quickly meet the need.
TEG offers special expertise in preparing government-owned, former monopoly telecom operators for both privatization and liberalization. Our personnel have played key roles in planning and executing the successful turn-around at major telecom operators (former PTT's) such as:
- Matav (Hungary)
- Belgacom (Belgium)
- Telecom New Zealand
- Tele Denmark
This experience with high profile turnarounds of incumbent operators is unmatched by other telecom consulting firms.
TEG's Approach to Telecom Operations
TEG’s approach to telecom operations consulting and management stresses understanding and efficiently meeting the needs of telecom clients and their customers. Our approach frequently relies on the creation of special-purpose teams to analyze and solve a company’s operational problems, with the team roster made up of TEG personnel and key employees chosen based on their ability to create positive change. Teams often cross organizational boundaries, since most critical telecom operations processes such as construction, installation, and customer service involve multiple departments.
The TEG approach is fact-based, quantitative and process-oriented, and leads to measurable improvements in cost, speed of service delivery, and overall efficient operations. Most importantly, we strive to provide solutions that closely match the demands of customers.
Each project results in measurable goals for improvement, and a roadmap to achieve them. Finally, every project emphasizes the transfer of advanced management techniques and skills to the company and its employees.
This unique approach to telecom consulting and management has generated success in every investment undertaken by Ameritech, and continues to deliver success for TEG’s clients today.
More About Ameritech and its International Division
Ameritech was one of the seven local telecom companies formed in 1984 from the breakup of AT&T. Headquartered in Chicago, it served the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, with a combined population of approximately 40 million, 18 million lines and millions of cellular customers. Ameritech took over the five 80 year old operating companies that had served these states from the beginning of the century. Note that the first cellular service in the world was introduced in Illinois in 1983, and several members of TEG played important roles in the development of Ameritech cellular from that date forward
Led by its CEO Dick Notebaert (now also the former CEO of Qwest), Ameritech transformed itself from an old-style bureaucracy to an efficient provider of excellent customer service and growing shareholder value. It was consistently named the best-managed of the seven post-AT&T regional operating companies. As a result, Ameritech became an attractive acquisition candidate, and SBC acquired the company on 1 January 2000. At the time the acquisition was announced in 1998, Ameritech was one of the world's 100 largest companies, with 73,000 employees, 1 million shareowners, and nearly $28 billion in assets.
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