rvices, reducing operat- ing costs for service providers. Over the past few years, several service providers have built customised systems that allow end-customers and channel partners to serve themselves. These systems incorporate transaction-management applications that automate what had been paper-intensive and error-prone manual processes across the provider's back-office OSS. The business processes involved included order processing, network provisioning, service activation, billing and customer care. Custom development work allowing the corresponding OSS to communicate allows a continuous, automated workflow. By adding a web-based interface for cus- tomers (e.g. Xacct), automated ordering and service provisioning can be achieved. Service providers following this path early in 2002 included Capsule Communica- tions and Talk America. These service providers enjoyed customer growth, revenue growth and savings in operating costs. OSS for Telecom Networks Service providers that can purchase similar COTS systems from DSET Corpora- tions merger partner ISPsoft, from Netcracker, from Netcracker's integration part- ners (such as Quallaby), from TeleGea and from TeleGea's integration partners (such as Aplion Networks and Telution). Web-ordering and service-management portals are available to reseller channels and end-users. Automation and flow-through features simplify sales and customer- support training. Other benefits include more immediate service activation. Allowing retail and wholesale customers to shape design their own data and com- munications services is in itself a marketing differentiator, but at the same time is a great cost saver by reducing the need for customer service, sales and marketing staff. Continuing with the experience of Capsule Communications, in 1999 it was pri- marily a telecom wholesaler with little dependence on OSS software for automating administrative work. Automation through integrated OSS software functionality allowed the company to move down to the retail level and sell to thousa