Amdocs launches products for digital ads and retail

By Michele Gershberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Amdocs (DOX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a software maker long known for its billing technologies sold to telecoms providers, is launching on Wednesday new products designed to help its clients reap more sales from new digital businesses.

The products support tasks such as search and digital advertising, Web-based retailing and a more sophisticated way of interacting with customers.

The launch comes as telecoms companies increasingly rely on a combination of Internet, wireless and even video to offset declines in traditional phone use. In these markets, Amdocs customers have become exposed to more competition.

"Service providers really recognize the need to transform from being utilities ... to purveyors of a digital lifestyle," Mike Couture, Amdocs vice president of marketing, told Reuters.

"They are really facing some threats from applications providers, like Google (GOOG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), who are vying for ownership of the customer."

Amdocs clients include the largest U.S. telecoms players, and their new rivals in the cable industry, from AT&T Inc (T.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Verizon Communications (VZ.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz).

The Amdocs products mark new territory for the company, even if similar ones have been developed by Internet media and retail companies.

"In the past, telecoms was really driven by the network and you really didn't think of the customer," said Shira Levine, a senior analyst at industry researcher IDC. "But they need to start thinking this way ... otherwise they risk losing (customers)."