Telecom operators worldwide are beginning to roll out 5G networks. But while the technological advantages of 5G are evident, the ways in which operators will generate an adequate return on their huge investments in 5G are less clear. The answer lies in 5G’s ability to support entirely new service offerings, use cases, business models and revenue opportunities.
To support and enable the forthcoming wave of innovative 5G-based services, telcos’ own business support systems (BSS) and operational support systems (OSS) will also need to undergo radical reinvention, to become more flexible, agile and connected. Accompanied by a move away from usage-based billing to simpler charging models, this evolution will position operators’ 5G networks to act as the foundation for an effectively infinite array of third-party services, many as yet undreamt-of.
The way to enable the forthcoming wave of innovative 5G-based services is by combining software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV) to bring technology and business functions together in an integrated, event-driven environment. In a 5G world, we think that’s the future of BSS/OSS—and therefore the future of the telecom operator.
Christopher A Isaac
Digital and Technology Innovation, PwC United States
Tel: +(1) 703 899 4610