BSS Evolution Unlocks 5G Opportunities
Cloud-native BSS is vital for monetization, digital customer journeys and strong partner ecosystems in the 5G era.
5G networks are already being deployed around the world, but many operators remain unsure of the most compelling business cases for the technology. The ongoing evolution of BSS to cloud-native systems offers one of the best ways forward in achieving 5G monetization and other critical benefits for operators now and in the future.
5G Demands a BSS Paradigm Shift
Many legacy BSS systems are monolithic and modify pre-existing applications to access the cloud, meaning they are cloud-ready but not fully cloud-native and unable to take full advantage of 5G technology.
Fully containerized BSS is expanding product portfolios to bundle telecom and non-telecom services for industry verticals using a cloud-native approach and partner-driven ecosystems. BSS developers are collaborating using DevOps to create new BSS products and services that were previously produced in isolation. Companies spanning multiple vertical industries, such as Rakuten, are placing greater emphasis on loyalty-centric systems and subsequently require better transaction management and more real-time and context-driven services.
Cloud-Native BSS Requires a Flexible, Open and Collaborative Approach
A legacy BSS system on one cloud is still monolithic and defeats the purpose of cloud deployment. Operators require a diverse set of capabilities, such as deployment-agnostic solutions across private, telco and public clouds and availability for full-stack BSS on any type of cloud. They also require flexibility and the freedom to choose best-of-breed BSS segments, such as online charging systems or campaign management.
A microservices architecture is key to providing this flexibility by enabling a shift from proprietary to open source databases. Extensible data models for telco and non-telco services and support for open APIs and industry initiatives are critical.
BSS must also go beyond revenue management to provide a digital customer journey with customer management and support. Functional capabilities must support consumer and enterprise segments and B2B2X business models. The high availability of cloud BSS will occur through a distributed microservices architecture that eliminates single points of failure for higher availability and scalability.
Dynamic Partner Ecosystems Increase Revenue
Dynamic management of partner ecosystems has to be a part of product portfolios and user marketplaces as a fundamental component for 5G success. These ecosystems will support greater revenue with bundled services for cross-product discounts, better offers, free service trials and context-driven pushes. Effective management of partner ecosystems with BSS streamlines complex partner relationships, models and hierarchies to drive innovation and increase revenue.
To learn more, listen to Ari Banerjee, VP of strategy at Netcracker, discuss the importance of cloud-native BSS at the 2021 DSP World Leaders Forum.