Why Low Speed is Important in a Two-Speed Architecture Plan
As service providers adopt two-speed architecture, they need to remember the importance of supporting their foundational, low-speed BSS and OSS.
The combination of digital transformation's large scope and the digital market's rapid pace has driven many service providers to adopt a two-speed, or multispeed, architecture approach. The high-speed portion of this architecture focuses on upgrading functions like shopping, billing and payment as well as customer support. This is in direct response to changing customer expectations and channel requirements.
However, the low-speed area of this architecture is just as important. It focuses on maintaining current business operations, providing a foundation for digital transformation and supporting the high-speed layer's data, process and monetization needs.
Here are three reasons why current state BSS and OSS are important to transformation and provide the foundation for the two-speed architecture approach to digital transformation.
1. BSS Controls the Flow of Revenue
A service provider's existing BSS runs processes that shepherd billions in revenue annually. While digital transformation should make it easier for customers to buy and pay for services, core BSS that provide critical business functions should not be disrupted. These systems merit a more paced transformation. In the near term, certain BSS functions can become extremely valuable as API-accessible microservices, giving BSS roles to play in both high-speed and low-speed domains. These responsibilities may include charging, authentication and a variety of customer data lookups to support process automation.
2. Some OSS Need to Operate, But Not Transform
Record-keeping systems for legacy networks often operate predictably despite their age. They could be nearly decommissioned or slated for future retirement. In most cases, they won't be transformed for the digital era, so managing their lifecycles—and likely their sunsetting—will end up being an integral part of any long-term transformation plan.
3. Long-Term Transformation Needs a Platform to Transition Major Data Stores
Low speed doesn't mean no speed. It means working on large-scale challenges at the speeds they require. Transitioning major data stores is a key challenge during transformation. It needs to be done accurately and without disruption to existing operations. Data is likely to be cleansed along the way, if not transformed or augmented. This process is where transformation's hard work will come in. In the meantime, product and service catalog functions may be used as microservices to support the high-speed layer's immediate needs.
The two-speed architecture approach is becoming increasingly common. And while there has been a great deal of focus on the high-speed components, it is important to remember that the low-speed layer provides a foundation for digital transformation.