Openet completely virtualizes BSS
BSS specialist Openet said Thursday that it has virtualized its real-time charging system, realising an agile and flexible system capable of testing, developing, launching and amending new services and business models much more quickly. The aim is to help operators accelerate the availability of innovative new use cases and applications to generate faster ROI for their network technology investments as they battle decreasing revenues from traditional services and pressure from OTT players.
In March, Telecoms.com Intelligence was commissioned by Openet to discover how operators feel about their current BSS choices and their BSS plans for the future. Of the over 100 network operators that responded to the survey, there was an overwhelming sentiment that the agility of an operator is largely tied to the agility of the BSS it relies on. But with the pace of innovation certain to accelerate for the foreseeable future, operators bear the burden of legacy systems in their BSS environments that apply limitations to their agility. And specialist BSS vendors are seen as the most appropriate company type to address these issues.
According to the survey, nine per cent of respondents have already begun commercial operation of virtualised BSS and 23 per cent of respondents have begun trials of virtualized BSS environments. A further seven per cent are expecting to dip their toe into the water this year and 28 per cent within the next two years. So in total, only 34 per cent of operators currently have no plans to embrace virtualised BSS. However it is likely this sentiment will change as the industry becomes more comfortable with the prospects.
By fully virtualizing its BSS infrastructure, Openet said it will enable mobile operators to more rapidly monetise new capabilities including VoLTE QoS management, shared data plans and sponsored data in a matter of weeks, rather than months or in some cases years with traditional legacy systems.
By removing the need to create a full hardware-based environment, Openet has simplified the deployment process, enabling operators to focus on creating new revenue streams without having to deal with issues around integration, deployment and infrastructure management. The modular architecture of Openet’s systems along with BSS virtualization will enable operators to reduce costs and effectively transition from legacy proprietary technology and embrace open standards.
Joe Hogan, CTO at Openet, said: “BSS virtualization is a key enabler for innovation and will provide operators with the agility and flexibility to quickly capitalise on new revenue generating opportunities.
“While adopting NFV is crucial, deploying the technology in isolation is not enough. Operators must work with BSS specialists that have experience of deploying innovative solutions that fully realize the many advantages of this revolutionary network architecture.”
