IP BSS/OSS and Security are Essential in Migration to NGN, IMS Networks

By Michael Khalilian

Telecommunications service providers are experiencing turbulent times when it comes to managing the expectations of their respective customers, who are more cognizant of their communication needs than their predecessors were.

With voice-based communication services becoming commoditized in the eyes of customers, service providers have been forced either to extract operational efficiencies or come up with frequent innovations, none of which is easy to come by. Technical limitations of traditional network systems are limiting the capabilities of service providers to create loyal customers, which is hampering the revenue generation for the entire industry.

Even though a surge in the customer base is expanding the market for telecommunications services, the share of the pie is reducing for each of the players. This is largely impacted by the introduction of non-telecom players in the value chain. As a result, traditional telecom companies are forced to partner with these players to address service needs that go beyond personal communications. That includes things like music downloads, caller tunes, directory services, IPTV, gaming, etc.

Also, these companies are forced to integrate fixed and mobile services and move toward integrated network technology to provide unified voice, data and video services with an unprecedented requirement for scalability. Increased competition in non-voice offerings increases cost of acquisition while reducing the average revenue per user, as more and more operators are forced to lower prices. High customer churn necessitates having an extensive assortment of services driven by continuous innovation. However, to truly achieve continuous innovation, operators’ business support systems must also be up for the challenge.

BSS/OSS solutions for a next generation landscape must work as one with the network while unifying critical business functions to better manage and effectively monetize NGN services and the next-generation subscriber experience. This will call for solutions that are open and keep the customer experience at the heart, while adhering to industry standards and providing the much needed flexibility to accommodate new requirements.

The BSS/OSS reality for most operators today is one of multiple, discrete systems that each have their own ways of looking at and managing data, and that require time-consuming and costly integration while hindering marketing agility and the customer experience. Industry experts recognize that communications service providers face the impossible task of bridging yesterday, today and tomorrow with software systems designed in the past.

Innovation in this next generation world will need to be driven not only by network advancements but also via an open and flexible BSS/OSS infrastructure that will allow communications service providers to realize operational efficiencies in terms of new service introduction and customer management. Thus the BSS/OSS strategy will need to be aligned with the network strategy.

The NGN IMS Forum just completed a guidelines document for implementation by BSS/OSS & Security in the NGN IMS. This document is the result of the work of the BSS/OSS & Security working group and our recent plugfest interoperability test events. Comverse, HP, Mu Dynamics, Traffix Systems, Tech Mahindra and T-Mobile are member companies that contributed to this document, which covers the following points regarding the implementation of NGN BSS/OSSs:

• Introduction of Next Generation BSS/OSS & Security Architectures

• Security and Reliability

• BSS/OSS Unification

• Adopting or moving toward NGOSS

• Deploying IP subsystem networks

• IMS/NGN rating and charging impacts

• Diameter compatibility challenges

• IMS/next generation network BSS/OSS

• Suggested best practices

Given the pressure on achieving the business KPIs, it is imperative on the part of IT groups to evaluate their strategies from a long-term perspective wherein they push the IT landscape toward achieving unified systems that address legacy service offerings can adapt to technological advances and emerging customer demands. In light of this requirement, having the BSS aligned with the IMS philosophy is vital to extract the efficiencies promised by the IMS architecture.

These topics will be further tested at our next IMS Plugfest and NGN Plugfest interoperability test event, to be held from June 1 to June 4, 2010, at the InterOperability Lab in Durham, N.H. Themes for this plugfest center on NGN Network and IMS Rich Applications deployment, including location-based services, interoperability testing and real-time IP service integrity. Registration for the Interoperability and Testing (Plugfest) Working Group is now open for any service providers, integrators and vendors that would like to participate (www.imsforum.org/Plugfest).

NGN Michael Khalilian is chairman and president of the NGN Forum & IMS Forum (www.NGNForum.org / www.IMSForum.org).

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