Partner content: Communications service providers need to modernise Operational Support Systems and Business Support Systems to keep up with industry demands
As a Communications Service Provider (CSP) executive, you face the challenge of modernizing your Operational Support Systems (OSS) and Business Support Systems (BSS) to keep up with industry demands. The solution? Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your OSS/BSS. This isn’t just a trend—it’s a transformative approach that can drive significant business growth.
Impact of AI on OSS/BSS domains
Imagine a world where your systems can predict network failures before they happen, personalize customer experiences in real-time, and automate routine tasks to free up valuable resources. AI makes this possible. CSPs plan to enhance OSS/BSS with AI to solve persistent business challenges efficiently and achieve positive business outcomes across many aspects of the business, including an improved customer experience, greater revenue growth, and optimized operational processes.
A survey by Omdia Driving AI-enhanced business growth found that core commerce, including order management and digital experiences, has the most potential for AI integration to boost customer engagement and revenue growth.
Service orchestration and assurance, ranked second, can enhance customer experience by automating service management and assurance, while data and analytics, also tied for second, provide insights by correlating data from various sources, benefiting both network and customer experience.
Monetization’s impact on customer experience was slightly lower on the list, emerging AI applications in billing and charging, such as explainability, present opportunities to improve customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Figure 1: Importance of adding AI to OSS/BSS domains over the next few years
The key benefits of AI-enhanced OSS/BSS:
- Improved customer experience: AI can help you understand your customers better. By analyzing data from multiple sources, AI can provide insights that lead to hyper-personalized services. This means happier customers and reduced churn.
- Increased revenue growth: AI enables you to identify cross-sell and upsell opportunities. By automating product configuration and pricing, you can deliver offers faster and more accurately.
- Operational efficiency: Automate routine tasks and reduce errors. AI can streamline processes, from order management to billing, allowing your team to focus on strategic initiatives.
- Reduced revenue leakage: AI can detect anomalies in billing and charging, preventing errors before they impact your bottom line.
How to get started
You might be wondering, “Where do I begin?” Here are some actionable steps:
- Identify key use cases: Focus on areas where AI can have the most impact. According to Omdia’s survey, personalized pricing plans and real-time charging models are top contenders.
- Choose the right partner: Consider partnering with OSS/BSS vendors and public cloud providers. This collaboration can help you navigate the complexities of AI integration.
- Establish clear goals, with KPIs: Link your AI initiatives to business outcomes. Use metrics like mean time to repair (MTTR) and average revenue per user (ARPU) to measure success.
Consider a CSP using AI to enhance its customer engagement. By implementing AI-driven virtual agents, they can increase call center efficiency, simplify user experiences, and improve customer satisfaction. This is just one example of how AI can transform your business.
Unlock opportunities with AI in OSS/BSS
Adopting AI isn’t without its hurdles. Risk and unclear return on investment (ROI) are common concerns. However, by focusing on business value and ensuring robust data governance, you can mitigate these risks. Remember, AI is not just a tool—it’s a strategic enabler.
The telecom industry is evolving rapidly, and AI is at the forefront of this change. By integrating AI into your OSS/BSS, you can unlock new opportunities for growth and efficiency. Don’t wait—start your AI journey today and position your business for success in the digital age.
For more insights and to explore how AI can drive growth in your organization, see research report by Omdia Driving AI-enhanced business growth. The findings in this report were also discussed in a webinar featuring Omdia, Swisscom, MTN, Vodafone and Ericsson: Light Reading webinar: How AI and Gen AI are driving better business outcomes
Ultimately, it’s about making informed decisions to focus AI on impactful areas that drive your business forward.
Embrace AI and watch your telecom business thrive.
Authors
Rayane Chahine
Solution Marketing Manager OSS/BSS
With 16 years of experience in the telecommunications industry, Rayane has played a pivotal role in numerous strategic digital transformation projects. At Ericsson, Rayane began as a Consulting Manager, where she contributed to cross-domain initiatives that advanced the delivery of Enterprise Architecture frameworks and industrialization programs. Rayane led efforts in designing 5G and IoT use cases and business models, fostering collaboration among various teams from design through implementation. Currently, Rayane is part of the Business and Operations Support Systems Solution Marketing team, focusing on strategies to effectively influence and position the Ericsson brand, products, and services to customers and the market.
Linkedin: Rayane Chahine – Solution Marketing Manager – Ericsson | LinkedIn
Miriam Deasy
Senior Solutions Marketing Manager
Miriam is part of the Ericsson Cloud Software and Services Marketing and Communications team exploring the growth opportunities driven by 5G and IoT monetization. Early career experience in billing and rating informed a series of strategic marketing, product marketing and analysis roles from various perspectives in IT and telecoms along with more recent research, analysis and consultancy as an industry analyst across digital transformation, large enterprise services and automation / AI.
Linkedin: Miriam Deasy – Ericsson | LinkedIn