Understanding network-visibility
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Network visibility allows mobile operators to see how their entire network is functioning and how it is being used by subscribers. This gives operators the ability to better understand network performance issues, plan network improvements, and develop new revenue-generating services. Achieving true network visibility requires open systems that can collect and analyze large amounts of network and subscriber usage data with minimal data loss. This data will help operators address challenges like increasing speeds, growing network capacity demands, and preparing for new technologies while also creating customized service plans to increase revenues and reduce subscriber churn.
Understanding network-visibility
- 1. 1 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved z Understanding Network Visibility Whitepaper
- 2. Understanding Network Visibility 2 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved Contents 1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………..…3 2. What Is Network Visibility?....................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Network performance: speed and capacity………………………………………...………… 4 2.2 New services for BSS ………………………………………………………………………….. 5 2.3 The enterprise play ………………………………………………………………………………5 2.4 Timing ……………………………………………………………………………………………..6 2.5 Data quantity and quality ………………………………………………………………………. 6 2.6 The need for open source ………………………………………………………………………7 2.7 Avoid retrofitting ……………………………………………………………….…………………7 3. What Can Network Visibility deliver? ……………………………………………………………….8 3.1 Developing new service …………………………………………………………………………8 4. Achieve Network Visibility ……………………………………………………………………………9 4.1 Network visibility for MNOs and MVNOs ………………………………………………………9 4.2 The arrival of network visibility ………………………………………………………………….9
- 3. Understanding Network Visibility Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 3 1 INTRODUCTION Knowledge is power. And for mobile operators they are about to become a lot more powerful thanks to network visibility. With its ability to not only see the whole network but how it is fundamentally used, network visibility can revolutionize many aspects of a mobile network. For BSS teams, network visibility means the creation of new revenue generating services. For OSS teams, it’s an aid to planning and improving the efficiency of the network for the future. However, achieving it will not only require open and agnostic systems, but also system integrators that understand both the technical aspects of a mobile network and the business needs as well.
- 4. Understanding Network Visibility 4 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 2 WHAT IS NETWORK VISIBILITY? Mobile networks are becoming increasingly complex. With the growth of 4G LTE, mobile video, apps and the expected rise of HetNets, it is becoming increasingly difficult for operators to understand both their network performance and customer demands. What operators are looking for is a way to cut through this noise and actually see what their networks are capable of. This is network visibility. It offers operators not only the chance to better understand their own networks and its performance, but also to see exactly how subscribers are using it. By knowing both how much and what type of traffic is transported, operators can look to develop and improve both their infrastructure and entire business models. For Business Support System (BSS) teams and Operational Support System (OSS) teams, network visibility is the chance to improve both sectors at once. With increasing equipment costs, falling Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), and lower revenues from core services such as calls and texts, mobile operators are coming under increased pressure to grow revenues while lowering capital and operational expenditure (CAPEX and OPEX). Network visibility offers carriers the chance to combine their operational requirements and business needs. As the demand on mobile networks increases and competition intensifies, network visibility is set to become a powerful tool for operators. 2.1 Network performance: speed and capacity Of course one of the most obvious areas for network visibility to help operators is network performance. Network performance consists of two main areas of focus: speed and capacity. As our reliance on mobile technology and networks increases, both areas will become major challenges for carriers. Delivering ever-faster networks with the capacity to match the huge influx of devices is a difficult juggling act for all mobile operators.
- 5. Understanding Network Visibility Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 5 Often the big headline grabber for network performance is speed. As soon as a new generation of mobile technology is launched (e.g. 3G, 4G LTE, etc.) the initial focus is often on download speed. From a marketing standpoint this makes sense. As the speed increases between successive generations, it is an easy message to transmit to subscribers. Maintaining these speeds is where network visibility comes in. Knowing the actual download speed that a subscriber is seeing is an important metric for operators. Network speed is often a key factor in subscriber churn, so any level of improvement can have a dramatic effect on an operator’s revenue. However, speed is not the only area that network visibility helps. In fact, the far bigger concern is capacity. With more devices than ever connecting to mobile networks, operators are seeing huge demand for their services. Demand though, often becomes congestion, which in turn leads to network dropouts and a bad customer experience. As areas like the Internet of Things (IoT) begin to take shape, the problem of network congestion is set to grow. Demand is a double-edged sword for operators. Of course you want your network and services used, but will need to ensure that this is not at the detriment of the quality of service provided. With careful planning it can be overcome. By increasing network visibility, improvements can be delivered both faster and with minimal expenditure. This offers a clear benefit to OSS teams as they deal with the demands of growing mobile Internet traffic. 2.2 New services for BSS Network performance is just one area that increased network visibility will help. BSS teams will equally benefit. Along with a better service, network visibility creates an opportunity to develop new services and plans for subscribers. By knowing more about how an individual subscriber is using the network, BSS teams can develop service plans that specifically meet their needs. This has a number of key benefits. With the aid of data, BSS teams can develop new service plans that are specific to customer usage. In addition to increasing revenues, this kind of tailor-made service helps build a stronger customer relationship. One particular way carriers can offer new services is through partnerships with app and content providers. By teaming up with certain apps, over-the-top (OTT) services and content providers, operators can include services directly into plans. This creates a win-win-win scenario for operators, content providers, and customers. Partnerships that are targeted at the right audience can add additional revenue to an operator while further building brand loyalty and reducing churn. 2.3 The enterprise play As well as subscribers, there is also the enterprise to consider. Network visibility offers the chance for operators to engage more with enterprise customers. As with subscribers, the deeper knowledge and understanding of how mobile networks are used will allow for the creation of customized enterprise- specific service plans. In addition, operators can use data to plan for and launch products such as VPNs to businesses.
- 6. Understanding Network Visibility 6 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved With the ability to not only improve network performance but also develop new services, increased network visibility should be thought of as a bridge between the OSS and BSS teams. Greater knowledge of the network, its users and the problems it faces can increase revenues and reduce subscriber churn while still preparing for the future. 2.4 Timing… One of the most important questions to consider is why now is the time for improving network visibility. With a whole host of revolutionary new technologies anticipated over the next decade, along with the continuing growth of the mobile network’s role in everyday life, network visibility is needed to improve both the services and performance operator’s offer. 5G Although 4G LTE networks are still in the process of being deployed, talk has already begun about the next evolution of mobile broadband – 5G. Although fixed standards have yet to be agreed, 5G is already expected to have a number of key features that need to be considered. These include speeds of 1Gbps, less than one millisecond latency and increased energy efficiency. Making the most of this will require careful planning and data analysis backed up by network visibility. M2M Along with 5G, the next evolutionary phase of the mobile Internet will continue to see the rise of machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. We are still very much at the beginning of M2M deployments. With at least 1 billion devices expected by 2020, M2M is predicted to become a major source of revenue for mobile operators. Connecting all of these devices and ensuring that the network is able to cope will be an important feature for network visibility. Network infrastructure Due to the growing demand of mobile, the actual physical infrastructure has been changing. New technologies such as small cells and Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) will be needed to cope with the extra demand. With networks set to become even more complex, the management and optimization that is required will be a growing challenge. 2.5 Data quantity and quality As you can see network visibility will live and die by the data it receives. This means not only quantity, but quality too. As a result, data loss is a real issue and major concern for those looking at implementing it as a project. With information on both the network and subscriber usage, operators will be collecting a lot of data. Making sure that all the information is collected, stored and analyzed correctly is a fundamental aspect of achieving network visibility. Before any analysis can even take place, the data must be collected. This means that the type, origin, and amount of data to be analyzed must be determined and the collection protocols and methods implemented. As this is the first step, it is key to achieving network visibility that offers value to OSS and BSS teams.
- 7. Understanding Network Visibility Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 7 Once you know what you are collecting, the next challenge is storage. There are many different options when it comes to data storage. However, for network visibility there is one key feature that a storage solution must be – open source. Open source solutions such as Hadoop offer a number of advantages over closed, vendor specific options. Not least in terms of costs, where being locked in with a single vendor means potentially being held to ransom when it comes to buying new equipment. 2.6 The need for open source Going open source is not just about costs. Vendor-agnostic solutions allow operators to also pick the best systems for their particular use case. Having the flexibility to change and select both hardware and software options that best suit individual needs can play a further role in reducing costs and improving the customer experience. With vendors often setting metrics and KPIs that best fit their needs and solutions, the actual customer experience can be lost. Instead, operators need the option of designing and setting their own KPIs that fit what they hope to achieve. For network visibility, it makes it much easier to capture data as all the information is open for collection and storage. With the generation of data expected to continue to accelerate, making its capture as easy and cost effective as possible has huge benefits to an operator’s bottom line. 2.7 Avoid retrofitting Rolling out new technologies such as 4G LTE should be seen as a major opportunity for all carriers looking to both improve their customer experience and reduce costs. Planning for network visibility from the start makes installation and deployment for it much quicker and easier – even if it is not deployed straight away. With the need for increased network monitoring and customer analyses, it is important to plan for network visibility now. Planning for it in current and future network upgrades means operators save both time and money when the inevitable happens and the need for better analyses arrives. And with what it can offer, it is likely to arrive sooner than expected.
- 8. Understanding Network Visibility 8 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 3 WHAT CAN NETWORK VISIBILITY DELIVER? So far, discussions around network visibility have focused on the improvements it can deliver to the customer experience and reduction in CAPEX and OPEX, for good reason. The two biggest concerns for operators are reducing costs and subscriber churn – both of which network visibility help to lessen. As with every new mobile technology, 4G LTE has arrived with a whole host of promises to improve the customer experience. Faster data speeds, more capacity and fewer dropped calls and sessions are undoubtedly concerns for many subscribers. However, actually achieving these improvements is not as simple as plugging in 4G and walking away. As can be seen in the UK right now, operators are suffering from increased mobile service demand and the promised improvements to the customer experience are beginning to disappear. Network visibility helps readdress this balance. By understanding the exact demands a network is seeing, operators can optimize the most vital areas, thus controlling spending on CAPEX while still improving the customer experience. What makes improving the customer experience so crucial is not just the overall churn of customers, but the churn of high value customers. In fact, the customers with the highest Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) are those with the highest expectations. Power users who spend significant amounts of time on their mobile both working and streaming media do not want to be interrupted by outages or the sight of a buffering wheel. Network visibility can therefore play a significant part in holding on to these higher value subscribers, which is a big benefit to the BSS team. For the OSS teams, it is all about improving network performance at the lowest possible cost. Although attention is often given to the Radio Access Network (RAN) and its impact on network performance, the backhaul is just as important. With data collected from both, OSS teams can see where specific problems lie and optimize them accordingly. This can mean that problems are dealt with before subscribers even notice an issue. Another benefit for OSS teams arrives when new devices are installed on a network. Whenever new devices are installed, there is always the issue of interoperability. Combining technology from multiple vendors into one seamless network is always a difficult challenge for operators and their OSS teams. But the combination of open source and network visibility makes this process a lot easier and quicker. 3.1 Developing new services As well as improving the customer experience and lowering OPEX and CAPEX costs, network visibility is also creating the opportunity to develop new services. By understanding how their networks are being used, operators can develop new products and services to meet specific subscriber needs. And with new technologies like HD voice calls and VoLTE set to arrive soon, network visibility can help maximize the revenue potential of these services too. In addition, with the ability to peer into the application level, the services and plans offered can be incredibly well tailored to specific customers. For instance, with network visibility in place, it is possible to see if iPhone 6 Plus users consume more video than iPhone 6 users. This information can be turned into a promotion to target higher data users with extra services. The simple addition of data analytics to this area of the network offers operators the chance to grow revenues further, without the need to increase OPEX and CAPEX spending.
- 9. Understanding Network Visibility Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved 9 4 ACHIEVE NETWORK VISIBILITY Achieving network visibility requires a combination of skills. Not only do you need the obvious network monitoring skills but also intricate knowledge of IT infrastructure too. The right engineers for the job therefore need to be telecoms generalists rather than network specialists. With both OSS and BSS teams having very different requirements and ways of operating, network visibility engineers need to be able to understand both cases. With OSS teams focusing on the network and its performance, engineering teams will need high-level knowledge of the RAN, backhaul and packet switching. However, with BSS teams relying on IT infrastructure to monitor subscribers and develop new services, engineers will also need to understand how they work too. Bringing together these different techniques and skill sets is not easy for a mobile operator and its own team of engineers. In addition, with the need to be open source and vendor agnostic, operators also cannot turn to vendors for help. A strong answer to this is independent system integrators. Being both vendor agnostic and working with all aspects of an operators network and business, they are perfectly placed to help plan and develop network visibility. Once a systems integrator has been selected, it is time to start planning. Including BSS and OSS teams in discussions from the start will save time later on down the line, and ensure that all the requirements and needs are met. Once these have been decided on, system integrators can move fast and begin to set up and install the necessary features of network visibility. A successful network visibility program will see system integrators working closely with the BSS and OSS teams. 4.1 Network visibility for MNOs and MVNOs Network visibility should not be seen as an exclusive feature only for mobile network operators (MNOs). Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) have just as much to gain from its insights. However, as every MVNO’s set up is unique and interacts with its host network differently, systems integrators need to be flexible and able to deal with the unique challenges of each. Nevertheless, the results for both can be the same, with an improved service, lower expenditure and the opportunity to develop new services. Although there may be some restrictions when it comes to accessing data on network performance from a host network, MVNOs can still use network visibility to improve the customer service by offering tailor-made products to specific subscribers. In addition, by learning more about how the network is used, MVNOs can look to lower costs either through optimization or compression features. Knowing how, what and when to do this will be crucial in providing the best customer services while controlling costs. 4.2 The arrival of network visibility Network visibility will soon be a necessity for all MNOs and MVNOs. The chance to see further and deeper into not only how the network is performing, but also how it is being used will fundamentally change BSS and OSS teams. With the ability to help save operators CAPEX and OPEX as well as improve the end user experience, planning and development of network visibility needs to happen now. With network visibility, the possibilities for operators will only be limited by their imagination. Achieving this will require operators to get expert help from systems integrators. Independent system integrators with experience in open source software and hardware, such as Computaris, can bring about tremendous opportunities for telcos and a quantum shift in how mobile networks operate.
- 10. Understanding Network Visibility 10 Copyright © Computaris 2015. All rights reserved About Computaris International Computaris International, an R Systems business, provides specialist BSS technical consultancy, software development and system integration services for the telecommunications industry in Europe, North America and South East Asia. The company offers the highest level of expertise in the area of real-time rating and charging, messaging, provisioning, mediation, subscriber data management, mobile broadband data policy management, and loyalty and churn management. To find out more about how Computaris International can help with network visibility and open-source software frameworks such as Hadoop, Contact us at: Email: contact@computaris.com All content/information present here is the exclusive property of Computaris International Ltd. The content/information contained here is correct at the time of publishing. No material from here may be copied, modified, reproduced, republished, uploaded, transmitted, posted or distributed in any form without prior written permission from Computaris International Ltd. Unauthorized use of the content/information appearing here may violate copyright, trademark and other applicable laws, and could result in criminal or civil penalties.