varieties means that there must be a linkage between the capability of a device (e.g., screen resolution) and the QoS experience. OSS needs to manage this linkage. What’s more, it needs to do so where a device can run multiple policies and services concurrently.

For instance, a service such as a video download might have a policy of commandeering all bandwidth for its duration. If a subscriber receives a phone call in the middle of a download, what should policy management do? Some would argue the incoming call, on finding “no bandwidth available,” should prompt the subscriber to buy more bandwidth to support the phone call, so the subscriber can take the call and continue with the download concurrently, albeit at extra cost. To be clear, this is precisely the situation that occurs when policies for different services execute in isolation.

Subscribers are unlikely to agree that this approach makes sense. In fact, providers will likely find they need to manage dynamic policies so compatibility between multiple services can be maintained both inside and outside of the service. OSS can play a role in managing compatibility of policies, enabling interoperability of services at the subscriber, service instance and device level.

Conclusion

IMS brings exciting new capabilities to service providers, enabling them to create innovative new services that are easy for customers to order and run. Immediacy and ease of use for customers, however, comes at the price of greater complexity in managing the network. Therefore, the ability of operations to support processes such as planning, fulfillment and assurance becomes more important, rather than less. Operations must be more efficient and automated to meet both cost and volume realities for new services under IMS.