or gaps. Utilizing network analytics tools, enables CSPs to make strategic decisions with all relevant data and unbiased predictions leveraging AI and ML. In turn, this improves network security and compliance, and enables closed-loop, pre-packaged business use cases. Insight-driven analytics can marry customer data with operational and network data to answer the most important questions, such as identifying the best business park location to lay fiber, or what the next offer should be for a specific subset of customer. Data can be used across different lifecycles of the network, and it can be mined to support nearly any business objective. 

Data Director, the latest solution available in Oracle’s Network Analytics portfolio, enables providers to flexibly integrate their 5G core into their existing operations tools—even for network functions that are not provided by Oracle. In building the solution, we embraced cloud-native principles for accessing data in a secured 5G network environment, making it ideal for those who have already adopted next-generation analytics frameworks—as well as for those who still rely on traditional operational tools and platforms.

Step 3: Analytics mastery

Lastly, with analytics mastery, carriers will be optimizing operations by using trusted data pervasively and enriching analytics with services that drive automation. Driving service innovation with insights from trusted data and enriched analytics will lead to greater cost efficiency, and the ability to carve out new revenue streams, driving business into the future.

At this point in the carrier journey, mastering analytics will not only provide valuable business insights, but will also facilitate the recommendation of actions to higher level management tiers such as service orchestration or a service assurance platform. Ultimately, network operations will be fully automated.

Automating the core network

Automating the core network is particularly critical as operators deploy 5G standalone core networks. Different than previous generations, 5G is designed to operate in an ecosystem, rather than simply support voice messaging and broadband internet. 5G is built for the industrial IoT and can plug into an existing ecosystem to support a variety of current and future monetization opportunities.

Additionally, as 4G and 5G will coexist for some time, automation will perform a significant role in ensuring seamless interworking between the two technologies. Automation of the 5G core will optimize the service experience of users across 4G and 5G—positively impacting end users’ experiences. Automation will empower faster and more efficient testing and detection. Through automation, operators will be able to adapt rapidly based on new use cases and network changes.

Automation creates a more agile approach for the business and can shape strategy. As telcos begin to compete in the larger enterprise space, automation will be critical. At Oracle, we work with our CSP partners to automate the network by releasing our Network Functions on a quarterly basis—complete with all new features. To help CSPs keep pace with innovation and the rising need for instant gratification in the consumer space, we support end-to-end automation across their networks. It is possible for service providers to innovate the same way the rest of the world does—with a cloud-native, open-source foundation—but they must first get the architecture and data right within the network, creating a stable place from which to identify new opportunities and unlock business value.

The future of 5G

The communications industry is moving into a new era—one with enterprises as customers rather than consumers, new technologies in 5G and cloud, and entirely new approaches to working in order to deliver agile, fast service through analytics and data  science. While this precipice of change can seem daunting, the outlook suggests it will be well worth the journey.

As we think about 5G and all of the new abilities, experiences, and revenue streams it will bring in the coming years, it’s very clear that automation is at the heart of taking advantage of these opportunities. With the right strategies in place, operators will be able to conquer the complexity, scale, and diversity of the fifth-generation network.