The Big Deal with Big Data
By: Becky Bracken
Your communications service provider (CSP) probably knows you better than your own mother. Today's Big Data tools can capture every minute detail of network, device, and data activity.
The question is what should CSPs do with all of that captured data and how can they leverage it to gain a competitive edge?
“The wealth of information that exists in the carrier network is unprecedented,” Lyn Cantor, president of Tektronix Communications says. “And, the key is the use of that data to save money and
make money.”
Reduce costs and grow revenue. It's the promise of Big Data. But no matter how loud the hype gets dialed up, no CSP seems to be fully embracing Big Data. But as more IP networks come online, and
particularly with the speed of LTE roll-outs, networks are about to catch up with, and begin to start reaping the benefits of, the promise of Big Data.
"I don’t know of any CSP that has fully embraced Big Data yet,” Dirk Bartels, vice president of Product Strategy and Marketing at Versant says. “In my opinion, it is making the invisible visible
by creating associations and connections in between data that traditional has not been looked at. A CSP that has those tools at hand will be able to run more efficient networks with a higher
quality of service, a lower churn rate and much better forecasting to actually know what size of network it will need in the future to service its customers.”
Getting Started
The birth of the GUI dashboard slapped a user-friendly face on data analytics, and it's been a part of network operations in some form or another ever since. But fully embracing the vast amount
of data generated on the network, and the rich business intelligence it can provide, will require a new mindset from CSPs.
The May 2012 report from Stratecast and Frost & Sullivan, “Business Intelligence for Operators: Can You Have it All?” uses the example of
monitoring traffic data to identify that Mother's Day is the busiest day on the network. Networks and service providers have been using network data
in ad hoc situations, but bringing all of that data together for a full view of the entire operation isn't something that comes natural for CSPs. The report explains that because CSPs are so
focused on rolling out new services, they forget to make decisions based on a tactical and analytic approach. The report also says the shift in business intelligence solutions from a
telecom-focused approach to an IT approach has hindered data analytics uptake.
