The Role of OSS/BSS

In addition to the benefits for CSPs and consumers, there are numerous ways for the vendors that enable communications IT to profit from standards. Some of this work is being done by groups like the TM Forum, who, for instance, showcased a standardized CSR interface at this year’s Management World that distilled 18 separate CSR systems into one. Something is wrong with the market, however, if there are 18 systems doing the same thing that aren’t compatible.

As in other markets, software companies, especially those on the cutting edge, stand to benefit from working together and advancing a standard that solves market needs inmarket time, i.e., quickly. In anticipation of Wi-Fi-enabled global roaming via Passpoint, billing systems should be tweaked, standardized and marketed to accommodate this soon-to-be reality; Alcatel-Lucent is currently collaborating with BT in this regard. And as the numerous pieces of the connectivity mesh come online (cellular, Wi-Fi, small cell), advanced policy control becomes a necessity. Tekelec has been very active, both in policy control and diameter signalling, as it relates to these market developments.

Cloud and data-center business will also drive the need for standardized and interoperable software. What started as IT virtualization has extended to service and infrastructure virtualization. Enabling this future in the broad sense requires a broad approach, not a walled approach. If changing billing systems is a mammoth undertaking for a CSP, imagine a global data center or cloud operator attempting a similar upgrade. Open Cloud is probably the biggest story in this arena, as it “delivers open, standards-based network service layer transformation solutions to the telecommunications industry.”

Finally, additional standardization opportunities exist in M2M, healthcare, mobile banking, and next-generation 9-1-1 (NG911). These four categories are particularly important because they involve a very high level of security, regulation and stability. This is the perfect mix for the type of standardization that also drives revenue.