The business priorities shaping network lifecycle automation plans

Communications service providers (CSPs) do not rewrite budgets and rewire operations without good cause. There are compelling reasons they are now looking at automating network design, deployment, testing and lifecycle management using closed loops. Yet some operators have reservations about the approach. As we see in this extract from our report Network lifecycle automation: can CSPs optimize 5G investment?, our research found that how they perceive network lifecycle automation (NLA) and its potential depends on their priorities.

NLA and concepts like it may be applied to a variety of use cases that have immediate relevance to CSPs because of the urgency to expand and improve 5G networks. Some of the most common include:

• Smart capex – using live performance, customer behavior and operations data to optimize network deployment and capital expenditure
• Slice lifecycle management – continuously grooming network slices to maximize service level agreement (SLA) compliance
• Cross-domain root cause analysis – detecting and resolving faults across multiple network layers and service domains
• Customer experience (CX) assurance – managing changing conditions at the network level and avoiding negative CX impacts.

Some service providers have a more complete, contiguous, and integrated vision for NLA. Rubbyat Akram, Vice President of Infrastructure Management at Robi Axiata, explains that while NLA can play a role in optimizing aspects of network deployment, in the bigger picture it is “one piece of the zero-touch operations puzzle”.

Akram shares four clear examples of the pragmatic, near-term roles NLA can play to benefit CSP network operations (see graphic).

An important part of the mindset shift behind NLA are the concepts of continuity and continuous improvement. If the network is itself regarded as dynamic and evolving, rather than static, it allows for operations practices like continuous network grooming and resource optimization processes to be part of network and service lifecycles. As such, NLA may take on a greater role conceptually in the continuous improvement of how networks and services are deployed, managed, optimized and improved over time.

Maximizing 5G deployments

Perhaps the most immediate issue for some CSPs is that 5G deployments are just too slow, too expensive or have been detrimental to customer experience. Just over a quarter of the CSPs we surveyed (27%) say they have issues with slower than expected rollouts due to the difficulties of putting together business cases. Almost one third (30%) are experiencing high capex due to inefficient allocation, and 15% cite poor customer experience related to delivery and performance.

These are fundamental business risks that can impact revenue targets, customer-related goals and financial commitments. A delayed 5G market entry not only has competitive ramifications, but also results in real cash implications for CSPs which incur higher costs for contractors, suppliers, warehousing and construction, as well as marketing and sales. Hitting delivery targets efficiently stops add-on costs from spiraling.

These risks also conflict with the key and optimize key aspects of network deployment and optimize key aspects of network deployment benefits CSPs want to derive from closed-loop automation like NLA, such as accelerating time to market for new networks (18%); improving customer experience (45%); optimizing capex efficiency (20%); reducing opex (12%); and enabling SLA-backed revenue streams (4%).

But our recent research also shows that CSPs overwhelmingly see automation itself as a top goal. Some 83% of CSPs surveyed for our report Telco to techco: capex and opex considerations, for example, say automation of systems and processes are “an absolute priority” as they transform their businesses.

Our research for our report shows that almost two-thirds (63%) of respondents say that smart capex practices comprise the most impactful use case NLA can deliver for them today. Smart capex involves using data-driven decisioning to inform network expenditure, by prioritizing resources in areas where the data shows there is the most to be gained in terms of coverage, customer experience and profitability.

Meanwhile 16% of CSPs consider closed-loop planning and testing their top NLA use case, which leans a bit more toward network automation but is a close relative of smart capex in its intent to automate and optimize key aspects of network deployment.

Read our full report, Network lifecycle automation: can CSPs optimize 5G investment?, to find out more.