Where intent-driven networks intersect with AI for B2B services

In this Q&A with TM Forum, Greg Tilton, Vice President, Quote & Order at CSG, shares how the use of ODA is expanding, as exemplified by the Catalyst project, End-to-end service realization using intent-based networks, and using intent to create specific products.

TM Forum: You will present on catalog-driven composability at TM Forum DTW Ignite on 17 June 2025, from 12:25 to 12:50. Before we discuss that, can you talk about your long-standing involvement in TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA) and why you attached so much importance to it from the start?

GT: From day one, we saw the ODA as more than just another architecture – it’s a game-changer for how communications service providers (CSPs) can build, evolve and scale their operations. Its strength lies in its pragmatic design as it separates concerns into distinct, modular components with clearly defined functional scopes and interfaces. This design allows CSPs to focus on one component – or a suite of them – at a time, enabling seamless interoperability across vendors or capabilities explicitly developed for the CSP.

What makes ODA so powerful isn’t just the architecture itself, though, it’s the momentum and adoption behind it. As ODA addresses the real-world needs of CSPs and has become a shared foundation across the industry, it’s easier to find components that truly work together. That’s why we built CSG Quote & Order to align with ODA from the outset, particularly the Information Model (SID). It wasn’t a nice-to-have – it was a strategic decision to future-proof our platform and maximize agility for our customers.

TM Forum: Could you give us a sneak peek into some of the stories you plan to share at the event about leveraging ODA to drive flexibility and agility?

GT: Absolutely! At the heart of our presentation is a concept we call catalog-driven composability. In this approach, we’ve taken the ODA-aligned foundation and added more muscle to help CSPs accelerate time to market and simplify operational complexity.

We’ll walk through how this approach lets our customers rapidly configure and manage products, even across highly complex environments like multi-country operations. Think one system, one catalog, yet tailored experiences with different pricing, currencies, languages, business processes and feature sets per market – all seamlessly managed.

Another highlight is how we’ve embedded fulfillment logic directly into reusable product components. So, when a CSP wants to launch a new offering, they can drag, drop and compose –without re-architecting backend logic. That’s real agility, and it’s a direct result of combining the strengths of ODA with innovations that go beyond the current standard.

TM Forum: From ODA's inception to its increasingly widespread implementation, is its scope and role evolving?

GT: Undoubtedly, it’s evolving in both reach and relevance. We’re seeing a spectrum of maturity across use cases. On one hand, in areas like Network-as-a-Service, the integration between dynamic ‘core commerce’ platforms like CSG and network vendors – Ericsson, Nokia, Ciena – is already showing real, standards-based impact. The APIs are well-defined, the value is tangible and implementations are underway.

On the other hand, in scenarios involving internal components – say, CPQ [configure, price, quote] to contract management – we’re seeing slower traction. That’s often because these components aren’t purpose-built for CSPs and don’t prioritize ODA alignment but that’s also where we see opportunity. As the ecosystem matures, we expect ODA’s influence to deepen across the entire stack.

TM Forum: Speaking of implementation and next steps, what is the purpose of the Catalyst project, End-to-end service realization using intent-based networks?

GT: This Catalyst is one we’re particularly excited about. Together with Ericsson, we’re exploring the intersection of intent-driven networks and AI, turning what’s historically been a highly manual, complex process into a streamlined, intelligence-powered experience.

At CSG, our role is productizing with intent: What does the customer actually order? How do you translate a high-level business need into network actions? And how do you ensure a seamless, intuitive user experience along the way?

We’re looking at how to move from ordering discrete products to expressing intent, where the system can intelligently determine the components, configurations and workflows required to fulfill that intent.