Moving BSS into the cloud is not a strategic objective for any operator, and some wonder how they’ll ever accomplish it. Yet cloud BSS can help operators achieve many of their objectives for digital transformation, according to TM Forum.
As operators deliver more cloud-based products and services, enabling them with cloud-based support systems makes good business sense.
TM Forum surveyed 50 executives from 49 unique operators about their progress. Although 74% of respondents have less than 10% of their BSS in the cloud, many expect this to increase dramatically by 2020.
Yet many do not have a roadmap for migrating BSS to the cloud, and in most cases the drivers are from other strategic and commercial objectives rather than being the end goal.
“In addition, it turns out that many who question the benefits of moving BSS to the cloud simply have a different definition of cloud BSS,” said Mark Newman, author of the survey and chief analyst at TM Forum.
Still, issues around data privacy and latency mean that there is no medium-term prospect for migrating functions such as policy and charging into the cloud. Despite these and other unanswered questions about cloud BSS, operators are optimistic about making progress.
The survey has identified several key strategic and commercial drivers that TM believe will accelerate adoption.
These include the desire to shift to new commercial models with BSS vendors; the need to accelerate time to market capabilities; setting up new lines of business with a dedicated BSS; the shift to Net Promoter Score as a driver of BSS strategy; introducing personalized and context-aware offers to customers; and launching ‘skinny’ services to cut IT costs.