The roll-out of 5G networks marks a transformative shift in the telecommunications landscape, ushering in faster speeds, lower latency, and greater connectivity. This new generation of mobile technology offers endless possibilities for industries, consumers, and IoT applications. However, as telecom providers shift to 5G, they face a complex task of configuring and managing their networks to meet both technical and business demands.
SAP for Telecommunications (SAP for Telco) plays a vital role in enabling telecom operators to manage the various aspects of 5G network deployment, from network planning to monetization. In this article, we’ll explore the challenges of configuring 5G networks and how SAP for Telecommunications can provide the solutions needed for efficient, scalable, and agile 5G operations.
5G networks are expected to revolutionize industries by delivering faster data speeds, supporting massive IoT connectivity, and enabling new technologies such as augmented reality (AR), autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. With these promises come significant challenges for telecom operators, including:
To meet these challenges, telecom providers must configure their 5G networks carefully, with an emphasis on automation, orchestration, and real-time management—areas where SAP for Telecommunications shines.
SAP for Telecommunications offers a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to address the complexities of 5G network deployment and operation. Here’s how SAP can support telecom providers in configuring and optimizing their 5G networks:
One of the hallmark features of 5G is the ability to create network slices. A network slice is essentially a virtual network tailored for specific applications or customer needs. For example, one slice could be dedicated to autonomous vehicles with ultra-low latency, while another could be allocated to IoT devices with low power requirements.
Configuring network slices is a complex process that requires tight coordination between physical and virtual network elements. SAP’s Network Orchestration tools help telecom providers design, provision, and manage network slices, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently and that each slice meets the specific needs of its use case.
SAP’s Multi-Service Fulfillment (MSF) solution provides end-to-end orchestration of services, automating service creation and activation across the 5G network. This level of automation reduces manual errors and accelerates time-to-market for new services, a critical factor in the fast-paced 5G environment.
As 5G networks involve dynamic traffic and variable performance requirements, real-time monitoring is essential to ensure optimal network performance. SAP for Telco integrates advanced analytics and monitoring tools to provide telecom operators with real-time visibility into their 5G networks.
Using SAP’s Business Technology Platform (BTP), telecom providers can aggregate data from different network layers, allowing them to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as latency, throughput, signal strength, and user experience. The platform uses machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict potential network issues before they arise, enabling proactive maintenance.
Furthermore, the integration with SAP Intelligent Asset Management allows for monitoring of network hardware, ensuring the physical components of the network, such as base stations and antennas, are functioning optimally.
The 5G core network (5GC) is the backbone of the 5G architecture. It is responsible for managing everything from subscriber authentication to service orchestration and quality of service (QoS). The complexity of managing the 5G core increases as the network evolves, with the introduction of cloud-native infrastructure, network slicing, and edge computing.
SAP for Telecommunications provides tools for configuring and managing the 5G core network, including:
As 5G networks expand, so too does the volume and variety of data they generate. Ensuring the security and privacy of data in a 5G environment is paramount, particularly as regulations like GDPR and CCPA apply to telecom operators worldwide.
SAP Data Protection and Privacy Management tools help telecom companies ensure that customer data is stored and processed in compliance with relevant data protection regulations. With end-to-end encryption and data anonymization, SAP helps protect user privacy, while its real-time security monitoring ensures that potential breaches are detected and addressed swiftly.
Additionally, SAP Identity and Access Management (IAM) helps telecom operators manage user access to the network, ensuring that only authorized personnel can configure critical network elements, reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities.
Delivering a seamless 5G experience to customers requires not just network optimization but also service assurance. SAP Service Management allows telecom companies to monitor end-to-end service quality across the 5G network, ensuring customers receive the expected service levels.
SAP’s integrated AI-powered service assurance tools automatically detect service disruptions, such as dropped calls, low-speed data connections, or network congestion, and enable rapid remediation. This ensures that telecom operators can offer a high-quality, uninterrupted 5G experience to end-users.
5G brings new business models and revenue streams, such as Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), ultra-low latency services, and fixed wireless access (FWA). Telecom providers must quickly adapt their charging and billing systems to handle the dynamic and diverse 5G service offerings.
SAP Convergent Charging offers flexible billing models tailored for 5G services, supporting usage-based charging, subscription models, and tiered pricing for premium services. The system integrates seamlessly with SAP’s BRIM suite, ensuring that telecom operators can accurately charge for 5G services based on real-time consumption, while also supporting complex partner billing for services delivered through third-party collaborations.
While SAP for Telecommunications provides powerful tools to streamline the configuration of 5G networks, telecom operators still face several challenges:
Configuring and managing 5G networks is a monumental task that requires a high level of agility, automation, and integration across various network elements. SAP for Telecommunications offers a robust suite of solutions to help telecom providers meet the demands of 5G, from network orchestration and core network management to real-time monitoring and service assurance.
With SAP’s powerful tools for network slicing, service configuration, and revenue management, telecom operators can not only meet the complex technical demands of 5G but also maximize the monetization potential of new 5G services. As telecom companies continue to roll out 5G, leveraging SAP for Telecommunications will be crucial to staying ahead in a competitive market and ensuring the delivery of high-quality, innovative services to customers.