DTW22: How 5G can help CSPs become true platform players in the integration era
Amdocs insights from Digital Transformation World 2022 in Copenhagen.
In recent years digital pioneers have disrupted multiple sectors, from commerce to banking and entertainment, turning conventional wisdom on its head and re-writing decades-old rule books.
Part of the reason for the disruptors’ success is their ability to embrace and harness new platforms and ecosystems, even creating them from scratch in some cases.
Exploring this theme at Digital Transformation World (DTW) 2022 in Copenhagen, Amdocs’ Ofir Daniel told delegates that these brands embody the integration era in which we are living. He added that we’ve seen the same disruption in the telecoms sector with the rise of the cloud hyperscalers and the increased focus on partnerships as source of innovation and growth.
As part of the Enterprise 5G: What’s Different? session at DTW, Ofir, head of platforms marketing at Amdocs, said communications service providers (CSPs) are realizing the power of platforms and ecosystems and reshaping their portfolio to create new value to their enterprise customers. These changes are going hand in hand with emerging technologies and new business models, making this a very exciting time for the sector, he said.
I sat down with Ofir after his appearance on stage to hear more from him.
Q: How can telecoms, as a sector, move things forward when it comes to embracing platforms and ecosystems?
A: We’ve seen progress in recent years but it hasn’t been as fast as in some other sectors. There is a sense that some CSPs are playing catch-up as they adjust to the new reality. For me, 5G – and 5G for enterprises in particular – can accelerate CSPs’ transition to true platform-player status.
Q: Can you tell me more about the role of 5G in the transition?
A: What’s so powerful about enterprise 5G is that it opens up a whole new frontier of monetizable solutions, products and services. Ultimately, CSPs can efficiently address enterprise requirements by deploying their own core offerings – and those of their partners – across multiple use cases and sectors, including:
- Effective use of Private Enterprise Networks
- Cost reduction of mobile networks (energy, manufacturing)
- A more secure service (banking, governments)
- Higher reliability of connectivity (connected cars, smart cities)
- Low latency-based solutions (healthcare, gaming)
It’s a potentially game-changing opportunity to provide unique value by treating connectivity as the foundation and building innovative new offerings and services upon it. This is where platforms and ecosystems come in.
Q: Are there any barriers that need to be overcome?
A: Before the opportunity can be seized, enterprises need to see CSPs as the key that unlocks the power of 5G. The evidence suggests we aren’t there yet. Last year Amdocs ran research with hundreds of businesses globally from multiple industries including manufacturing, retail, health and automotive. We learned that, regardless of size or sector, businesses do not see CSPs as their go-to provider for next-generation 5G solutions.
Q: How can this perception be changed?
A: Just as 5G can be the catalyst for CSPs to become true platform players, a platform-led approach can help them seize the enterprise 5G opportunity. There is a pressing need to think strategically about building a relevant and flexible ecosystem, including a marketplace with CSPs’ own core products, partners and developers, where anyone can supply and consume. It’s vital to embrace (and demonstrate to business customers) qualities such as:
- Fully automated, end-to-end service lifecycle management
- Quick onboarding of new ecosystem partners
- An open digital architecture, modernizing BSS to be truly SaaS
- Comprehensive partnership management
This commitment to openness and partnerships will foster and embed the platform-led approach that will enable CSPs to innovate, thrive and be ready for the next disruption when it comes.
