As 5G rollouts accelerate, two groups in particular are working to develop deployment plans, namely service providers and enterprise users.

January 6, 2022

4 Min Read
End-to-end 5G Deployments for CSP and the Enterprise

As 5G rollouts accelerate, two groups in particular are working to develop deployment plans, namely service providers and enterprise users. However, each group has a different set of issues and opportunities. In this post we will explore the challenges and tools available for both of these constituent groups.

The Service Provider View

First, let’s look at the global communication service provider (CSP) market. Since CSPs typically can’t roll out 5G everywhere in parallel they must develop a strategy that considers capital budgets and market maturity, while at the same time preparing both network and subscribers for upcoming technology changes to the core network and to the radio access network (RAN) – while testing new designs at the same time.

These are capital intensive projects – truck rolls in vast rural areas can be prohibitive, equipment and project management is increasingly difficult in a tight labor market, and deployment of RAN software and services can make or break a 5G rollout. Key challenges include:

  • Leveraging 5G across all verticals of network infrastructure such as Macro, Small Cells, and in-building / DAS projects to improve customer experience and network KPIs

  • CSPs are also increasingly focused on 5G deployments in all geographical terrains in parallel-urban, suburban, and rural areas as they fight to stay competitive while pleasing an increasingly demanding customer base

  • Accelerated time to deployment since no deployment equals no revenue

  • Efficient utilization of precious capital to insure the highest ROI for multidimensional deployments like 5G

  • Management of available power, sectorization, network layers, and QoS prioritization for voice, data, streaming, and whatever comes next

  • Adjusting strategies to meet the unique demands of each cell site and local build constraints and regulations

  • Integrating each new site into the network with new radios to make the best use of technology

  • Ensuring each new piece gels with the existing network to deliver a positive impact for all subscribers

Ideally, CSPs could leverage a strategic advisory service that offers services from planning to implementation assistance to post-launch network management. The ability to deliver robust, reliable services gains importance every days, since subscribers are transient and often fickle – if services don’t meet a user’s demand they can churn-out to a better performing CSP.

Enterprise Network Evolution

Enterprise organizations have a radically different view of network rollouts. Where CSPs are focused on voice and data, enterprises are utilizing 5G networks for internet of things (IoT), device analytics, edge computing, and for other capabilities that often require the collaboration of many partners beyond a network provider. In years past, enterprise radio networks were focused on phones and SIM cards. Today, organizational considerations include:

  • Building or acquiring the radio network

  • SIM cards and eSIMs, devices, augmented and virtual reality – all of which require the involvement of multiple partners including many mainstream software/hardware companies and niche service providers to address security and other challenges.

  • Managing and corralling multiple partners and technologies so they can be managed as one

  • Ensuring smooth handoffs between different network topologies across the enterprise, both indoor and outdoor, on-premises and away from facilities

  • Time to market. In many ways, enterprises already lag behind CSPs in regards to technology, with many organizations reliant on Wi-Fi which can lead to gaping security holes.

  • Customization for each use case – There is no one magic design and deployment model for enterprises, each organization has its unique needs. Some may be focused on latency, others on bandwidth optimization, and others on hybrid environments

Perhaps most importantly, enterprises rarely have the depth of network expertise needed to perform an entire new network rollout on their own, and often must rely on partnerships, integrators, or consultants to gain the end to end expertise needed for a successful deployment.

A Common Need Fulfilled

CSP and Enterprise organizations do share some very important common goals for 5G. Both want to accelerate their deployments, improve the experience for the end users, preserve capital, and leverage 5G network expertise to streamline their design, deployment, and support experience. That’s where Amdocs comes in.

With decades of network deployment experience from GSM to 5G, Amdocs has leveraged that experience into both CSP and enterprise expertise that reduces burden for both types of organizations.

CSPs can appreciate Amdocs three pillars of strategic advice, implementation assistance, and post-launch management, as evidenced by successful projects for the world’s largest providers including complex network rollouts for all variances in spectrum, topography and network architecture.

Enterprises can rest easier knowing that Amdocs also provides the people, processes, and products to bring any organization’s network needs to fruition. Rather than asking what an organization needs help with, Amdocs leverages decades of experience observing enterprise networks and their potential issues and takes a proactive approach to each engagement. The better Amdocs knows its customers, the sooner problems are solved and deployments completed. Amdocs believes in automation and instrumentation wherever possible, so that rather than network managers having to press a button to fix a problem, the network button pushes itself and tells administrators about problems found, remediated, and restored. Amdocs services are constantly driving toward zero touch solutions wherever possible.

You can find out more about Amdocs’ 5G End- to-end deployment services by clicking here.

— Michael Krieger, Light Reading Contributor for Amdocs

This content is sponsored by Amdocs.

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