Niladri Shekhar Dutta, Vice President, Global Telco Consulting & Solutions Head, Virtusa, discusses the changes ahead for OSS and the continuing influence of 5G. In recent years, 5G developments have challenged the functionality of the OSS landscape, which is currently vertically oriented and siloed.

By contrast, a logical mapping of horizontalized OSS functions can complement increased demand for a common data fabric (CDF) and for immediate access to data.

5G’s dynamic capabilities continue to reshape the market, both directly and indirectly. While some of the more obvious 5G benefits include network and services modernization, this fifth-generation technology standard has also indirectly facilitated a number of the telco-to-techco transformation journeys.

These telco-to-techco shifts point to a transforming market and to changing priorities for investors. However, both telcos and techcos alike can benefit from a re-envisioning of the OSS landscape and an embracing of digital OSS. Organizations that have reassessed their core identities must now reconsider their conception of OSS and vertical branching.

In terms of supporting the rapid pace of 5G development, the OSS landscape faces an uphill — though conquerable — journey. The OSS domain has always been network-centric, and its proximity to physical infrastructure provides industry players with a unique challenge.

Every telco operator can benefit from a re-envisioning of the OSS landscape, as a mindset shift brings with it many market advantages. When telco operators pause to consider how digital OSS can support 5G technology, they put themselves in the best position to benefit from increased quality of service (QoS) and a higher net promoter score (NPS).

Before companies rush to take advantage of 5G-related opportunities, they should pause to consider how their OSS systems can best support 5G. All telco operators should invest in horizontal layers of data unification, automation, and orchestration, which together provide functional support.

With the right changes, 5G will become a true success story.