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Report in a Nutshell

Next Generation Networks (NGN) promises a high quality end-user experience. Telecommunications service providers expect the NGN framework to provide them with tools that would ensure customer loyalty. However, the path towards achieving the ideal NGN is fraught with formidable challenges. The most critical challenge confronting operators is optimizing their OSS and BSS platforms, systems, and processes.

The OSS/BSS vendor environment is extremely competitive with close to 400 vendors, mostly specialized in niches and having a strong services arm. Vendor categories include Comprehensive Solution Providing Pure OSS/BSS Vendors, Comprehensive Solution Providing Composite Vendors, Skill-set Extension Solution Providers and Core Strength Concentrators - BSS and OSS. The vendor landscape is characterized by extensive M&A activity.

With research beginning in 2007, the report Next Generation Network OSS/BSS Market and Forecast 2011-2016 provides a comprehensive analysis of drivers and issues related to technical and business aspects of OSS/BSS deployments and developments while forecasting their growth over the next five years.

Important Questions Answered by this Report

• What are the telecom network operator interests in NGN OSS/BSS?
• What are the challenges to OSS and BSS implementation?
• What are the best OSS and BSS approaches for NGN?
• What are the technologies involved in OSS and BSS?
• Who are the leading vendors for NGN OSS/BSS?
• What is the market forecast for OSS and BSS?

Additional Value in this Publication

Technical Overview of OSS and BSS in NGNs: This section begins with an introduction to OSS and BSS and their roles in the operator environment. It explains the various blocks that go into building of the OSS: Network elements, events, alarms and others. It next explains the BSS building blocks: Billing, rating, mediation, charging, customer care and others. This section is followed by the description of prevalent industry approaches like TMN - FCAPS model that are widely followed by operators. The section then analyzes the technical impact of NGN on OSS and BSS architectures.

Vendor Analysis: Profiles of 35 vendors offering OSS/BSS products and services for next generation networks. This section first explains the basis of vendor selection including vendor classification, innovative contribution, market leadership position and future growth path. Each vendor is then analyzed in the light of its product and solution portfolio, major implementations, differentiating aspects with other vendors and their future plans. The report includes recommendations to vendors including diversification, best practices, market segment, and solution approach.

Quantitative Analysis and Forecast: This section begins with a detailed explanation of the research methodology. Quantitative analysis includes measurable items such as billing systems, network management systems and their sub-classes (mediation, wholesale billing, retail billing, CRM, revenue assurance, resource management, task management, delivery management, synchronization management) along with geographical segmentation, trends and projections. Importantly, the quantitative analysis assesses the impact of various drivers and issues on the above measurable items, thus forming a logical conclusion of the quantitative discussion in the previous sections.

Note: This section represents a comprehensive forecast including Forecast Methodology by Overall OSS and BSS Software Market, Split by OSS and by BSS separately, by geography (NA, EMEA, CALA, and APAC), and by modular break-up including: Network Planning and Engineering (NPE), Fault Management (FM), Performance Management (PM), Provisioning and Service Activation (PSA), Inventory Management (IM), Billing and Customer Care (B&CC), Mediation (MD), and Revenue Assurance (RA). The section also includes OSS/BSS Vendor Rakings Based on Net Profit Margins.

Target Audience

• Network operator managers tasked with making long-term architecture and support system decisions including vendor decisions
• Product management personnel concerned with the impact of OSS and BSS systems on next generation application and services rollout such as IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) and technology and/or application frameworks or platforms
• Managers and Directors tasked with OSS responsibilities and anyone that is involved in OSS/BSS decision making
• Vendors, suppliers, and service providers to network operators interested in their prospects for selling into the carrier marketplace
• Network and Engineering personnel seeking specific information such as leading OSS/BSS Approaches including as OSS/J, OSA/Parlay, MDA, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL). This publication has both business/market information and technical information!

Select Report Findings

• In conformance with the trend over the last decade, traditional OSS functions will grow faster than traditional BSS functions.
• IM will register the maximum absolute growth in terms of revenues among the traditional OSS functions followed by PSA and NPE; a sure shot trait of hectic rollout activity.
• Revenues of B&CC and MD will grow at a lower than average rate, while RA will emerge as the fastest growing BSS function.
• APAC will top the growth in terms of revenues and percentage share among geographic regions, CALA will follow. NA will continue to remain the largest market for OSS/BSS solutions. While the NA region will have fewer new network roll-outs, it will continue to generate substantial customer additions. APAC and CA-LA will witness hectic activity on both: new network roll-out as well as customer additions, while EMEA will show modest activity on both these fronts.
• Share of services component in the revenues will increase from a little above 40 percent to close to three-fifths.

Companies in the Report

• 013 Netvision
• 3 (Hutchison)
• AAPT
• Airtel
• Albacom
• Alcatel-Lucent USA
• Alltel
• Alvarion USA
• Amdocs
• Annies
• Antel Uruguay
• AOL
• Apple
• ARTelecom
• AT & T Dobson USA
• AT & T Edge USA
• AT & T Mobility USA
• AT&T
• AT&T Wireless
• Augere
• AWCC
• Axtel Comcel (Voilà)
• Baikal Westcom Russia
• BakCell Azerbaijan
• Bandwidth.com
• Batelco
• Batelco Bahamas
• Bell
• Bell Aliant
• Bell Canada
• BellSouth Communications
• Bezeq
• Bharti Tele-Ventures
• Bouygues Telecom
• Brasil Telecom
• British Telecom
• Broadview
• Brocade
• BskyB (EasyNet)
• BSNL
• BT
• BT Wholesale
• Cable & Wireless
• CableVision
• Caiway
• Camtel Cameroon
• CAN
• CAN Melita
• CAT Telecom Thailand
• Cbeyond Communications USA
• CBOSS
• Cellcom
• Cellcom Malaysia
• CenturyLink
• Cerillion
• CFE
• Charter Communications
• China Mobile
• China Telecom
• China Unicom
• Chunghwa Telecom
• Cingular
• Clearwire
• ClearWire USA
• Colombia Velcom (MDC) Belarus
• COLT
• Comarch
• Comcast
• Comnet
• Comptel Corporation
• Comverse
• Convergys
• Cosmote
• Covad
• Cox Communications
• cVidya Inc
• Cybercity
• Cyta
• Czech Telecom
• Dell
• Deutsche Telecom
• Digi
• Digicel
• Direct on PC
• DIRECTV
• Dorado Software
• Eircom
• Elitecore Technologies
• Embarq
• Equant
• Ericsson
• Eschelon Telecom USA
• ETB
• Evolving Systems Inc
• Excel Communications
• Fair Point
• Fastweb
• Formula Telecom Solutions
• France Telecom
• Freenet.de Germany
• GCI Communication Corp
• Ghanatel
• Global Crossing
• GO Group
• GO Mobile Malta
• Golden Lines
• H3G
• H3G Italy
• Hathway
• Hewlett-Packard Company
• HighDeal
• Hot
• HTK
• Huawei
• Hutch
• Hutchison
• Hutchison Telecom
• IBM
• Ice
• Idea Cellular
• Imperial Online
• In2cable
• Indo Sat
• Indonesia Comnet
• Indosat M2
• Indus Towers
• InfoVista
• ingTel
• Inmarsat
• Intec Telecom Systems
• Intelco International Telecommunications
• Kingston Communications
• Korea Telecom
• KPN
• KT
• KTF
• LCH.Clearnet
• Level 3
• LHS
• LogNet Systems
• M1
• Mailtec
• Maroc Telecom
• Maxis
• MCI
• MCI WorldCom
• Meditel
• Melita
• Metratech
• MindCTI Ltd
• Mirant Corporation Mirs
• Mobilkom Austria
• MobilTel
• MobilTel Bulgaria
• Motorola
• Motricity
• MovieBeam USA
• MTC
• MTN
• MTN Etisalat
• MTN South Africa
• MTNL
• MTS
• MTS Allstream
• MTS Russia
• Mycom
• MYtv
• Nepal Telecom
• NetCracker
• Netia
• Neural Technologies
• Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
• Nokia
• Nomad
• Nortel Global
• Nortel Networks
• NRJ Mobile
• NSN
• NTS Indonesia
• NTT
• NTT DoCoMo
• O2
• O2 Germany
• O2 UK
• Oi
• Omantel
• ONO
• OpenCloud
• OPT-PF
• Optus
• Oracle
• Orange
• Orange France
• Orange Poland
• Orange Slovakia
• Orange Switzerland
• Orascom
• Orbitel
• Pacific Bangladesh
• Paetec Communications USA
• Partner
• Pelephone
• Pine Telephone
• Pipex
• Polkomtel
• Purcell USA
• Qwest
• Railtel Corporation
• Redknee
• Reliance
• RFF France
• Rogers
• SBC
• Scarlet Telecom
• SensorLogic
• SFR
• Shaw Cablesystems
• Sherburn Telesystems
• Silk Telecom
• Simfonics
• SingTel
• SingTel Optus
• SK Telecom
• SoftBank
• Sonatel
• Sonera Carrier Networks
• Sparkle
• Spice
• Spirit Telecom
• Sri Lanka Telecom
• STA Andorra
• STC Saudi Arabia
• Subex
• Swisscom
• Synchronoss
• T Mobile
• Tango Networks
• Tata Teleservices
• TDC
• TDS
• Telcordia Technologies Inc
• Tele2
• Telecom Austria
• Telecom Italia
• Telecom Malaysia
• Telecom Namibia
• Telecom New Zealand
• Telecommunicoaes de Mozambique
• Telefonica
• Telefonica Del Peru S
• Telefonica S.A
• Telekom Malaysia
• Telemar
• Telenet Belgium
• Telewest Broadband
• Telfort
• Telgua (Claro) Guatemala
• TeliaSonera
• Telkom SA
• Telkomsel
• Telstra
• TELUS
• Teracom
• Terrastar
• The MTN Group Africa
• The US Army
• TIM
• Time Warner Cable
• Time Warner Telecom
• Time.com Malaysia
• Tiscalli
• T-Mobile
• T-Mobile Germany
• T-Mobile UK
• T-Mobile USA
• TNSI
• Transtel
• Trilogy Dominicana (Viva)
• Trilogy International Partners
• TTI Telecom
• Turkcell
• twtelecom
• Tyco Telecommunications
• Uecomm
• UPC
• US Cellular
• UshaComm
• Ventraq (Formerly ACE*COMM)
• Verizon
• Verizon Wireless
• Vibo Peterstar
• Videotron
• VimpelCom Group (Beeline)
• Virgin Media Business
• Virgin Mobile
• Vivacom
• Vodafone
• Vodafone (SFR) France
• Vodafone Ghana
• Vodafone Spain
• Vodafone UK
• Voiamo
• Volksbank
• Vonage
• VPIsystems Inc
• VTel Holdings
• Wana
• WANDL (Wide Area Network Design Laboratory)
• Wateen Telecom
• WebNMS
• WildBlue Communications
• Wind
• Xalted
• XINTEC SA
• You Telecom
• Zain Iraq
• Zain Kuwait
• ZTE

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary 8

2 The Relevance of NGN 10
2.1 Background 10
2.2 What is NGN 10
2.3 Introduction and History 11
2.3.1 Timeline 11
2.4 Comparison of NGN with Public Switched Telephone Network and Public Switched Data Network 11
2.5 Drivers of NGN 12
2.5.1 Telecom Operator and Vendor Interests 12
2.5.2 Improvement in Access Technologies 13
2.5.3 Reduced Vendor Dependency 14
2.6 Challenges for NGN 14
2.6.1 Large Scale Capital Expenditure 14
2.6.2 Operational Challenges 15
2.6.3 Integration of Multiple Private Networks and Application into the Larger Public Networks 15
2.6.4 Quality of Service (QoS) 16
2.6.5 National Security and Competitive Policies 16
2.7 What is IMS? 17
2.7.1 Background 17
2.7.2 HSS 18
2.7.3 Application and Media Servers 18
2.7.4 CSCF 19
2.7.5 Interconnection Protocols 19
2.8 Drivers behind IMS 19
2.8.1 Value-Added Services 19
2.8.2 Transparency in Access 20
2.8.3 Scalability 20
2.8.4 Industry Consortia 20
2.9 Conclusion 21

3 NGN OSS/BSS: Components, IMS Implications and Frameworks 22
3.1.1 Network Planning and Engineering 22
3.1.1.1 Market Size 23
3.1.2 Fault Management 23
3.1.2.1 Market Size 23
3.1.3 Performance Management 23
3.1.3.1 Market Size 24
3.1.4 Provisioning and Service Activation 24
3.1.4.1 Market Size 26
3.1.5 Inventory Management 26
3.1.5.1 Market Size 26
3.1.6 Billing and Customer Care 26
3.1.6.1 Market Size 27
3.1.7 Mediation 27
3.1.7.1 Market Size 28
3.1.8 Revenue Assurance 28
3.1.8.1 Market Size 28
3.2 Challenges for OSS and BSS 28
3.3 OSS Challenges 29
3.3.1 Stakeholder Apprehensions 29
3.3.2 Framework to Integrate Customization Demands 30
3.3.3 Smooth Transition from Existing OSS Frameworks 30
3.3.4 Multi-vendor Co-ordination 31
3.4 BSS Challenges 31
3.5 SDP: The Shock Absorber 32
3.6 TMForum Solution Frameworx 34
3.6.1 Key NGOSS Terminology 37
3.6.2 TAM 38
3.6.3 Business Process Framework (Formerly eTOM) 38
3.6.4 SID 40
3.6.5 TNA 42
3.6.6 APIs and Interfaces 43
3.6.7 NGOSS Compliance Tests 43
3.6.8 The NGOSS Lifecycle 43
3.6.9 Advantages of NGOSS 45

4 Approaches and Technologies 46
4.1 Fundamental Concepts 46
4.1.1 Middleware 46
4.1.2 SOA-The Bedrock for SDP and OSS/BSS 47
4.1.3 Service Oriented Application Protocol (SOAP) 49
4.1.4 Web Services (WS) 49
4.1.5 Extensible Markup Language (XML) 50
4.2 OSS/BSS Frameworks 50
4.2.1 Telecommunication Management Network (TMN) 51
4.2.2 FCAPS 53
4.3 Messaging Formats 55
4.3.1 Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) 55
4.3.2 Common Management Information Protocol (CMIP) 57
4.4 Enterprise Data Organization Approaches 58
4.4.1 Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) 58
4.4.2 Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) 59
4.5 Approaches towards IMS-enabling OSS/BSS 59
4.5.1 OSS/J 59
4.5.2 MDA 62
4.5.3 Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) 64

5 Vendor initiatives 66
5.1 Vendor Landscape Observations 66
5.2 Vendor Classification 67
5.2.1 Comprehensive Solution Providing Pure OSS/BSS Vendors 67
5.2.2 Comprehensive Solution Providing Composite Vendors 68
5.2.3 Core Strength Concentrators - BSS 68
5.2.4 Core Strength Concentrators - OSS 69
5.3 Vendor Summary 70
5.3.1 Amdocs 71
5.3.2 CBOSS 73
5.3.3 Cerillion 74
5.3.4 Comarch 76
5.3.5 Comptel Corporation 77
5.3.6 Comverse 79
5.3.7 Convergys 80
5.3.8 cVidya Inc 81
5.3.9 Dorado Software 82
5.3.10 Elitecore Technologies 83
5.3.11 Evolving Systems Inc 84
5.3.12 Formula Telecom Solutions 85
5.3.13 Hewlett-Packard Company 86
5.3.14 HighDeal 87
5.3.15 Huawei 88
5.3.16 IBM 89
5.3.17 InfoVista 90
5.3.18 Intec Telecom Systems 92
5.3.19 LHS 93
5.3.20 LogNet Systems 94
5.3.21 Metratech 95
5.3.22 MindCTI Ltd 96
5.3.23 Mycom 98
5.3.24 NetCracker 99
5.3.25 Neural Technologies 101
5.3.26 OpenCloud 102
5.3.27 Oracle 102
5.3.28 Redknee 104
5.3.29 Subex 105
5.3.30 Synchronoss 107
5.3.31 Telcordia Technologies Inc 108
5.3.32 TTI Telecom 109
5.3.33 UshaComm 110
5.3.34 Ventraq (Formerly ACE*COMM) 111
5.3.35 VPIsystems Inc 112
5.3.36 WANDL (Wide Area Network Design Laboratory) 114
5.3.37 WebNMS 115
5.3.38 Xalted 117
5.3.39 XINTEC SA 118
5.3.40 ZTE 119

6 Quantitative Forecasts and Analysis 122
6.1 Forecast Methodology 122
6.2 Overall OSS and BSS Software Market 123
6.2.1 Overall Revenue Split Up 124
6.2.2 OSS Split-Up 125
6.2.3 BSS Split-Up 126
6.3 Geographical and Revenue Component-wise Distribution 127
6.3.1 Overall Geographical Distribution 127
6.3.2 Overall Revenue Component-wise Distribution 128
6.4 Modular Break-Up 129
6.4.1 Network Planning and Engineering (NPE) 130
6.4.2 Fault Management (FM) 133
6.4.3 Performance Management (PM) 135
6.4.4 Provisioning and Service Activation (PSA) 139
6.4.5 Inventory Management (IM) 142
6.4.6 Billing and Customer Care (B&CC) 144
6.4.7 Mediation (MD) 147
6.4.8 Revenue Assurance (RA) 150
6.5 OSS/BSS Vendor Rakings Based on Net Profit Margins 154
6.6 Conclusions 156
6.7 Recommendations 156

List of Tables

Table 2 1: Comparison between NGN, PSTN and PSDN 12
Table 5 1: Vendor List 70

List of Figures

Figure 2 1: IMS Components 18
Figure 3 1: OSS and BSS Positions 22
Figure 3 2: Kabira PSA 25
Figure 3 3: Frameworx from TMForum 35
Figure 3 4: NGOSS Schematic 36
Figure 3 5: eTOM 39
Figure 3 6: SID Business Entity Framework 41
Figure 3 7: NGOSS Lifecycle Management 44
Figure 4 1: Logical Layers of TMN 53
Figure 4 2: NGOSS and OSS/J Synchronization 60
Figure 4 3: TMF/Prosspero 61
Figure 6 1: Consolidated OSS/BSS Revenues (In Million USD) 123
Figure 6 2: Consolidated Revenue Functional Split-Up (In Million USD) 124
Figure 6 3: OSS Revenue Split-Up (In Million USD) 125
Figure 6 4: BSS Revenue Split-Up (In Million USD) 126
Figure 6 5: Consolidated Revenue Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 127
Figure 6 6: Consolidated Revenue Geographical Summary (%) 127
Figure 6 7 Consolidated Revenue Component-wise Split-Up (In Million USD) 129
Figure 6 8: NPE Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 130
Figure 6 9: NPE Geographical Summary (%) 131
Figure 6 10: NPE Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 132
Figure 6 11: FM Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 133
Figure 6 12: FM Geographical Summary (%) 134
Figure 6 13: FM Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 135
Figure 6 14: PM Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 136
Figure 6 15: PM Geographical Summary (%) 137
Figure 6 16: PM Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 138
Figure 6 17: PSA Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 139
Figure 6 18: PSA Geographical Summary (%) 140
Figure 6 19: PSA Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 141
Figure 6 20: IM Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 142
Figure 6 21: IM Geographical Summary (%) 143
Figure 6 22: IM Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 144
Figure 6 23: B&CC Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 145
Figure 6 24: B&CC Geographical Summary (%) 146
Figure 6 25: B&CC Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 147
Figure 6 26: MD Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 148
Figure 6 27: MD Geographical Summary (%) 149
Figure 6 28: : MD Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 150
Figure 6 29: RA Geographical Split-Up (In Million USD) 151
Figure 6 30: RA Geographical Summary (%) 152
Figure 6 31: RA Component-wise Split-up (In Million USD) 153
Figure 6 32: Operator Billing Revenue Losses (In Million USD) 154
Figure 6 33: OSS/BSS Vendor Ranking Based On Net Profit Margins (%) 154