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Communications as a cloud service: a new take on telecoms

Software as a service (SaaS) is a promising solution for overcoming the challenges of implementing and managing new network technologies and services like voice over LTE (VoLTE). The SaaS approach can provide substantial savings in terms of cost and lead-time, and create a new source of revenue for service providers.
Magazine
Jul 22, 2014

So why do we need a new take on telecoms? Today’s networks support several technology generations. The introduction of 4G LTE networks, for example, brought with it a major overhaul of voice services in core networks. For many, especially niche operators, this type of technology upgrade threatens to stretch organizational capabilities to the limit.

To counter this challenge, many operators are turning to Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), which offers a way to rationalize and simplify operations as well as speed up innovation cycles. Add in multi-tenancy capabilities, the result is a flexible telecom-grade platform from which services like VoLTE, can be virtualized using a SaaS model, unlocking the potential of infrastructure beyond the traditional portfolio.

This article shares some of the technical and economical insights, as well as the know-how gained from a proof of concept study conducted at Ericsson to explore the implementation of VoLTE as a service.

Communications as a cloud service: a new take on telecoms