With network disaggregation, mobile network operators along with their partners are facing a major paradigm shift.
It promises a great deal of prospects, including the mere ability to respond to new demands of socio-economic transformation, of increasingly mobile, connected and smart societies, and automated industries. This paradigm shift, however, comes with a wide range of challenges.
This publication explores the appealing opportunities and the expected challenges arising from the disaggregation of mobile networks.
We put an emphasis on the perspective of mobile network operators and expected benefits such as:
lower barriers to enter the market
a more resilient ecosystem and supply chain
enabled increased competition and innovation
agility and flexibility
As well as expected challenges such as:
increasing complexities in interoperability and in
system integration and
in achieving efficient and resilient operation
All these aspects lead to the need for a significant operating model transformation.
Going forward, we will develop blueprints for end-to-end operating models, enabling operators to make their individual right choices, and to address the industry to develop solutions for identified gaps.
With our ODiN project we invite the entire NGMN Partnership – vendors, system integrators and other interested parties – to jointly work on operating model requirements, analyse potential gaps and work on industry solutions to resolve the identified challenges. The project will also work with other relevant organisations and submit requirements to the industry.
Frankfurt, Germany, October 5, 2021: Today, the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance released a new White Paper: “ODiN – Operating Disaggregated Networks” – which explores the appealing opportunities and the expected challenges arising from the disaggregation of mobile networks. NGMN puts an emphasis on the perspective of mobile network operators for the expected benefits and challenges of Network Disaggregation: a more resilient ecosystem and supply chain, lower barriers to enter the market, enabled increased competition and innovation, agility and flexibility, hand in hand with expected challenges such as increasing complexities in interoperability, system integration, efficient and resilient operation. All these aspects lead to the need for a significant operating model transformation. Going forward, NGMN will develop blueprints for end-to-end operating models, enabling operators to make their individual choices, and to address the industry to develop solutions for the identified gaps. This White Paper is NGMN’s first deliverable on this topic. NGMN invites parties across the whole value chain to collaborate in its ODiN project on solutions for this extremely important subject.
Disaggregation demands a new way of working, most likely significant additional integration efforts, changes to the operational model to embrace new processes as well as new skills and tools. All such efforts are required to eventually ensure the expected service levels, operational efficiency, performance, resilience and security, plus the opportunities to offer new and affordable services in order to meet an ever-increasing demand for high performing and cost-effective mobile networks. Whether the benefit of lowering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) can be achieved for operators, is yet to be proven.
Carlos Fernandes, VP Group Technology, Deutsche Telekom and NGMN ODiN project lead says: “Disaggregation is the biggest challenge and opportunity mobile operators face today. Eventually, each individual operator will need to make its own choices, depending on its strategy, its starting point – greenfield or brownfield, its geolocation, local competition and many more. However, there are many topics which need to be analysed and solved, which are possible and worth being addressed jointly in the pre-competitive area, to support global standards, economies of scale and hence to enable competition for the benefit of the end-user.”
Arvin Siena, Vice President & Head – Technology Strategy and Transformation Office, Smart Communications, Philippines adds: ”We are very excited to work together with the operators and the entire value chain on industry solutions, paving the way for disaggregation’s success.”
The NGMN ODiN project invites the entire NGMN Partnership – vendors, system integrators and other interested parties – to jointly analyse potential gaps and work on industry solutions to meet the identified challenges. The project will also work with other relevant organisations and submit requirements to the industry.
https://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/01_Disaggregation.jpg648816adminhttps://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/ngmn-logo-1.svgadmin2021-10-05 09:30:112021-10-05 10:03:01NGMN is Paving the Way for Effective End-to-End Operation of Disaggregated Networks
Disaggregation is a key topic for mobile network operators and the entire industry. For MNOs and their CTOs, one of the most burning questions is how to master the operation of disaggregated networks.
Therefore, one of our core projects of this strategic pillar is “Operating Disaggregated Networks” – ODiN. This pillar also embraces network automation as well as cloud native projects.
The objective of this project is to focus on the end-to-end operating model. The project ODiN will consider, amongst others, the following key aspects: processes, technology/tools and skill requirements. It will also provide guidance towards the industry players regarding roles and opportunities provided by disaggregation.
CTOs need to start preparing now for future-proof operating models that are built on:
Orchestration of powerful ecosystems of solution partners
Openness and flexibility to integrate new partners and technologies
Highly diverse set of skills and capabilities to drive innovation and efficiency
Why? Because disaggregating or breaking the network components into more parts and opening the interfaces will allow more companies, new and smaller ones, to develop solutions as well as hardware and software products. This will allow faster development cycles as more minds, teams and companies are working towards one goal – improving solutions, performance, making the network more efficient and ultimately improving customer experience. This implicates faster development and quicker time to market of new functions, features and products.
However, to master disaggregation, including to master most efficient and performant operation of disaggregated networks, requires the introduction of new processes, skills and tools, among other.
Collaborating in the pre-competitive environment, our ODiN project will generate valuable input for MNOs and the entire ecosystem to master that challenge and also support the selection of most fitting operating models, related to MNO’s specific situation.
The NGMN projects will enable vendors to develop better and more efficient products. Operators will extremely benefit as technology will keep on getting better in a shorter span of time. In addition, disaggregation will also allow more and better customisation of products based on the specific needs of each operator.
For additional insights, please listen to three of our member project leads representing the regions of Americas, Asia and Europe and what they share on #DisaggregatedNetworks and #NetworkAutomation and their regional characteristics. Our „Operating Disaggregrated Networks” Panel Discussion with Carlos Fernandes (Deutsche Telekom), Lennart Olaivar (Smart/PLDT) and Sebastian Thalanany (UScellular) was streamed on Wednesday June 30th on TelecomTV. Please find the on demand recording here:
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https://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/210630-TelecomTV-ODiN-Panel.jpg333600adminhttps://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/ngmn-logo-1.svgadmin2021-07-08 17:13:282021-07-09 08:37:57Managing the Route to Disaggregation
During the last year, NGMN went through a significant transformation – jointly driven by our new Chairman of the Board Arash Ashouriha from Deutsche Telekom, our new CEO Anita Doehler, as well as by the entire NGMN Board.
Disaggregation, cloudification and virtualisation, amongst others lead to significant changes in the industry and the whole ecosystem requiring operators and the entire value chain to change in order to successfully manage these challenges. Hence, we felt a strong need to transform our strategy and focus topics.
We decided to build upon our strengths and remain operator driven with a focus on requirements level.
Together with the entire NGMN Board, we actively developed and approved our New Strategic Focus Topics, addressing the industries’ main challenges today and in the next years.
Alongside with projects supporting 5G’s full implementation, the focus of the NGMN Work Programme in 2021 and beyond is on three main equally important pillars with different time horizons:
1. Mastering the Route to Disaggregation with a focus on the End-to-End Operating Model
Disaggregation is a key topic for mobile network operators and the entire industry.
For MNOs and their CTOs, one of the most burning questions is how to master the operation of disaggregated networks.
Therefore, one of our core projects of this strategic pillar is “Operting Disaggregated Networks” – ODiN. This pillar also embraces network automation as well as cloud native projects.
2. Green Future Networks
Sustainability is a topic of general and global concern gaining increasing attention from many companies.
The “carbon handprint” or “enabling effect” provided by the ICT sector can efficiently contribute to lower the “carbon footprint” of a high impact industry. ICT represents 2% of the worldwide greenhouse gas emissions according to the ITU with mobile and fixed networks representing 24% out of the ICT emissions.
Our Green Future Networks project focuses on the identification and mitigation of environmental impacts generated by the network part of the ICT sector such as:
Sustainability Challenges, Initiatives in Mobile Networks and End-to-End Service Footprint
Network Equipment Eco-Design
Network Energy Efficiency and
Metering
3. 6G
NGMN has a proven track record in substantially paving the way for 4G’s and 5G’s success, its mass-market and end-user adaptation. We are determined to provide the same impact for 6G, in order to achieve harmonised global standards and to contribute to a healthy global ecosystem for the benefit of end-users.
As a global organisation representing the entire value chain, NGMN is set to take the lead in providing impactful guidance for global 6G activities responding to the needs of end users, societies, mobile network operators and the ecosystem as a whole.
We published the first 6G White Paper focusing on the 6G Drivers and Vision in April this year, in which NGMN Operators identify the key drivers for 6G and outline our vision for 6G and the future transition of networks enabling differentiated services with expanded market opportunities and novel experience. Furthermore, the paper outlines the key challenges to be considered in a journey towards 6G, and emphasises the need for a healthy and unified global ecosystem and for global standards.
This is the first of a series of deliverables that NGMN will publish within the next years. In the next steps, use cases and end-to-end system requirements will follow.
Our New Brand
In addition, we have introduced a new NGMN brand that builds upon and extends our new strategy.
The new NGMN is fresh and energetic, standing for the duopoly of our brand idea of unity and practicability. The dual colour scheme symbolises human touch (red) and technology (blue). We unite our human touch with technology! Our new logo contains several nice features, underpinning our new way of working. Curious to find out more?
Discover our transformation and access the TelecomTV recording of the „NGMN Press & Industry Briefing“ with the following NGMN Board member participants:
Arash Ashouriha (SVP Group Technology Innovation, Deutsche Telekom and Chairman of the NGMN Board)
Carlos Fernandes (VP Group Technology Innovation, Deutsche Telekom)
Anita Döhler (CEO, NGMN Alliance)
Yuhong Huang (Deputy General Manager China Mobile Research Institute, China Mobile)
Luke Ibbetson (Head of Group R&D, Vodafone)
Michael S. Irizarry (EVP and CTO Engineering and Information Technology, UScellular)
https://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/Key_Visual_Press_and_Industrie_Briefing_2021_600x333.jpg333600adminhttps://www.ngmn.org/wp-content/uploads/ngmn-logo-1.svgadmin2021-07-03 08:02:212021-07-06 13:32:25NGMN Press And Industry Briefing
