| NOTAS: | "LTE promises many opportunities in the data-driven mobile broadband world. However, without the ability to activate, monitor, and charge for services, operators will not be able to monetize the LTE network. Although operational support systems (OSS) and business support systems (BSS) will be affected by a change in the network, it is not LTE per se that is driving the change, but rather the services that operators want to offer based on LTE. Streamed video and realtime access to a range of
online applications is providing much of the momentum, as is the need for operators to manage the performance of their networks and IT infrastructure, as well as the impact this infrastructure has on customer experience.
Traditionally, OSS platforms focused on the technical control of services, while BSS focused on the commercial aspects of delivering services. However, IP-based networks such as LTE are blurring these lines. The need for end-to-end control and personalization of networks, services, and the customer experience is moving the two platforms ever closer, but this is creating complexity. For the purposes of this report, we will consider the OSS and BSS platforms separately, and within BSS we will focus on the billing and mediation aspects of the solution." |
