Rethink business models or face falling behind, Iskratel tells operators

The Hague, The Netherlands, 12 October 2017 – Operators need to update their business models to offer services for new vertical industries through digital transformation to keep up with the pace of a rapidly evolving market, Iskratel’s CTO said today.

Presenting a keynote – titled ‘Building rock-solid cloud solutions on a non-consolidated foundation’ – at SDN NFV World Congress, in The Hague, Damjan Slapar said delivery of this digital transformation would also need to be significantly different to how new network equipment had been installed in the past. The shifting nature of the telco market, he went on, means that system integration will be a key part of the vendor’s tool-kit as operators seek new revenues.

“With the network picture becoming increasingly complex, operators are looking at ways in which they can handle the external pressures of customer demand while keeping their costs low,” said Slapar. “System integration is quickly emerging as the best way for operators to achieve as implementing new software-based technologies often requires specialist knowledge and a whole-network overview. This approach will enable operators to create new revenue opportunities by targeting vertical markets, while OpEx and CapEx are reduced as the network is simplified through virtualisation.”

According to Slapar, fitting all of these elements together is the key to making the network easier to manage, allowing operators to deliver true value to customers and look into new opportunities.

“There is a lot of work going on in both the standards and open-source worlds around virtualisation, but bringing it all together requires a platform that incorporates these concepts in a way that truly transforms the network core and makes the telco cloud a reality. Once this is done, operators will be able to easier explore opportunities across verticals such as smart city infrastructure, transport and public safety.”

In the face of this increased complexity, Iskratel has introduced a range of solutions that can help operators adapt, including its Cloud-Services Platform (CSP), which is designed to ensure a smooth transition to a virtualised cloud environment. Alongside this, its vIMS – which has already been deployed by Tier 1 operators – and vEPC solutions consolidate operators’ core networks and enables the convergence of fixed and mobile assets.

“Iskratel has been working with virtualisation and digital transformation for some time now and was the first vendor to introduce software-defined access in 2010,” said Slapar. “The CSP, vIMS and vEPC solutions provide the foundation for high-value cloud services, simplifying the operator’s network and opening it up to new deployments as opportunities arise. By introducing these solutions, operators can reap the rewards of digital transformation with networks that are agile, scalable and cost-effective, allowing them to stay ahead of the curve of customer demand.”

Iskratel will exhibit its cloud-based and software-defined-access solutions at SDN NFV World Congress, which takes place in The Hague, The Netherlands, until Friday, October 13. For more information about Iskratel’s SDN and NFV solutions, please see: www.iskratel.com.