Telecom: The 5G & Edge Frontier

Reference Architecture: Telco Cloud & Edge

Moving efficiently requires separating the Network Layer (5G/RAN) from the Business Layer (BSS).

How to Improve Your Architecture

1. Decouple OSS and BSS

Traditionally, "Network" (OSS) and "Billing" (BSS) were tightly coupled.

• Action: Implement TMF Open APIs (TM Forum) to standardise communication.
• Benefit: Enables you to swap out a billing vendor without rewriting network probes.

2. Move to "Telco Cloud" (CNFs)

• Stop buying proprietary hardware appliances for network functions.
• Virtualization: Migrate Physical Network Functions (PNFs) to Cloud-native Network Functions (CNFs) running on Kubernetes.
• Scale: Dynamically spin up more 5G Core capacity during Super Bowl/New Year's Eve.

3. Edge Compute Monetization

Don't just be a "dumb pipe".

• Architecture: deploy "Local Breakout" at the edge.
• Use Case: Offer low-latency endpoints for Gaming companies or Autonomous Vehicle fleets directly at the cell tower.

The Reality Check

Telecom is an infrastructure business first, software second. The network (5G/Fiber) involves digging holes in the ground and launching satellites. This capital intensity creates a "Plan-Build-Run" culture that is hostile to "Test-and-Learn".

Why Hybrid Survives Here

• Network Engineering: Waterfall (Physical constraints, huge CAPEX).
• OSS/BSS: V-Model (Mission critical, 99.999% uptime).
• Digital/App: Agile (Customer facing, churn reduction).

Regulatory & Data Constraints

• Lawful Intercept: Governments must be able to tap lines (CALEA).
• Critical Infrastructure: National security implications for downtime.
• Spectrum Auctions: Fixed deadlines driven by government licenses.

Vendor Ecosystem Traps

• Ericsson/Nokia/Huawei: You don't buy software; you buy an ecosystem that dictates your roadmap.
• Standard Bodies (3GPP): Innovation is bounded by global interoperability standards, not user stories.

Execution Evidence

Decision Matrix: OSS/BSS Transformation

Interactive Analysis: Build vs Buy OSS?