At MWC 2023, the telecommunications industry’s largest event of the year, Google Cloud today announced three new telecom products to help communication service providers (CSPs) digitally transform their networks with hybrid-cloud principles and unlock new revenue opportunities.
The new telecom products, Telecom Network Automation, Telecom Data Fabric, and Telecom Subscriber Insights, will offer CSPs a unified cloud solution that helps them build, deploy, and operate their hybrid cloud-native networks; collect and manage network data; and improve customer experiences through artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics.
In addition, Google Cloud is providing CSPs the ability to deploy true cloud-native networks in a hybrid cloud environment. With an update to Google Distributed Cloud Edge (GDC Edge), CSPs are now able to bring Google Cloud’s infrastructure to the far edge of their radio access networks (RANs), in addition to their 5G core networks. Companies will also be able to run their network functions in any Google Cloud region on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) with the introduction of Network Function Optimizer for GKE.
“To succeed in a connected world, communication service providers are under enormous pressure to build and manage next-generation networks against rising capital and operational expenses,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “By applying cloud-native principles to network architectures, and accelerating subscriber growth through a holistic data management source, CSPs have the opportunity to bridge the gap between connectivity of today and connectivity of the future.”
Automate network and edge deployments
By late 2023, more than 70% of CSPs will have adopted cloud-native network functions1, which are critical to accelerate network modernization, simplify operations, alleviate interoperability issues, and reduce costs. However, while automation will be key to unlocking the benefits of cloud-native networks, applying legacy automation practices or using enterprise cloud technologies at network scale may not deliver the desired results. To achieve efficiency and flexibility, CSPs need to take a new approach.
Now available in private preview globally, Telecom Network Automation accelerates network and edge deployments by leveraging cloud-native automation tools based on Kubernetes and industry learnings from Nephio, an open-source project Google Cloud founded in 2022 in partnership with The Linux Foundation. Telecom Network Automation is the managed cloud-version of Nephio that helps improve time-to-market, multi-vendor interoperability, reduce error-prone configurations, and lower operational costs.
Bell Canada has leveraged an early release of Telecom Network Automation to automate its implementation of Google Distributed Cloud Edge, an initiative first announced in 2022 to reimagine its 5G core network to support the scale and efficiency needed for 5G-enabled applications.
“Bell Canada is committed to building the best networks that meet the demands of 5G and beyond,” said Petri Lyytikainen, VP, Enterprise Architecture & Smart Core, Bell Canada. “Our partnership with Google Cloud advances our goal to fully automate our hybrid 5G core implementation with control functions over Google Kubernetes (GKE) and Google Distributed Cloud Edge.”
Simplify network data collection, correlation, and exposure
Telecommunication networks provide a wealth of data that CSPs can use to optimize their network deployments, improve reliability, and operations. Yet, today CSPs are spending the majority of their efforts on the deployment and maintenance of legacy infrastructure and data management, limiting their ability to capitalize on, and quickly put to use, their core data assets.
Now available in private preview globally, Telecom Data Fabric helps CSPs quickly derive insights from their data. The product simplifies data collection, normalization, and correlation through an adapter framework. For better reusability, the data is exposed through unified data models, leveraging BigQuery and DataPlex data mesh architecture that meets CSPs’ needs for data governance and sovereignty. In addition, Telecom Data Fabric—coupled with Vertex AI—enables CSPs and ISV developers to create AI and ML analytics applications that support cross-domain network operations, energy efficiency, subscriber experiences, and monetization.
Accelerate subscriber growth, engagement, and retention
With the rising costs of network operations and subscriber acquisition, CSPs are looking for new avenues to drive revenue, increase customer lifetime value, and reduce acquisition costs. With the accelerated transition from a physical to a digital environment, CSPs need to invest in technologies that create both personalized and contextualized subscriber experiences.
Now available in private preview globally, Telecom Subscriber Insights is an AI-powered product that helps CSPs extract insights using their own existing data sources in a privacy-safe manner. The product ingests and analyzes data with AI models to provide recommended actions and helps CSPs engage with their subscribers across a multitude of channels. The result is CSPs can better understand subscriber behavior, cross-sell and upsell, manage churn, and acquire new customers more effectively.