Data is the fuel that feeds algorithms and decision-making to drive growth in the digital economy. ABI Research forecasts data & analytics services revenue to reach US$6.4 billion in 2026 from US$140 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 115%.
“Data is becoming a crucial production element, data collection, storage, processing, and an understanding of the economic specifics of data are key strands that provide both challenges and opportunities. With data and analytics key to value creation, CSPs should adopt standards-based analytics functions to drive actionable insights in their operations,” states Don Alusha, senior analyst 5G core & edge networks at ABI Research.
NWDAF
Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), for example, is an analytics function that provides operational intelligence, streaming, and data collection. Guavus and Sandvine are two vendors, among others, that offer full-featured and vendor-agnostic NWDAF capabilities that enable CSPs to place data and analytics at the heart of their innovation model.
“In a digital economy where applications and APIs rule supreme, CSPs seek to become data-driven organizations. They should apply analytics at multiple ‘stations’ of the network spanning core, transport, and edge locations,” Alusha advises.
Orange, for example, claims that by the end of its Engage2025 strategic plan, most of its employees will have undergone Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) awareness training. Every CSP will have a different foundation to build from and a different strategy.
However, a common denominator among them is to leverage analytics functions, such as NWDAF, to change the structure of current systems and processes to produce more of what is desirable and less of that which is undesirable.
Challenges remain
There are challenges, particularly around best practices and obtaining the relevant human capital. But CSPs that rise to these challenges first may well gain a competitive advantage in the market.
CSPs do not seek a one-time attempt at innovation but rather sustainable productivity growth as a source of competitive advantage. With 5G, cloud, and big data analytics, the industry has the external catalysts that can drive new growth and innovation.
But CSPs, and the broader industry, must realise that growth will come from combining and rearranging existing (cellular) technologies with big data and analytics solutions. New use cases need to be assessed on business impact and complexity in terms of skills required to deliver them.
In addition to having the right tools and analytics functions (e.g., NWDAF), success for CSPs will come from how they use those tools. Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, and Verizon are among the many CSPs investing to obtain the right know-how.
What to do with 5G data
If CSPs are to be effective at using 5G big data and analytics, they should pursue a path that aligns with their unique circumstances.
Alusha warns that it will not be so much about a 5G data platform and analytics as it will be about establishing the right operational context, for example, a fitting culture where everyone in the company seeks ways for big data and analytics to enhance operations.
“At present, CSPs’ investments fall under two categories: one, buy out of the box models that improve execution and results of their product logic and operations; and two, buy analytics functions and big data models that have a positive impact on business results, for example, improve market share, improve revenue and sales, and explore new revenue streams,” Alusha concludes.
