1、Author:Dean Ramsay,Principal Analyst Editor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorSponsored by:labsknowledgecode+frameworkstraining+accreditationneutral hosts:can new service models help drive future growth?2contents03 setting the scene04 chapter 1:understanding the neutral host landscape08 chapter 2:the benefits

2、 of a multi-tenant model11 chapter 3:catalyzing CSPs business diversification ambitions13 chapter 4:environmental benefits of the neutral host model16 chapter 5:some challenges facing neutral hosts18 chapter 6:key steps to success20 additional feature from Nokia23 meet the Research and Media team 23

3、Telecoms networks have long been seen as the crown jewels for communications service providers(CSPs).Owning the network and its associated infrastructure,it was argued,was essential to underpin business structures and capture and own the customer.But now a new business model is coming to the fore on

4、e in which ownership is not necessarily the best option.Neutral hosts are companies that invest in or build telecommunications infrastructure such as cell towers,real estate,data centers and fiber optic networks and lease it to multiple CSPs on a shared-tenant basis.They are a group of companies tha

5、t are becoming increasingly important to the telecoms world as the traditional imperative to own infrastructure shifts from a capex-intensive model to one that is focused on opex.In the past,neutral hosts have been predominantly providers of passive infrastructure,or simply space to install equipmen

6、t.But this is no longer the case as CSPs seek to use neutral hosts to acquire active network infrastructure and move towards a platform-as-a-service(PaaS)model quickly and efficiently.In doing so,they have become important not only to the way CSPs build networks and operations structures,but also to

7、 how operators construct new service models and bring them to market faster.In this e-book we explain how neutral hosts are rapidly becoming key partners for CSPs building new operations models and ecosystems to deliver the next generation of communications services.setting the sceneNeutral hosts ha

8、ve become important to the way CSPs build networks and operations structures and to how they construct new service models4CHAPTER 1understanding the neutral host landscapeNeutral hosts fall into broad categories which each serve a distinct purpose in the network operations domain.They can essentiall

9、y be broken down into the following four organization types.Network and infrastructure Delayering of CSPs means that the traditional integrated telco model is separating into several distinct layers:the service-centric front end becoming the servco;the network operations becoming the netco;and the p

10、hysical network assets such as cables,towers and equipment becoming the infraco.As we have outlined in detail in our CEO Playbook which sets out practical guidance for operators delayering of the integrated telco model is essential for CSPs to drive future growth and even to stay in business.The ser

11、vco then becomes an asset-light business entity,which leases network service requirements from these more asset-heavy netcos and infracos.The quantity of network services the servco then takes can track closely to meet customer service demand,thereby optimizing cost structures.This new asset-light o

12、perating model is critical to delivering greater efficiency and more flexible,targeted services(see graphic on the next page).A more extensive case for delayering can be found in the CEO Playbook.Read the CEO Playbook to find out more:Reignitingtelecoms growthAugust 2023|www.tmforum.orgsponsored by:

13、Authors:Sangeet Paul Choudary,Platform Thinking LabsNik Willetts,CEO,TM ForumAnthony Rodrigo,CIO,AxiataDean Ramsay,Principal Analyst,TM Foruma Playbook for CEOs5 5old telco modelDetermine services to push through networkInvest in assets to build out networkDetermine business model to monetizeCREATE

14、CAPACITYEXPLOIT CAPACITYBUILD ASSETnew telco modelPartner extensively and pilot new modelsInvest in talent to build out capabilitiesManage winning business models and new innovation as portfolioINNOVATE AND PARTNERMAXIMIZE PORTFOLIOBUILD AGILITYSolution Sales ForceSolution&Go To Market Partnership D

15、igital(Developer)ExperienceVelocityCapital Effi ciency(ROIC)Procurement&Supply Chain ManagementAutomationAsset&Logistics ManagementSolution-CentricFocus on experience&valueAsset-CentricFocus on ef ciency and ROIC ServCo NetCoInfraCoConnectivity-as-a-Service provider(and related value-added services

16、e.g.multi-access edgecomputing)Network-as-a-Service provider(core network operator)Physical infrastructure provider(e.g.,towers,fi ber)(illustrative,not exhaustive)6Tower companies Towercos,which are essentially part of the infraco model,have marked the first significant wave of evolution away from

17、the integrated telco model in recent years as CSPs have sold off their tower assets.Towercos such as American Tower have acquired billions of dollars of assets from major CSP groups such as Telefnica,MTN and Verizon,making them integral to the radio access network(RAN)strategies of those operators.I

18、ndeed,towercos are hot property at the moment,attracting significantly increased market valuations in the wake of recent acquisitions.Their ability to generate revenues from the CSP community over the coming decades makes them candidates for strong margin growth,leveraging their increasingly importa

19、nt position in the operations value chain.Consolidation could also see some significant players emerging.Ooredoo and Zain in December 2023 announced they are forming the largest towers firm in the Middle East and North Africa(MENA)region by combining their assets in multiple markets into a single co

20、mpany with 30,000 sites and a value of$2.2 billion.Transferring ownership of asset-heavy RAN operations associated with towers,also means splitting out a large portion of an integrated CSPs engineering function.Network engineering and“outside plant”activity such as physical inventory and asset manag

21、ement are expensive and time-consuming disciplines.Outsourcing these to tower company specialists removes a sizable slice of opex for CSPs,along with the trouble of maintenance routines,making divestment of tower assets very attractive.Fiber companiesFibercos own vast fiber optic networks and lease

22、capacity to CSPs on a wholesale basis,making them key partners for both fixed network service providers and ISPs.The value of fibercos to the telecoms ecosystem is that the vast capex and time needed to lay fiber cabling be that through city streets or across ocean floors can be avoided by using the

23、 leasing companies.This allows CSPs to provide services to customers where they do not have any points of presence in their own networks.7CSPs ongoing decommissioning of copper networks is being accelerated by energy-saving strategies for both cost and sustainability targets(see chapter 4).Replacing

24、 copper with fiber optic cabling is being done through CSPs own deployments and by leasing fiber from third-party specialists.The mix,however,is shifting,with more leased fiber being used to close new B2B deals,often in“last mile”connections for FTTx services.Data center companiesData center compani

25、es lease space for servers in their premises to enterprises,webscalers and CSPs.Theyre instrumental in multi-cloud and edge deployments and are evolving towards active service providers by offering their tenants storage,compute and connectivity services.The move to cloud-native IT lessens CSPs direc

26、t dependency on data center companies,but it is still an essential piece of the telco operations puzzle as cloud service providers also use third-party hosting facilities.As such,the need for data center space is actually rising as the telecoms industry migrates to the cloud.The uptake of edge techn

27、ologies also requires greater geographical distribution of network edge assets,so smaller satellite data centers are becoming more prevalent to meet such needs.The power is in the ecosystemAny one of the partners we have outlined can help a CSP to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of its opera

28、tions.However,the real impact is being realized in the mix of partnerships.Partner ecosystem management has traditionally been a challenge for CSPs,but it is becoming a genuine focus for many as they aim to rid themselves of the challenges of the past to become more like digital-native companies.In

29、the next chapter we look in detail at the benefits of the neutral host ecosystem.Read our report,Partner ecosystems:who does what and can CSPs compete for more?REPORTAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystDawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorTM Forum|May 2023who does what and can CSPs compete for more?pa

30、rtner ecosystems:8CHAPTER 2the benefits of a multi-tenant modelBy having multiple tenants on a single host,network build cost structures can be significantly reorganized and improved.In addition,CSPs can benefit by not having to focus on the complexities of infrastructure deployment and focus on bus

31、iness innovation and providing the best services to their customers.New business opportunities can be scaled without huge time and financial investment,meaning a“fail fast”strategy can be adopted for speculative new service models.Recent analysis for our Digital Transformation Tracker 7 report shows

32、 that CSPs are still considering becoming providers of services“beyond connectivity”,but that a quarter of those surveyed also aspire to be best-in-class connectivity providers around their core capabilities(see chart).As such,we are seeing efforts from many CSPs to double down on network evolution

33、moving the network to the cloud from both a technology and an architectural standpoint.What CSPs believe they should aspire to becomeTM Forum,2023What CSPs believe they should aspire to become201820222023Full digital service provider ofering a variety of end-to-end servicesPlatform provider working

34、with partners to bring services to marketMulti-play operator(fixed,mobile,TV,broadband)partnering with internet companies&other digital service providersBest-in-class connectivity provider(fixed,mobile,IoT)24%15%19%20%19%36%14%13.5%16%42%52.5%30%TM Forum,20239But by harnessing the multi-tenant model

35、 provided by neutral hosts,CSPs can achieve multiple cost,scale and agility benefits for their business without always owning the network or infrastructure.Using shared infrastructure leased from neutral hosts,CSPs can significantly reduce capex when establishing new service models,expanding geograp

36、hical presence or upgrading existing network technology.Instead of individually deploying and maintaining infrastructure,they can share the costs with multiple tenants.This model significantly reduces the financial burden of building and managing your own network assets.It also lessens the environme

37、ntal impact of multiple overlay networks competing on performance and availability.Scale and flexibilityThe multi-tenant model enables CSPs to scale their operations rapidly without large upfront investments.By sharing infrastructure,they can expand their network footprint or service offerings as ne

38、eded,without the need for extensive individual infrastructure deployments.The ability to scale rapidly and adapt easily towards new opportunities is a characteristic of the techco future that many CSPs are defining in their growth strategies.The flexibility to pursue new opportunities is something t

39、hat CSPs demand in all new operational frameworks.Realizing this ambition when it comes to infrastructure is easier if you can simply end the lease on a series of assets or shift to another configuration from your neutral host partners.Business agility and InnovationNeutral hosts can allow operators

40、 to allocate more resources and focus to innovation,development and customer experience excellence.Building agility in this way will allow them to respond quickly to market demands and introduce new services,accelerating time to market.One of the central themes we see in our industry collaboration g

41、roups at TM Forum is operators driving three central tenets of operations transformation:simplification,modernization and automation.The aim of all three is to drive business agility and the ability to innovate.The flexibility to pursue new opportunities is something that CSPs demand in all new oper

42、ational frameworks10Resource optimizationThe multi-tenant model allows CSPs to optimize resource allocation,avoiding costly unused overhead that is built into all telco networks.Overhead is a buffer of network capacity and resources that can be called upon in times of high demand,but also may never

43、be used.Using shared resources such as towers,data centers and fiber optic networks efficiently without overcommitting to individual infrastructure can drive this shift towards building a better model for more optimized overhead.In conjunction with cloud networks,tracking the use of virtualized and

44、physical resources in real time,and modernized operational support system functions like service assurance,CSPs can make significant gains on traditional network models.Boosting revenue growth strategiesWith reduced infrastructure concerns,CSPs can channel their efforts into innovating and diversify

45、ing their service portfolios in line with their overarching drive to re-ignite revenue growth.This is the first phase for CSPs in the neutral host ecosystem.Some CSPs,including Orange,Vodafone and Oi Brazil,are setting up their own neutral host business units,opening up their infrastructure to rival

46、s to generate additional revenue.Oranges tower business Totem,for example,has landed some interesting contracts including Marseilles Vlodrome stadium where it provides indoor 5G over a distributed antenna system(DAS)deployment.The DAS infrastructure is open to multiple MNOs,and Bouygues Tlcom,Free M

47、obile and SFR have all connected to the platform to offer 5G to their customers within the stadium.Indeed,sharing of network assets in the 5G era could be an appealing revenue generation model for the coming decades.The uptake of service models like software-defined wide area networking(SD-WAN)on th

48、e B2B side and fixed wireless access(FWA)on the consumer side are catalyzing more complex shared infrastructure strategies with the ultimate aim of all partners driving better network usage and return on investments.In the next chapter we look at the ability of neutral hosts to aid the shift to tech

49、co business models.With reduced infrastructure concerns,CSPs can channel their efforts into innovating and diversifying their service portfolios in line with their overarching drive to re-ignite revenue growth11CHAPTER 3catalyzing CSPs business diversification ambitionsOur analysis has shown that th

50、e next decade of telecoms revenue growth will almost certainly come from B2B services and that telcos cannot go it alone to realize those new business opportunities many will require partner ecosystems.Neutral hosts can play a crucial role in enabling CSPs to diversify their business models and esta

51、blish new revenue streams.Following are some of the most common strategic moves we are seeing in this evolution.Facilitating B2B ecosystemsNeutral hosts can help CSPs build an operations platform model,with many partners collaborating within an ecosystem to mutual benefit.By sharing infrastructure,t

52、elecoms firms can form partnerships with diverse entities such as enterprises,content providers,hyperscaler cloud service providers and IoT service providers.This collaboration fosters B2B opportunities,enabling telecoms companies to offer specialized services tailored to different industries.Addres

53、sing the glacial pace of telecomsOne of the key challenges for CSPs is putting together“packages”to bring new services to market in hours rather than weeks or months.These packages may include network infrastructure,software stacks,service design and definitions,business processes and so on.The focu

54、s of IT components for the past decade has been speed and agility,with migration to the cloud and open,composable architectures.The infrastructure piece of the puzzle is more prone to sluggish deployment timelines,but neutral hosts can address this.One example is Verizon collaborating with Crown Cas

55、tle,a neutral host provider,to deploy small cells for its 5G network.This partnership allows Verizon to leverage Crown Castles existing infrastructure without deploying its own equipment in a highly distributed RAN model,reducing the time needed for small cell installations in urban locations.5G 12d

56、ensification is proving a challenge for many operators,so leveraging the scale of a company like Crown Castle to shorten the timeline to achieve mass 5G small-cell antenna coverage makes a great deal of sense.Edge and IoT capabilitiesNeutral hosts can play a significant role in providing high-end ac

57、tive connectivity in other words the provisioning of services enabling enterprises to access data-intensive applications.For example,they can help to facilitate edge computing deployments by providing the necessary infrastructure and connectivity so CSPs can pursue new service models like cloud gami

58、ng.CSPs can also leverage infraco relationships to offer edge services to enterprises rather than building the edge networks and resources themselves enabling faster data processing and supporting IoT applications.Edge services are being hailed by CSPs as a way to unlock critical,latency-sensitive a

59、nd data-consuming applications in industries including healthcare,logistics,automotive,airline and manufacturing.Tower companies can use their broad geographical reach to open up new opportunities for CSPs,while data center companies can help operators to expand their services from larger centralize

60、d data centers to smaller distributed edge facilities.As-a-service modelsAs CSPs transition towards a platform-as-a-service(PaaS)model,the role of neutral hosts becomes less passive and more as a provider of active offerings.This allows CSPs to provide infrastructure-based services to enterprise cus

61、tomers of all shapes and sizes,including startups,SMEs,or even other telecoms entities,generating additional revenue streams beyond traditional connectivity offerings.These can take the form of an infrastructure-as-a-service(IaaS)model for CSPs or enterprises for example,dark fiber leasing or a PaaS

62、 model,where infracos in a similar business model to webscalers offer an active network as a platform on which CSPs can provide their content and services to consumers and enterprises.The evolution from infracos offering simple colocation facilities through to PaaS offerings is a long road,but the r

63、ealization of that ambition will signify a gear change in ecosystem interactions for CSPs.The integration piece of the partner ecosystem play has always been a difficult prospect for CSPs;a PaaS solution will remove many of those barriers.In the next chapter we look at the sustainability benefits of

64、 the neutral host model.Read our report IoT at the edge:taking opportunities beyond connectivity to find out more:REPORTSponsored by:Author:Editor:ISBN:at the edge:taking opportunities beyond connectivityIoTMay 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponso

65、red by:Edge services are being hailed by CSPs and neutral hosts as a way to unlock critical,latency-sensitive and data-consuming applications13CHAPTER 4environmental benefits of the neutral host modelThe neutral host model can make an environmentally responsible alternative to the traditional method

66、s of infrastructure deployment,where individual operators build overlaying and overlapping networks and points of presence.Most large telco groups have made carbon-neutral commitments such as Oranges Net Zero Carbon by 2040 pledging ambitious new levels of environmental responsibility.Neutral hosts

67、can contribute to these commitments through several key mechanisms.Consolidating infrastructure minimizes redundant assets,such as towers,cabling,servers and so on.Fewer duplicate pieces of infrastructure translate directly to reduced material usage and a smaller environmental footprint.However,asse

68、ssing a CSPs carbon footprint is complex,with up to 80%of that carbon production existing in Scope 3 emissions generated through the supply chain and partner ecosystems.Consequently,a joint effort on environmental responsibility is needed,including the management of asset groupings from neutral host

69、s.The graphic on the next page shows how leased assets,including those from neutral hosts,fit into the telecoms supply chain in terms of indirect emissions.Despite the sustainability advantages that neutral hosts can bring,CSPs still need to track and measure their Scope 3 emissions if they are to m

70、eet environmental targets.14TM Forum,2022(source:ESI Monitor)15Energy efficiency in networksShared infrastructure allows for better optimization of resources.By pooling resources like towers and data centers,neutral hosts can optimize IT planning and design strategies to improve energy efficiency an

71、d adopt more effective dimensioning.Dimensioning is the process of calculating the appropriate power equipment for a site given its characteristics,a process in which many neutral hosts have become experts as their profit margins rely on their energy usage cost structure.As such we are seeing the em

72、ergence of tower companies and other hosts using techniques such as off-grid power sourcing,battery usage during peak power tariff hours,and site clustering to reduce overall load.Read our reports for an in-depth look at CSPs sustainability strategies:In the next chapter we look at some of the chall

73、enges facing neutral host deployments.REPORTAuthor:Joanne Taafe,Editor in Chief,InformEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor TM Forum|December 2023the sustainable telco:navigating the maze of scope 3 emissionsAuthor:Joanne Taaffe,Editor in Chief,InformEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorISBN:978-1-955998-41-3Sp

74、onsored by:labsknowledgecode+frameworkstraining+accreditation50 shades of green:using data to drive sustainabilityREPORTAuthor:Joanne Taafe,Editor in Chief,InformEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor,TM ForumSponsored by:thesustainable telco:engineeringnetworks for net zeroDecember 2022|inform.tmforum.org

75、16CHAPTER 5some challenges facing neutral hostsIn this e-book we have focused on many of the benefits of the neutral host model,but there are also challenges facing companies that choose to become part of this growing ecosystem.Many of these are common to challenges in other aspects of the telecoms

76、market.Perhaps the most pressing of these challenges and something which is growing as data privacy attracts greater scrutiny is regulatory compliance.Neutral hosts that operate across multiple regions and countries need to adhere to strict regulatory frameworks that can be extremely complex,with se

77、vere consequences for failures.Another challenge which is taken away from CSPs switching to the neutral host model is financing asset-heavy operations.The sudden growth of towerco businesses,for example,has required hundreds of billions of dollars of private investment worldwide to give those compan

78、ies the capital they need to scale at pace.While the business model is currently seen as relatively secure,managing the investment needs against demand for neutral host services is a precision activity that will grow as the model scales up.On a more granular level,maintenance is a central challenge

79、for infracos in particular.Indeed,we are seeing evidence of engineers from CSPs migrating to infracos to follow roles away from the integrated traditional telco and towards neutral hosts.Field engineering within a CSP has often been a relatively inefficient function due to the complex and piecemeal

80、nature of engineering tasks.As a consequence we are seeing investment from infracos into software such as physical inventory and geographic information system(GIS)technology to optimize truck rolls,site visits across all deployments,and maintenance activities.The sudden growth of towerco businesses

81、has required hundreds of billions of dollars of private investment to give those companies the capital they need to scale at pace17Adopting a standardized approachEnsuring interoperability among different carrier networks and technologies is also a major challenge that is crucial for neutral hosts.A

82、chieving integration between various IT systems and technologies deployed by different carriers can be intricate,requiring a standardized approach.TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA)aims to replace traditional operational and business support systems(OSS/BSS)with a modern,cloud-native approach

83、to building software for the telecoms industry.The goal is to create a standardized software marketplace where CSPs can easily procure Lego-like IT components that can be plugged into their operations environments and managed autonomously.This speeds innovation and service creation,improves customer

84、 experience and reduces operating costs.The goal is to define standardized,interoperable and reusable software components that are organized loosely into coupled domains.The components expose business services through Open APIs,which are built on a common data model.In the final chapter we offer som

85、e simple steps for CSPs to help them succeed with neutral host partnerships.Achieving integration between various IT systems and technologies deployed by different carriers can be intricate,requiring a standardized approach18CHAPTER 6key steps to successNeutral hosts are becoming increasingly import

86、ant to the telecoms industrys operational landscape as the focus shifts from a capex-intensive model to one that is focused on opex.But what steps can CSPs take now to get the most from this ecosystem?Assess your own capabilities.Reviewing and measuring internal assets and capabilities around the ne

87、twork is key to understanding your business needs for the future.For example,if a CSPs own data center network is a large drain on human resources and is expensive to run,an outsourced alternative may be a better fit for the next phase of evolution.In addition,the CSP can sell existing infrastructur

88、e facilities for a short-term financial boost.Establish primary partners.We are seeing the emergence of highly-scaled partnerships in the neutral host space,such as the one between Telefnica and American Tower,where a deep relationship is beneficial for both parties.CSPs should,however,aim to make m

89、ultiple ecosystem connections,both to keep market competition healthy and to provide themselves with different options.Author:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystSponsored by:labsknowledgecode+frameworkstraining+accreditationoperationalmaking thembenchmarks:telecoms businessesfit for futureRead our research on

90、 operational benchmarks to find out more about assessing operator capabilities:19Consider delayering.As described in chapter 1,delayering of the operations structure for integrated CSPs can have evolutional benefits.But this doesnt necessarily mean structural separation where the different layers be

91、come individual corporate entities.The first step to delayering is to ensure full interoperability between the layers via Open APIs and open architectures such as TM Forums Open Digital Architecture.Include a neutral host element in new network plans.CSPs should shift from filling in the gaps in any

92、 new network deployment plan with outsourced infrastructure,to making the option native to new builds.In this way operators can work with their neutral host partners to drive new ways of working which may yield faster time to market,a reduced cost base and improved customer experience.CSPs should ma

93、ke outsourced infrastructure native to new builds to work with neutral host partners to drive new ways of working20The emergence of neutral hosts is changing the overall telecoms landscape.It is an on-going trend,with a significant amount of investment in fiber network builds,and several types of ne

94、twork infrastructure assets divested from Communications Service Providers(CSPs).In fact,there has been considerable activity in mergers and acquisitions in digital infrastructure in the past couple of years,resulting in a large volume of towers,fibers and data centers changing hands in practically

95、every region.As a result,the global build of digital infrastructure is accelerating,boosted by private equity and other types of investment funds,as well as government funding in several countries.As the neutral host market evolves,infrastructure providers are exploring“active”infrastructure sharing

96、 opportunities to diversify their businesses and seek new revenue streams,by moving up the value chain beyond the traditional“passive”asset leasing.These companies now offer new“carrier neutral”services based on comprehensive infrastructure packages.Such companies may start with co-location and powe

97、r services and move toward offering active services tailored for specific environments like urban or rural networks,stadiums,office buildings or airports.ADDITIONAL FEATURE BY NOKIAhow neutral hosts promise to shape the next generation of networksAs the neutral host market evolves,infrastructure pro

98、viders are exploring“active”infrastructure sharing opportunities 21Such services address many use cases the list of which is constantly evolving and they can be broken down into the following broad categories:Mobile connectivity as a service to provide radio coverage where it is needed,whether insid

99、e buildings or in underserved rural areas,for industrial campuses(private shared networks)or even for a wide area(at regional or country level).Fixed connectivity as a service to cover various connectivity needs such as fiber to the tower,data center interconnection,backhaul and fronthaul,and optica

100、l infrastructure connectivity.Residential broadband as a service,which represents by far the largest volume of the neutral host business today with solutions such as Fiber-To-The-Home(FTTH),Fiber-To-The-Curb(FTTC),and Fixed Wireless Access(FWA).Edge as a service,which is a growing area where Tower c

101、ompanies in particular can leverage their geographically distributed telecom sites to offer edge services such as VNF hosting,and Multi-Access Edge Computing.Active infrastructure benefitsThe expansion of the neutral host model into active infrastructure is a win-win for both digital infrastructure

102、providers and CSPs,from two different standpoints:From a network quality perspective,it enables:An increase in coverage and capacity,which is beneficial for users,especially with broadband and mobile expansion in underserved or unserved areas An improvement in indoor connectivity,which is particular

103、ly important for 5G(noting that 5G has a weak indoor penetration and 80%of data is consumed indoors)An acceleration of network coverage and densification in urban areas with neutral hosts,while complying with environmental targets.22From an economic perspective,it allows:A reduction of investment co

104、sts in infrastructure builds,allowing CSPs to move from a capex to an opex model,and focus on innovation and improving service offerings to their customers A reduction in operational costs via a shared operations model CSPs can improve their balance sheets by selling off debt-bearing assets and,as a

105、 result,get better access to capital.On the other hand,they would need to engage in long-term lease-back contracts.A strategic choiceAll things considered,this is a strategic choice for CSPs.Not all service providers are inclined to embrace a neutral host model,as some consider their infrastructure

106、as presenting a unique competitive advantage.And despite current market momentum,the neutral host market does face challenges.One aspect is a potential market slowdown due to increasing interest rates and macroeconomic uncertainties,given the sensitivity of this model to capital.Another aspect is th

107、e multi-tenancy model,where success strongly depends on securing critical tenants,possibly resulting in friction related to pricing for anchor tenants and other service providers.Finally,the reluctance of some traditional service providers to separate from their infrastructure assets and/or to use c

108、ompetitors infrastructures,could lead to a deceleration of the overall transformation.However,the neutral host market is anticipated to grow,with internal Nokia estimates suggesting that it could represent 10%of the CSP addressable market by 2025.The market disruption driven by the neutral host mode

109、l is transforming the telecoms space from a financial and business model perspective,rather than as a result of a technology race.The models ability to adapt and work with an extensive ecosystem of partners positions it as a key element in shaping the next generation of networks.Not all service prov

110、iders are inclined to embrace a neutral host model,as some consider their infrastructure as presenting a unique competitive advantage23Published by:TM Forum US office 181 New Road Suite 304 Parsippany,NJ 07054 USA Phone:+1 862-227-1648 European office TM Forum Uncommon 34-37 Liverpool Street London

111、EC2M 7PP UK Phone:+44 207 748 6615www.tmforum.orgISBN:978-1-955998-73-4 2024.The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright.All rights reserved.The Forum would like to thank the sponsors and advertisers who have enabled the publication of this fully independently researched repor

112、t.The views and opinions expressed by individual authors and contributors in this publication are provided in the writers personal capacities and are their sole responsibility.Their publication does not imply that they represent the views or opinions of TM Forum and must neither be regarded as const

113、ituting advice on any matter whatsoever,nor be interpreted as such.The reproduction of advertisements and sponsored features in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement by TM Forum of products or services referred to therein.Meet the Research&Media team Author:Dean Ramsay Practice Lead

114、 dramsaytmforum.org Chief Analyst:Mark Newman mnewmantmforum.orgHead of Operations:Ali Groves agrovestmforum.org Commercial Manager:Tim Edwards tedwardstmforum.orgEditor:Ian Kemp Managing Editor ikemptmforum.orgEditor in Chief,Inform Joanne Taaffe jtaaffetmforum.orgGlobal Account Director:Carine Vandevelde cvandeveldetmforum.orgDigital Media Coordinator:Maureen Adong madongtmforum.orgMarketing Manager:Ritika Bhateja rbhatejatmforum.org24To find out more about business ecosystems and future-fit connectivity please contact Joann OBrien