1、November 2024|www.tmforum.orgMeetingexpandedexpectationsAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditors:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorDawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorsponsored by:for networkchargingcontents03 the big picture06 section 1:rethinking the role of charging in telecoms09 section 2:what telcos ca

2、n learn from cloud metering15 section 3:whats in a modern telco charging platform?19 section 4:monetizing AI through cloud-like charging 23 section 5:make it happen strategies for modernizing charging26 additional feature:Amdocs charging confidence and ingenuity 30 additional resourcesWe hope you en

3、joy the report and,most importantly,find ways to use the ideas,concepts and recommendations detailed within.You can send your feedback to the editorial team at TM Forum via editortmforum.orgbigpicturethe3inform.tmforum.orgAs communications service providers(CSPs)strive to find new sources of growth

4、in markets like IoT,B2B2X solutions,AI-based services and network APIs,its time to rethink the role charging plays and how its delivered.This encompasses not only monetization,but also the customer experience(CX)an operator delivers,which requires a relationship that goes well beyond a monthly bill.

5、3GPP has published 5G standalone(SA)specifications to evolve charging in wireless networks,but this will not be enough to support transformation for two reasons:Charging is not limited to the 3GPP domain.Hyperscalers have proven it is an end-to-end capability that should be inherent to the entire ne

6、twork and service platform.Hyperscalers have normalized real-time CX They deliver observability into configurations,events,usage and costs,plus the ability to simulate them all before deploying configurations.The 5G SA specification does not address CX directly.Network charging and convergent chargi

7、ng may not be buzzwords in the AI and 5G era,but they are critical in telco operations.Indeed,leading hyperscale cloud providers credit their revenue growth in AI to their cloud-metering capabilities the cloud worlds version of convergent charging.4inform.tmforum.orgCSPs need to view charging more s

8、trategically as a flexible capability to monetize the use of mobile network resources and functionalities.These points reveal a key weakness for many CSPs currently:the inability to provide a single view of all usage and cost data along with self-serve controls to any user,for any service,and with d

9、ifferentiated levels of access and control permissions.Beyond simple mobile chargingTelcos with mobile networks have tended to view charging as a standard network component that is upgraded generationally with their network stacks.But in the future,they need to view charging more strategically as a

10、flexible capability to monetize the use of mobile network resources and functionalities.This necessarily should include the ability to monetize different network parameters and seamlessly integrate these into the user experience.But it also needs to cater for solutions that traverse both operators a

11、nd public-cloud networks such as IoT services,and networks where more than one supplier is involved.5inform.tmforum.orgRather than simply provisioning and authorizing accounts for prepaid access,for example,CSPs will need to charge for any sort of connectivity that might be integrated with a variety

12、 of devices and applications.These devices and applications produce data about their usage events and costs which customers want to monitor and which telcos must monetize.Charging as a value enablerIn telcos increasingly software-based and cloud-native networks,which span multiple domains for exampl

13、e,5G radio access and core,IP,and optical transport networks scalable real-time charging solutions can enable CSPs to generate new value in the form of customer experiences and revenue,in more differentiated and granular ways,just as metering does for hyperscalers.A new approach to charging could be

14、 the key to deriving growth from ecosystem-based IoT and B2B2X services,for example.Large-scale connected solutions that integrate components from 5G networks,hyperscale clouds and a range of APIs need distributed charging capabilities to scale and monetize their many different characteristics,confi

15、gurations and on-demand events.CSPs need to understand this in order to monetize the self-healing autonomous networks they are deploying.Read this report to learn:Why CSPs need to rethink network charging beyond 5G What charging needs to deliver for both monetization and CX How telcos can learn from

16、 hyperscalers approaches to cloud metering How new AI opportunities may force a charging rethink.Scalable real-time charging solutions can enable CSPs to generate new value just as metering does for hyperscalers.rethinking the role of charging in telecomssection 16inform.tmforum.orgChargings roots l

17、ie in mobile networks,with functionality often comprising usage collection,metering,rating,billing and payment processing plus reporting about each of these activities.But CSPs growth opportunities in new and more complex markets like IoT and B2B2X ecosystems is causing them to rethink mobile-centri

18、c charging.To discuss why and how charging needs to be modernized,it helps to understand the history of it in mobile networks.In addition to performing tasks like metering,rating and billing,charging systems are also important for authorizing or denying users access to the mobile network.This need,a

19、nd the resulting functional split in charging technology between online and offline architectures,originated with the advent of prepaid mobile services.Even through the 4G era,mobile charging standards specified an approach to managing the high volume of user authentications onto mobile networks tha

20、t splits prepaid and postpaid.Only prepaid was concerned with checking in real time,or near real time,whether the customer had sufficient credit to permit access to the network and services(mainly voice,text and data).In the 5G era,a compromise has been made.CSPs are rolling out 5G non-standalone(NS

21、A)technology without requiring upgrades of their charging architectures to support 5G standalone(5G SA).Indeed,5G SA charging was always intended to come last in the evolution to the new wireless technology.7inform.tmforum.orgAs a result,it is extremely early yet in the adoption cycle for the 5G SA

22、charging specification,with most operators still relying on their 4G-compliant charging stacks.But a problem with relying on 5G SA is that increasingly telcos are offering their services and solutions in conjunction with partners networks and clouds.This means that charging capabilities are needed t

23、o monetize services that will use both 5G SA and non-5G network resources.Geoff Hollingworth,CMO at Rakuten Symphony,points out that even the term charging is a misnomer.“Counting how much somebody uses of something is metering and observability,not charging,”he explains.He adds that“linking chargin

24、g evolution to standards evolution as the prime anchoring timer misses the point of the difference between commercial and technical”aspects of an operators business.The need for more sophisticated monetization capabilities exist now but may remain unmet because of the 5G SA launch schedule.Capabilit

25、ies are needed to monetize services that will use both 5G standalone and non-5G network resources.8inform.tmforum.orgFocus on flexibilityAnother major challenge in standardizing an approach to charging is trying to define what you think the world is going to deliver as a sellable object years in adv

26、ance.This concept does not make sense in the modern-day market because offerings and prices change continuously.In tech-and software-driven businesses,automated pipelines release updates regularly.What can be metered and charged for will undergo constant change as well.The answer for many operators

27、usually ties back to their legacy systems,including charging.“Traditional telcos,especially in regions like Africa where prepaid models dominate,have relied heavily on robust charging systems,”says Luqman Shantal,CEO of Makman Consulting.“So,charging systems are fundamental to business operations.Bu

28、t as the industry shifts towards IoT and B2B2X digital ecosystems,evolving these charging systems is crucial.”Adopting TM Forums Open Digital Architecture(ODA)is key to this evolution because of its ever-expanding Open API set and“robust digital ecosystem modeling”,says Shantal.He adds that because

29、ODA introduces and expands automated and intelligent network capabilities like anomaly detection and predictive performance analytics,it not only improves operational efficiency but can also support new and advanced(monetizable)usage scenarios and generate and deliver the type of granular data neede

30、d to enable real-time CX.Next,we look at how network APIs,as well as the metering innovations of hyperscalers,could introduce telcos to a new world of cloud and connectivity metering and monetization.5G SA charging benefits3GPPs 5G SA charging specification introduces several useful concepts:Elimina

31、ting the split between online and offline.This split originated with the need to support prepaid mobile yet offload postpaid metering,rating and billing from the real-time prepaid architecture.This makes sense because if you can charge and bill in real time,you can also bill at any other interval.Bu

32、t it is a complex step forward for charging architectures thats new to the entire telecoms industry.Componentizing sub-functions.Rather than specifying that charging be run through one or more monolithic system(s)that deliver all charging needs in one box,the 5G SA specification componentizes functi

33、ons and allows them to be deployed in a variety of models.Permitting adaptable and scalable architectures.The 5G SA spec also allows for a variety of approaches to how components are deployed to form a complete charging architecture.This includes mirroring the centralized 4G model most mobile operat

34、ors know and understand best,despite its limitations in supporting capabilities beyond voice,data and messaging charging and usage control.telcos can learn from cloud meteringsection 29inform.tmforum.orgAs CSPs aim to monetize new services like IoT,B2B2X and network APIs,they should consider the way

35、 hyperscalers charge and bill for their services.“Given that CSPs are putting their networks into the cloud and have this NaaS network-as-a-service vision of selling connectivity in the same way that hyperscalers sell compute,it seems completely logical that they should be exploring concepts such as

36、 cloud metering,”says TM Forum Chief Analyst Mark Newman.“The public cloud offers a valuable blueprint for the evolution of charging into a capability which enables CSPs to take a more diverse,agile approach to monetization,”says Ron Porter,Head of 5G,Network&OSS Product Marketing,at Amdocs.“What be

37、gan as simple storage services,charged based on number of megabytes,has transformed into a landscape where cloud providers leverage a variety of innovative monetization models to maximize revenue and cater to diverse customer needs.”These approaches include:usage-based pricing subscription models“fr

38、eemium”tiers hybrid pricing strategies B2B2X models incentive-based pricing customized enterprise agreements reserved capacity pricing and spot pricing for flexible workloads.10inform.tmforum.orgEach model is designed to address different customer preferences and operational demands,offering both fl

39、exibility and transparency.If CSPs are to move beyond the sale of connectivity,they must adopt similarly advanced pricing schemes to remain competitive and relevant,according to Porter.This means offering flexible and value-driven pricing that can quickly adapt to market conditions and customer expe

40、ctations.“A new,flexible and dynamic approach to charging will also enable operators to experiment,fail fast and iterate not only on the offering themselves but also the monetization strategies,”he says.Network APIs are a good example of a service that could benefit from an approach similar to cloud

41、 metering.A new joint venture of 12 of the worlds leading operators plans to sell network APIs globally,aiming to tap a market that IDC says will reach$6.7 billion by 2028.The venture aims to give customers and developers self-service,developer-level access to connectivity provisioning,quality of se

42、rvice(QoS)controls,security mechanisms,and user authentication within applications.Network APIs are a good example of a service that could benefit from an approach similar to cloud metering.11inform.tmforum.orgHyperscalers view cloud metering as a driver of revenue growth,enabling them to monetize n

43、ew services.This should enable developers to generate more pragmatic and deployable 5G use cases for businesses and consumers.The hope among the partners is that this innovation will lead to return on telcos 5G investments,which so far has proven elusive.But the joint venture is subject to regulator

44、y approvals.Another potential issue for the group is that it is 5G centric,which risks missing the bigger market opportunity.But it could avoid this pitfall with a charging architecture similar to cloud metering which would meter solutions end to end and would not be limited to the 5G or 5G SA netwo

45、rk domain alone.What is cloud metering?Hyperscalers view cloud metering as a driver of revenue growth.Not only does it enable them to monetize new services and differentiated workloads efficiently and immediately,like those made possible by new AI capabilities(see section 4),but it also powers the C

46、X capabilities that have raised customers expectations for observability across services,usage,events and costs.In the simplest terms,cloud metering is how a cloud service provider measures,monetizes and reports live usage,event and cost data to users.In the strict sense,metering is measuring resour

47、ce usage and events.Resources were once limited to elements like minutes,texts and kilobytes but now can span storage,compute,latency,QoS management and many other characteristics that might define an event or a differentiated sort of workload or usage.“Cloud metering is charging,”says Rick Lievano,

48、CTO,Worldwide Telecommunications Industry,at Microsoft.“What are the resources?What do you consume?And how fast are you consuming it?Every Azure product has a specific meter with it that determines what you are measuring and what you charge for that.”In the hyperscale world,meters are defined to col

49、lect usage data for specific types of services.This data can then be rated and billed appropriately,but its done in real time(or close to it)and shared through a live dashboard with the customer,rather than being provided monthly as a post-facto invoice.Types of metersAll three major hyperscale clou

50、d service providers Amazon Web Services(AWS),Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure use a range of compute,storage,and connection meters to measure and report in real time or near real time.As we illustrate in our graphics on the next page,these meters cover factors including utilization,usage volume,perf

51、ormance and events,any of which could be monetized from a granular usage basis to an all-you-can-eat subscription model.Five simple examples of compute meters,in this case used in AWS,are shown on the next page.12inform.tmforum.orgCompute meters can support monetization of resource consumption.Every

52、 resource in the cloud environment can be monetized.Compute hours measures the total hours of compute resources that are running,such as for AWS EC2 instances.CPU utilization monitors the percentage of CPU resources compute instances consume.I/O operations meters the number of input/output operation

53、s performed by storage volumes.Data Transfer measures the amount of data transferred in and out of compute instances.Memory usage tracks how much memory is consumed per duration.Three common attributes among these different types of compute meters are that they measure resource consumption or availa

54、bility,can support monetization of that resource consumption,and are about as granular as is practical to measure.As a result,however,they leave nothing on the bone every resource or event in the cloud environment could be monetized.Five simple examples of storage meters,in this case used in Google

55、Cloud,include:Storage bytes measures the total bytes of data stored.Object count records the number of files or objects that are stored.Bandwidth meters how much data is transferred in and out of storage.Download requests records the total number of download requests for stored objects.Storage utili

56、zation monitors the amount of storage capacity used,by percentage.Storage meters demonstrate how value is ascribed to resource consumption at any level and makes that consumption available for monetization,even if its on a less granular basis,like per-GB pricing.13inform.tmforum.orgExamples of conne

57、ctivity meters,used in the Microsoft Azure cloud,are illustrated below.Connection monitor measures end-to-end connections for Azure and hybrid cloud deployments.Network performance monitor meters network performance factors like latency,jitter and packet loss across both Azure and on-premises networ

58、ks.ExpressRoute circuit meter measures data transfer and usage for private connections that link Azure data centers with customers on-premises infrastructure.VPN gateway meter measures data transfer and connections metrics for virtual private network(VPN)gateways that provide secure connectivity acr

59、oss premises.Azure firewall meter measures traffic and security metrics for Azure firewall usage and events.Load balancer meter measures load-balancing metrics like data processes and performance probe status.Traffic manager meter measures endpoint health and performance of traffic routing.Applicati

60、on gateway meter measures application gateway events and characteristics like requests,response time and throughput.Azure front door meter measures request counts,data transfers and latency.Virtual network gateway meter measures data transfers and connection status of virtual network gateways.Meteri

61、ng is part of the CXThough every metric a meter collects or monitors may not be chargeable,the ability to monitor and report usage live at a granular level is part and parcel of the hyperscalers CX.A live dashboard shows customers what they are consuming in real time or close enough with the ability

62、 to drill down to granular detail.Because of this granularity,hyperscalers are prepared to cater to customers at levels that exceed practical application at least today.As a result,they are able to tap new monetization opportunities.Modeling costs for customersOne CX feature that telcos typically la

63、ck is the ability to model,simulate and cost-optimize largescale solutions before and certainly after the customer has deployed them.A CX feature telcos typically lack is the ability to model,simulate and cost-optimize solutions before and after the customer has deployed them.14inform.tmforum.orgFor

64、 example,before rolling out a secure,multi-site connectivity configuration that links a companys main office with its factories and transportation center,the company should be able to simulate exactly how much compute,storage and connectivity resources will be consumed under different load condition

65、s such as during business hours versus weekends,and busy holiday times versus the off-season.As a result,the company has a clear view of how much the multi-site solution will cost before launching it,while also simulating different configurations to find the best balance of cost and performance.This

66、 type of simulation capability is also important for solutions like IoT,B2B2X,Industry 4.0 and network APIs.“Industry 4.0 goes beyond telco infrastructure,”Lievano explains.It extends to partners and other parties that contribute solution components.This means complexity at scale,but every usage typ

67、e and event should be accounted for and potentially monetized.Lievano suggests that for any company that wants to sell more“high-value”solutions to enterprises,“its going to be very hard to do without that cost modeling capability.”In the next section,we look at what a modern charging solution needs

68、 to deliver and how the telecoms charging and cloud metering worlds integrate through TM Forums ODA.Industry 4.0 goes beyond telco infrastructure and extends to partners and solutions providers.15inform.tmforum.orgsection 3whats in a modern telco charging platform?16inform.tmforum.orgAt baseline,mod

69、ern charging needs to provide live observability and metering coupled with rating and access control.In addition,any architecture must be able to span the environments that complex solutions can traverse,or from which they can consume a variety of resources,typically via APIs.But remember that charg

70、ing is a broad term that speaks to a variety of charging components,events and interactions among different parties in a transaction or involved in the delivery of a complete solution.From a TM Forum Open Digital Architecture(ODA)perspective,a variety of Open APIs are relevant to chargings roles in

71、monetization,metering and access control,and yet not all are charging functions themselves.The breakout of API capabilities shown on the right demonstrates both the complexity involved in establishing charging processes,rules and procedures and the ability for Open APIs to organize them logically in

72、to manageable components.This is also where charging architectures of telecoms operators and hyperscalers metering capabilities can come together seamlessly.“From an ODA perspective,all I need to integrate what the hyperscalers do with cloud metering,even at a very granular level,is some information

73、 passed to the appropriate charging-related APIs about what parameters are being metered and how they are rated,”explains TM Forum CTO George Glass.Open APIs facilitate charging and meteringTMF635Usage Management:Provides a standardized mechanism for usage management such as creation,update,retrieva

74、l,import and export of a collection of usages.Manages rated and non-rated usage.TMF651 Agreement:API provides a standardized mechanism for managing agreements,especially in the context of partnerships between partners.TMF654 Prepay Balance Management:Includes model definition and all available opera

75、tions for prepay balance management including multiple recharge channels and balance transfer across accounts.TMF670 Payment Method Management:Supports the frequently used payment methods for the customer to choose and pay the usage,including voucher card,coupon and money transfer.TMF676 Payment Man

76、agement:Provides a standard client interface to payment systems for notifying about performed payments or refunds.TMF677 Usage Consumption Management:Provides real-time value of customer consumption within subscribed communication product buckets.TMF685 Resource Pool Management:Provides a resource r

77、eservation feature in the pre-order phase to reserve physical,logical and virtual products within a resource pool.TMF688 Event Management:Provides a standard interface to the enterprise event-management system tocreate,manageand receiveservice-relatedevents and driveautomation.TMF723 Policy Manageme

78、nt:Uses the event-condition-action(ECA)definition where event triggers the invocation of the rule and condition is a logical test to trigger actions including updates or invocations on the local data.TMF735 CDR Transaction Management:API goal is to manage CDR transactions that define how revenue sha

79、re is calculated,billed and paid between an enterprise with one or more other parties.TMF738-Revenue Sharing Model Management:API goal is to manage revenue-sharing models that define how revenue is shared by an enterprise with one or more other parties.TMF771-Resource Usage Management:Provides a sta

80、ndard mechanism for resource usage management such as the creation,update,retrieval,import and export of a collection of usages.TMF727 Service Usage Management:Provides a standard mechanism for service usage management such as the creation,update,retrieval,import and export of a collection of servic

81、e usages.17inform.tmforum.orgSome Open APIs allow for the needed degree of granularity to measure,rate,control and monetize complex combinations of on-net and off-net resources,services and products.Others facilitate related interactions,like managing and reporting the revenue share among partners i

82、n a multi-component solution.“ODA was designed to anticipate and adapt to change,”explains Glass.He adds that although todays fast-growing AI market was not predicted specifically,ODA was designed with the expectation that new types of services,relationships and monetization models would emerge;that

83、 these would be very different from telcos historic models;and that making them easy to componentize,integrate and monetize was necessary.This foresight could prove critical in CSPs ability to capitalize on AI growth as hyperscalers have.What should charging do?As CSPs modernize support systems,char

84、ging architectures will continue to have core responsibilities that carry forward from previous generations and remain relevant to many CSPs businesses.Some of these are outlined opposite.While most of the functions listed are common to charging platforms,the advanced capabilities are different beca

85、use they span the intent of the 5G SA charging specification and hyperscalers metering capabilities.Service monetization&access control Service bundling Prepaid and postpaid convergence Real-time balance updates Event-based charging Usage-based billing Subscription management Roaming chargesCore cha

86、rging Customer notifications Customer self-service Real-time promotions Spending controls Fraud detection Credit control Real-time analyticsCustomer-facing Network slicing Quality of Service(QoS)differentiation IoT usage and control API monetization Dynamic pricingAdvanced capabilities18inform.tmfor

87、um.orgDynamic pricing comes into play in two ways for telecoms service providers.Firstly,in the same way that companies like Amazon and Uber use demand-based pricing algorithms to raise and lower prices automatically based on live measurements of demand,those kinds of capabilities could be provided

88、to a customer of an IoT,B2B2X or AI solution.Secondly,take the example of multicomponent solutions that combine one or more virtual or physical device(s),mash up several API calls and traverse more than one operators network.If those are to be assembled or instantiated automatically,or better yet au

89、tonomously,configurations would be priced dynamically especially in the process of simulating and pre-approving the costs before deployment.Speed and simplicity are key But whichever way a CSP steers its charging architecture,one of the most crucial steps is to make it as usable as possible.One of t

90、he weaknesses legacy charging platforms can carry forward is how much time is required to make needed changes.In the modern world,updates to rules or pricing information that impact charging functions are made for the purpose of impacting the marketplace competitively.This is why low code/no code ap

91、proaches are favored for business functions like defining workflows and pricing tables.At once it helps to eliminate a bottleneck,a point of misinterpretation between IT and the business,and a delay in responding to marketplace changes.This is also a common area for the application of AI and machine

92、 learning tools,because AI helps analysts to take on complex variables and suggest rule sets and changes based on interpreted intents.A next step in the charging future for AI may be to help overcome even greater degrees of multi-component solution complexity.As more solutions are automated and the

93、development pipelines supporting their subcomponents are automated as well,it may become AIs job to define what any new component is,how to deliver and assure it,and therefore how to meter and monetize it.Architecture and functionality lists aside,the big difference between how CSPs typically approa

94、ch charging and the business model of hyperscalers is the customer experience.In an interview given on background for this report,a Fortune 100 C-level executive with responsibility for managing both hyperscaler and telecoms service provider relationships,revealed a major gap between the two experie

95、nces.Hyperscale partners are involved directly in the business day to day,the executive said.They communicate that involvement through a live dashboard with detailed costs,usage metrics and related controls.Everything they meter can be surfaced,made observable,monetized and displayed live to the cus

96、tomer at any level of the organization.By contrast,the telecoms connectivity provider sends a monthly bill.And someone in accounting pays it.The difference,ultimately,is in how they approach charging.In the next section,we examine how AI may create revenue growth opportunities that hinge on CSPs abi

97、lity to perform hyperscale-type metering.One of the weaknesses legacy charging platforms can carry forward is how much time is required to make needed changes.monetizing AI through cloud-like chargingsection 419inform.tmforum.orgAI and generative AI(GenAI)will have a transformative impact both on th

98、e deployment of new charging systems and on the new products,services and value propositions that CSPs take to market.“AI has long been a driver of process automation and cost reduction,and GenAI amplifies this capability,”says Porter at Amdocs.When it comes specifically to the charging function,Gen

99、AI allows for a more agile and business-driven configuration of new plans and pricing models.For example,a CSP could use GenAI to help create customized service plans that are based on a customers specific usage and requirements.It can do this by analyzing data from customers usage patterns,preferen

100、ces and behavior.It can also enable the CSP to introduce real-time dynamic pricing models that are based on the availability of,and demand for,network resources(for example,lower prices could be offered when network usage is low).Predictive algorithms could adjust pricing based on forecasts of netwo

101、rk load,service demand or seasonal factors,leading to flexible,demand-driven pricing structures.CSPs will also,increasingly,embed AI and GenAI within the products and services they offer their consumer and business customers.When these services generate incremental traffic there is the opportunity f

102、or CSPs with modern charging systems to charge for and monetize them.As these technologies require significant compute resources often hosted in the cloud or at the network edge,connectivity becomes essential to their delivery placing CSPs in a unique position to offer comprehensive,20inform.tmforum

103、.orgAI-powered service bundles.The pricing models for these scenarios extend far beyond traditional prepaid and post-paid structures,opening up new monetization opportunities.By integrating AI and GenAI,CSPs can not only reduce their operational costs but also generate new revenue streams,positionin

104、g themselves as leaders in the growing AI services market while delivering cutting-edge solutions to their customers.“We see charging as providing the critical lens through which value is captured from early service deployments,with AI capabilities enabling prediction and automation of new monetizat

105、ion opportunities,”says Sarit Assaf,general manager of Amdocs Technologys New Tech business unit.On the next page are five examples of AI-driven workloads that are predicted to generate traffic and therefore present an opportunity to charge for and monetize them on telco networks:GenAI allows for a

106、more agile and business-driven configuration of new charging plans and pricing models.21inform.tmforum.orgUsing GenAI to streamline network operations.Even with an initial focus on internal operations,AI workloads can generate traffic on a CSPs networks.AI models used for network optimization,which

107、perform forecasts using predictive KPIs and automate fault detection and resolution,require data and real-time or near-real-time communications.Enhancing CX with GenAI.An early focus for most retail and B2B businesses,including CSPs,has been using AI to improve and personalize CX,and specifically to

108、 deliver better automated chatbots.These interactions are becoming more sophisticated,adding more automation and enabling deeper conversations around more complex customer needs and troubleshooting.The movement of data to facilitate these AI-based interactions generates traffic for CSPs,more of whic

109、h will become sensitive to latency factors given users expectations for real-time responsiveness.IoT device management.IoT is expanding market opportunities for CSPs and driving increases in traffic.IoT,utilizing AI,scales the capacity to gather and analyze substantially more data,such as in industr

110、ial-scale sensor networks.As a consequence,better connectivity is needed to deliver live device monitoring and support preventive maintenance with accurate predictions and forecasts for 24 x 7 production operations.AI data centers.Connecting AI data centers is a baseline need for turning AI visions

111、into reality.It is perhaps the lowest hanging fruit for CSPs in the AI market.To capitalize on it,however,Chris Penrose,Nvidias Global VP of Business Development argues that telcos will need“AI-powered networks and APIs”to“enable the ecosystem to plug in”.Multicloud AI.A big next step in AI maturity

112、 for any enterprise is moving beyond AI product or vendor silos to multicloud fabrics.In this setting,an enterprise view of how the entire organization consumes cloud,AI,connectivity and other resources is needed.CSPs can be positioned to provide that view and monetize growing connectivity needs for

113、 multicloud services.Nathan Bell,Partner in Kearneys digital practice,suggests that just as“some telcos were successful with cloud of clouds”business models,where they could aggregate the services of multiple clouds for their customers,CSPs similarly could present“different hyperscaler platforms rat

114、es dynamically to customers combined with controls to manage compute resources,and costs,for AI use cases”.An enterprise view of how the entire organization consumes cloud,AI,connectivity and other resources is needed.22inform.tmforum.orgBell admits there are steps“to validate that an AI agent and u

115、nderlying LLM could actually work on different cloud platforms”as well as a cultural change around metering.“Telcos can actually provide real-time tracking of utilization,but they dont because it would create a culture of how to minimize the traffic I consume each month,instead of highlighting how t

116、elcos could add value,”Bell says.Bell adds that CSPs may be concerned that they will face pushback in the market if or when they begin differentiating how they meter and bill for new types of connectivity usage.“Hyperscalers already charge for some aspects of cloud on a metering basishence in the cu

117、lture of their business model,its a known quantity,”he argues.When hyperscalers roll out new services that are metered similarly to their other services,customers are not phased.“But if telcos tried to do this,”Bell argues,“there could be an uproar and a perception of gouging the market.”Monetizatio

118、n is the obvious and necessary next step CSPs must take in the AI market.They need to move beyond internal operations projects and position themselves to profit from the historic and explosive growth in AI and the connectivity AI solutions require.To meter,monetize and control access to or charge fo

119、r connectivity supporting differentiated AI workloads,operators will need to adapt their charging infrastructures substantially.The goal is to be able to meter and monetize a new range of consumed connectivity resources as well as related events and capabilities that underpin AI solutions and worklo

120、ads.These could include guaranteed quality of service(QoS),autonomous self-healing events,ultra-low latency guarantees and security characteristics.Looking at charging in this way is not only substantially different than what was imagined for the 4G environment,but it also exceeds the market vision

121、that resulted in the 5G SA charging specification.Although the specification is a significant step beyond 4G in charging architecture and functionality,it was not originally designed to anticipate the novel developments rapidly emerging from the AI market.CSPs will need more from their monetization

122、infrastructure,and more from charging,than whats included in the 5G SA specification to capitalize on growth opportunities.In the final section we outline some steps CSPs can take towards meeting expanded expectations for network charging.CSPs may be concerned that they will face pushback in the mar

123、ket if they begin differentiating how they meter and bill for new types of connectivity usage.23inform.tmforum.orgsection 5make it happen strategies for modernizing charging24inform.tmforum.orgMost CSPs still have charging solutions and architectures that were designed for 4G mobile networks.Given t

124、he rapid growth of services based in clouds,connected via APIs and powered with AI,it is time to rethink charging capabilities as part of a much-needed focus on monetization.A major shift in telecoms charging strategies is necessary,given the digital disruption and emergence of AI in global telecoms

125、 markets.Makman Consultings Luqman Shantal says that shift will often focus on a“transition from mobile-centric charging to a more integrated approach to drive growth in new markets”.Based on advice from experts interviewed for his report,here are several steps CSPs can take to rethink their chargin

126、g architectures and the customer experiences they power.Borrow from hyperscale metering concepts“TM Forum is moving away from traditional OSS/BSS terms,”says Shantal,and is adopting the language“to align with modern platform and e-commerce models”.He encourages CSPs to embrace platform models so the

127、y can“offer modular and flexible services,similar to hyperscalers”.He adds that“hyperscalers like Google and Microsoft have long invested in flexible metering infrastructures”,and this is what enabled them“to swiftly adapt to AI-driven workloads”.This kind of monetization flexibility is something“te

128、lecoms must emulateto stay competitive”,Shantal says.Provide visibility and controlFuture charging platforms need to provide more visibility and control over resource consumption and costs than telcos typically provide.The underlying technology needs to generate data that shows users in real time wh

129、at is happening on a live dashboard.That will allow customers to manage performance,quality of service,and efficiency.Let customers project their costs Another major advantage hyperscale providers have normalized,and which combines CX and monetization,is modeling.They allow customers to simulate and

130、 optimize their deployments and predict what their costs will be and how they may change over time.“I have not seen in telcos where you can model your consumption beforehand and know what youre going to spend or use before you do it,”says Microsofts Lievano.In contrast,enterprises can use connectivi

131、ty metering to measure and manage the cost of how much data they move in and out of hyperscalers clouds.Hyperscalers allow customers to simulate and optimize their deployments and predict what their costs will be and how they may change over time.25inform.tmforum.orgGuide clients and highlight telco

132、 valueKearneys Bell suggests that,rather than dissuading usage,the simulation and cost projection process highlights the value a CSP can add and can enable it to“guide clients on how to maximize their telco services each month”.He says that as we have seen with cloud providers offering portals to cu

133、stomers,this should translate into more connectivity resource consumption and more CSP revenue.In the longer term,portals could enable customers to see compute and storage consumption across different operators and connections,with recommendations on how to achieve greater efficiency.Use ODA to conn

134、ect telco charging with hyperscale meteringShantal points out that TM Forums ODA plays a critical role in merging telecoms and hyperscale concepts,like charging and metering,and in providing evolutionary paths for them,such as with Open APIs.“Enhancing charging systems with intelligent management fu

135、nctions will prove vital for supporting modern digital services,”he says.He adds that charging should be seen as“a strategic asset that can unlock new revenue streams and business models for CSPs”.Charging should be seen as a strategic asset that can unlock new revenue streams and business models fo

136、r CSPs.26inform.tmforum.orgAmdocs Charging:Confidence and IngenuityAdditional feature by AMDOCSAdaptation to Evolved ExpectationsAs services become more diverse and personalized,real-time visibility and seamless service activation are essential.For advanced experiences like industrial XR,gaming,ente

137、rtainment or V2X,charging must be flawlessly integrated into the connectivity experience,operating smoothly in the background while providing clear pricing breakdowns and self-service options for adjusting service elements when needed.Reliability,however,is non-negotiable.There can be no blind spots

138、 in terms of data visibility and system robustness.But reliability doesnt need to stifle innovation.The goal is to balance total reliability with extreme flexibility to meet diverse and evolving customer expectations.In other words,innovative charging models must be catered to.By prioritizing both t

139、rustworthiness which includes advanced security as well as highly adaptable charging methods,businesses can confidently enhance customer satisfaction and stay ahead in the market.Demands on realtime charging are much greater at an enterprise levelCSP-driven capabilities are only one side of the equa

140、tion.As consumer expectations continue to evolve,enterprise requirements are also becoming increasingly demanding,pressing CSPs to adapt quickly.CSPs are therefore striving to define their roles in the enterprise space for example which sectors such as healthcare or manufacturing to address knowing

141、that enterprises will continuously evaluate their choice of CSP.SLAs and real-time demands for industrial connectivity and applications can be a double-edged sword.While on one hand,they present CSPs with new revenue opportunities,on the other,they introduce challenges and consequences when expectat

142、ions are not met.Multi-party services need to run precisely,enterprise hierarchies need to be made seamlessly controllable,and real-time,mid-cycle adjustments must be catered to as needed.Everything simply must work perfectly and securely for business users at any level.Enterprise and B2B2X services

143、 can be highly valuable but only when working flawlessly.The enormity of chargings role as an essential element of enterprise services cannot be underestimated.Fig.1:Business requirements demanding network and charging flexibility27inform.tmforum.orgAmdocs Charging:Confidence and IngenuityAdditional

144、 feature by AMDOCSThe rapid evolution of GenAI and APIs underscores the critical need for responsive chargingAs 5G technology advances,the pace of progress,though uneven,is expected to be explosive for certain services.The dynamic communications and media landscape(boosted by hyperscaler coopetition

145、)presents significant opportunities for providers willing to shape and capitalize on emerging trends such as those in edge computing,IoT and satellite technologies with recent advancements in GenAI and API exposure augmenting this.Meanwhile,the competitive environment remains highly fluid and potent

146、ially disruptive.And while the opportunities for multi-party partnership continue to expand,for some CSPs it will be too complex.For these reasons,having an adaptable monetization strategy that facilitates experimentation in an increasingly complex environment is more important than ever.As the netw

147、ork diversifies,charging will remain critical,offering a strategic advantage to those who can navigate,influence and embed monetization strategies ahead of emerging trends.Amdocs Charging:Balancing the three key requirements for effective monetization strategyGrowth is rarely driven by a single sour

148、ce or feature.Rather,it results from a combination of elements working together.Charging is no exception:to be truly effective,it needs to be adaptive,timely and well-supported.Amdocs Charging focuses on three essential areas to ensure optimal monetization capabilities for CSPs,nomatter where they a

149、re in their development journey.1.Network monetization focusEspecially as 5G standalone(SA)matures,the newly monetizable elements of 5G,sometimes referred to as freshly available“currencies”,continue to emerge.These elements,particularly improvements in latency,speed,coverage,capacity and density fe

150、atures,need to be managed,combined and tailored to monetize new devices and markets via API exposure.This goes far beyond traditional charging models and“all you can eat”plans of the past.Fig.2:Right-sized and adaptive charging for evolving business requirements&network capabilities28inform.tmforum.

151、orgAmdocs Charging:Confidence and IngenuityAdditional feature by AMDOCSFlexible monetization options that align with network capabilities are therefore more critical than ever.What was once an afterthought or just a checkbox for some CSPs has now become an essential driver of service success.2.Versa

152、tility with right-sized chargingWhile the ability to reach and respond to network capabilities as they become available is essential,it alone is insufficient.And while CSPs need additional flexibility such as cloud elasticity to spin up(and back down)as needed for specific services,those services ne

153、ed to be personalized potentially in real-time.This service-focus needs to be both lightweight enough for specialized MVNO competitiveness,as well as scalable to manage millions and perhaps hundreds of millions of users or endpoints.Of course,in addition to deployment and adaptive scaling,charging h

154、as to provide continuous rating and monetization innovation after the initial setup.This means acting as a responsive value engine for every opportunity,from online gamers to industrial manufacturers,while catering to complex B2B hierarchies and B2B2X value chains.Increasingly,this will involve clos

155、er integration and interworking with data and AI to revolve silos and enhance existing services,as well as the need to define and develop yet-to-be-imagined services with optimal charging options.3.Business outcome focus In the context of ever-accelerating change and rising expectations,trialling mo

156、re services increasingly seems like an obvious move.CSP business teams still dream of being able to test and adapt services rapidly without being hindered by outdated technology or complex systems.But they also need the confidence that comes with always having the latest toolsets those that offer ro

157、bustness,and are updated in the background without disrupting customers.Meanwhile,interfaces need to be intuitive,based on low-code or no-code with rapidly available and easily accessible pre-integrated use case libraries.Configuration should take priority over customization,with telco-specific GenA

158、I offering valuable support even anticipating what is needed.Unblocking the opportunitiesSo where does this leave CSPs now?Theres no question that demands on these players are constantly changing and for many,they are more urgent than ever.To meet these challenges,CSPs must respond accordingly.Stron

159、g change agents are essential particularly those who can efficiently support monetization and charging.29inform.tmforum.orgAmdocs Charging:Confidence and IngenuityAdditional feature by AMDOCSYet not all CSPs have managed this transition effectively.Its unsurprising that some CSPs have become frozen

160、by bureaucratic and monolithic 3G or 4G-era vendor decisions.Others have become frustrated,having opted for unsupportive,startup-style providers with limited wider BSS and network experience in an over-focus on siloed services and cost-cutting.Both miscalculations have resulted in missed opportuniti

161、es and under-delivery.As a critical lens and driver of service lifecycle management,especially in the context of increasingly diverse and complex enterprise opportunities,Amdocs Charging continues to demonstrate its greater adaptability for CSPs of all sizes.By combining essential reliability with f

162、uture-proof flexibility supported by its focus on network orientation,versatility and business the solution sets new standards in our industry for monetization success.Amdocs and APIsAmdocs believes in API-led opportunities and ecosystems for effective monetization.In todays digital landscape,seamle

163、ss software integration is crucial for success.The TM Forum Open API program is paving the way for an“API-first”vision,making software in the communications industry work together seamlessly.Amdocs is a top downloader of OpenAPI assets and is actively involved in designing new APIs.This commitment t

164、o open standards allows efficiency and ultimately,delivery of better services and experiences for CSPs.From its early support of the Open API manifesto to its leadership in designing new APIs,Amdocs is dedicated to driving the industry AmdocsAmdocs helps those who build the future to make it amazing

165、.With our market-leading portfolio of software products and services,we unlock our customers innovative potential,empowering them to provide next-generation communication and media experiences for both the individual end user and large enterprise customers.Our approximately 29,000 employees around t

166、he globe are here to accelerate service providers migration to the cloud,enable them to differentiate in the 5G era,and digitalize and automate their operations.Listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market,Amdocs had revenue of$4.89 billion in fiscal 2023.For more information,visit Amdocs at .2024 Amdo

167、cs.All rights tm forum open digital architecture30inform.tmforum.orgThe TM Forum Open Digital Architecture(ODA)provides a migration path from legacy IT systems and processes to modular,cloud-native software orchestrated using AI.ODA comprises tools,code,knowledge and standards(machine-readable asset

168、s,not just documents).It is delivering business value for TM Forum members today,accelerating concept-to-cash,eliminating IT&network costs,and enhancing digital customer experience.Developed by TM Forum member organizations through our Collaboration Community and Catalyst proofsof concept,ODA is bei

169、ng used by leading service providers and software companies worldwide.ODA includes:An architecture framework,common language,and design principles Open APIs exposing business services Standardized software components A reference implementation Guides to navigate digital transformation Tools to suppo

170、rt the migration from legacy architecture to ODA Maturity models and readiness checks to baseline digital capabilities.Goals of the Open Digital ArchitectureThe aim is to transform business agility(accelerating concept-to-cash),enable simpler IT solutions that are easier and cheaper to deploy,integr

171、ate and upgrade,and to establish a standardized software model and market which benefits all parties(service providers,their suppliers and systems integrators).TM Forum Open Digital Architecture-A blueprint for intelligent operationsLearn more about collaborationIf you would like to learn more about

172、 the project or how to get involved in the TM Forum Collaboration Community,please contact George Glass.31inform.tmforum.orgtm forum research reports32inform.tmforum.org33inform.tmforum.orgREPORTAuthors:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst,TM ForumDawn Bushaus,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumSponsored by:Editor:I

173、an Kemp,Managing Editor,TM Forumestablishing links:platform models in the Open API economy March 2023REPORTAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystDawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorTM Forum|May 2023who does what and can CSPs compete for more?partner ecosystems:REPORTEditor:Author:Sponsored by:Dean Rams

174、ay,Principal Analyst,TM ForumIan Kemp,Managing Editor,TM Forummakingwaves:the future for Open RAN technologyJune 2023|inform.tmforum.orgREPORTDigital Transformation Tracker 7 with automation and Author:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing EditorEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorSponsored by:TM Forum|June 2023cutt

175、ing complexity AICSPs take key steps to modernize network inventoryREPORTAuthor:Mark MortensenEditor:Dawn BushausISBN:Sponsored by:June 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dr.Mark H.Mortensen,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorsponsored by:Sponsored by:Author:Editor:ISBN:REPORTtransfo

176、rmingBSS:racing to a flexible,customer-focused futureJune 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Teresa Cottam,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponsored by:Sponsored by:Author:Editor:ISBN:REPORTstandout strategies:how telcos are innovating in a crowded marketJune 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ma

177、rk Newman,Chief AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponsored by:August 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorsponsored by:how software-as-a-serviceis reshaping business support systemsReignitingtelecoms growthAugust 2023|www.tmforum.orgsponsored

178、 by:Authors:Sangeet Paul Choudary,Platform Thinking LabsNik Willetts,CEO,TM ForumAnthony Rodrigo,CIO,AxiataDean Ramsay,Principal Analyst,TM Foruma Playbook for CEOsSeptember 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor sponsored by:wholesalechanges:reth

179、inking support systemsfor new fiber operatorsSponsored by:Author:Mark Newman Chief Analyst Editor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor REPORTrethinking support systems for new fiber operatorsSeptember 2023|URL TBCwholesalechanges:Sponsored by:Author:Mark Newman Chief Analyst Editor:Dawn Bushaus,Contribu

180、ting Editor REPORTrethinking support systems for new fiber operatorsSeptember 2023|URL TBCwholesalechanges:BENCHMARKAuthors:Mark Newman,Chief AnalystDean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorTM Forum|September 2023telcorevenuegrowth:time foroperators toplace new betsSeptember 2023|

181、www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Patrick Donegan,Principal Analyst,HardenStanceEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor,TM Forumsponsored by:Sponsored by:Author:Patrick Donegan Principal Analyst HardenStanceEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor TM Forum REPORTrisk management moves firmly into the telco spotli

182、ghtcybersecurity strategies:September 2023|URL TBCrisk management moves firmly into the telco spotlightCybersecurity strategies:REPORTSponsored by:leveling up:Author:Mark Mortensen,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor achieving Level 3 autonomous networks and beyondAugust 2023

183、September 2023|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Dr.Mark H Mortensen,Contributing Analyst,TM ForumEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor,TM Forumsponsored by:REPORTSponsored by:leveling up:Author:Mark Mortensen,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor achieving Level 3 autonomous networks an

184、d beyondAugust 2023REPORTTM Forum|December 2023operators take their first stepsAuthor:Mark Newman,Chief Analyst Editor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor Sponsored by:generativeAI:REPORTTM Forum|December 2023Author:Ed Finegold,Contributing Analyst Editor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editor Sponsored by:BSSfor B2

185、Boperators diverge on the path to cloudREPORTTM Forum|December 2023the sustainable telco:navigating the maze of scope 3 emissionsREPORTa numbers game:February 2024Sponsored by:Author:Richard Webb,Senior AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor exploiting data to drive future strategiesFebruary 2024|ww

186、w.tmforum.orgsponsored by:Author:Richard Webb,Senior AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorREPORTclosing the loopFebruary 2024Sponsored by:Author:Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor CSPs aim to automate service orchestration and assuranceFebruary 2024|www.tmforum.orgsponsore

187、d by:Author:Dean Ramsay,Practice Lead,TM ForumEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorREPORTclosing the loopFebruary 2024Sponsored by:Author:Dean Ramsay,Principal AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor CSPs aim to automate service orchestration and assuranceREPORTAuthor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing AnalystEdito

188、r:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorSponsored by:inside thetelco talentrevolutionfinding skills for the future:TM Forum|May 2024April 2024|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Charlotte Patrick,Contributing AnalystEditor:Dawn Bushaus,Contributing Editorfocus onsponsored by:driving intelligencein network lifecycleautomation:

189、Asia-Pacificinnovation:the future for telecoms R&DREPORTin search ofTM Forum|July 2024Sponsored by:Author:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor July 2024|www.tmforum.orgAuthor:Ed Finegold,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorREPORTAuthor:Dawn Bushaus,Contribut

190、ing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing EditorSponsored by:cloud adoption acceleratesTM Forum|June 2024Digital Transformation Tracker 8:September 2024|www.tmforum.orginnovating in the Americas:key driversfor growthAuthor:Charlotte Patrick,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editorexploring the

191、September 2024|www.inform.tmforum.orgSponsored by:Author:Charlotte Patrick,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,Managing Editor key drivers for growthinnovating in the Americas:REGIONAL REPORTData&AI Innovationexploring theREGIONAL REPORTREPORTAuthor:Teresa Cottam,Contributing AnalystEditor:Ian Kemp,

192、Managing EditorSponsored by:TM Forum|September 2024putting people at the heart of customer experiencehumanizing AI:meet the research&media team34inform.tmforum.orgReport Author:Ed Finegold Contributing Analyst Chief Analyst:Mark Newman mnewmantmforum.orgPractice Lead:Dean Ramsay dramsaytmforum.orgHe

193、ad of Operations:Ali Groves agrovestmforum.orgCommercial Manager:Tim Edwards tedwardstmforum.orgReport Editor:Ian Kemp Managing Editor ikemptmforum.orgReport Editor:Dawn Bushaus Contributing Editor dbushaustmforum.orgEditor in Chief,Inform:Joanne Taaffe jtaaffetmforum.orgGlobal Account Director:Cari

194、ne Vandevelde cvandeveldetmforum.orgCustomer Success Project Manager:Maureen Adong madongtmforum.orgCustomer Success Project Manager:Amanda Alexander aalexandertmforum.org 2024.The entire contents of this publication are protected by copyright.All rights reserved.The Forum would like to thank the sp

195、onsors and advertisers who have enabled the publication of this fully independently researched report.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 n

196、ot imply that they represent the views or opinions of TM Forum and must neither be regarded as constituting 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 pr

197、oducts or services referred to therein.35inform.tmforum.orgMeet the Research&Media teamPublished by:European Office TM Forum,Uncommon,34-37 Liverpool Street,London EC2M 7PP United Kingdom Phone:+44 207 748 6615 US Office 181 New Road,Suite 304,Parsippany,NJ 07054 USA Phone:+1 862-227-1648 ISBN:978-1-955998-90-1 Report Design:Paul MartinFor more information on TM Forums Open Digital Architecture please contact George Glass