As backhaul becomes more flexible and complex, make SLA monitoring simple
The consensus is there will be a “5G” radio access standard by 2020. However, 5G networks will be much more than just radio access. There will be a foundational change as these future networks will be an integration of cross-domain networks.
In order to meet the business applications of 5G networks, systems will be built to enable logical 5G network slices. With 5G network slicing, a single physical network can be partitioned into multiple virtual networks offering optimal support for different types of services as well as different types of customers. This technology will enhance operational efficiency while reducing time-to-market for new services.
As this fundamental change takes shape in networks around the world, already complicated, albeit important, service level agreements will require granular, real-time measuring to ensure mobile carriers have the bandwidth they need, when they need it, to provide robust quality of experience and combat customer churn in the highly competitive cellular space.
With a Tier 1 operator, backhaul is generally provisioned by numerous third-party providers, which inherently creates room for error that can create a headache for carriers while costing the transport provider a valuable customer. To overcome this carriers require transport providers to offer a high level of network visibility and reporting to ensure SLA compliance. This will be even more important as next-generation networks come online. Ocular-IP is poised to address that challenge today, while laying the foundation for the future.
“Our foundation in bandwidth on demand will be key for carriers as the volume of mobile data traffic continues to explode,” Raymond Chiu, CTO of Local Backhaul Networks and chief architect of Ocular IP, told RCR Wireless News. “Issues like jitter and packet loss degrade performance and, in turn, quality of experience. We offer an easy-to-use, real-time solution to enable transport managers and backhaul providers to ensure their network capacity needs are met.”
In addition, in today’s world transport providers are realizing benefits. One carrier using OcularIP reduced trouble tickets by 17%. This reduction in calls, achieved through proactive deflection, has a straight line relationship to reducing opex and improving customer satisfaction.
Another customer, planning for a large event that could potentially strain network resources, was able to use Ocular IP’s customer portal to check on available backhaul circuit bandwidth and, using a simple drop-down menu, provision more capacity, which was made available in minutes. For more information on Ocular IP, along with its impact on NFV/SDN, lifecycle orchestration and more, download this free white paper.
