Home Telecoms Telcos are Using AI to Build their Networks

Telcos are Using AI to Build their Networks

Telecoms are managing data in ever-increasing amounts, as new technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) put more and more information in the cloud. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning can provide telecoms with a means of managing and accessing the large amounts of data being made available through networks, and also smooth the integration and automation processes.

“Typically, networks through nodes observe something and then the controller, generally a human being, takes a desired action. With AI, the network can decide on its own and also take the next course of action through various hardware/software solutions, essentially IoT solutions,” explained Faisal Kawoosa, Lead Analyst, CyberMedia Research. Adding Machine Learning, the network will add intelligence, allowing it to grow in capabilities similar to humans as they acquire more skills and knowledge.

Technology in networks

Self-Optimizing Networks (SONs) enable operators to optimize network quality, using machine learning algorithms. Other technology being used by telecoms, as explained by Counterpoint Research, includes SDN-NFV, Software Defined Networks, (SDN) Network Function Virtualization (NFV), and orchestration. IDC has predicted that 63.5% of telecommunication organizations are investing in new technology for AI systems.

Benefits also include higher security, improved maintenance rates, and self-healing networks.

“SDN/NFV in combination with AI is becoming a powerful tool for evaluating and securing networks effectively. It can help telecoms in addressing their concerns over analysing massive volumes of information to detect consumer patterns, anomalies, and potential security concerns,” said Arjun Vishwanathan, Associate Director, Emerging Technologies, IDC India.

Reuters reported that Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s largest telecommunications services provider, and SK Telecom, Korea’s largest telecommunications company and a world leader in building cutting-edge networks, announced in September a strategic partnership under which, Airtel will leverage SK Telecom’s expertise to build the most advanced telecom network in India. SK Telecom has deployed an AI-assisted network (known as TANGO) with big data analytics and machine learning capabilities to enhance customer experience through automated detection, troubleshooting, and optimization of mobile networks.

“As more reliable and affordable bandwidth is enabled, it unleashes a plethora of opportunities that can traverse over telecom networks. So, a convergence at network level becomes possible. This is then value enhanced by adding dynamism and intelligence into the systems through AI which makes the solution intuitive, proactive as well as reactive to the situations,” said Kawoosa. He added that telecom becomes the default highway for anything digital, and adds a lot of opportunities in the telecom domain.

Customer impacts

These opportunities are global, and India will see more opportunities as telecoms expand, including better tracking of historical consumer usage and improved data analysis. This leads to better services, which are based on a more personalized data-set. As the consumer uses services in a particular way, the telecom can monitor, update the content, provide alerts to the marketing teams, and achieve better conversions or sales rates.

According to Pankaj Lamba, Customer Business Executive, (India) Amdocs, AI will solve most of the issues related to customer care, network coverage, billing, service/product offering and many other issues.

“The key area where telecoms can deploy AI to generate new revenue source would be ‘Subscriber Intelligence’. From contextual and personalized upselling to innovative credit models, telecoms can customize their offerings “real time” to improve the conversion rate of offers, thus enabling incremental wallet shares from their customers,” said Vishwanathan.

Source Economic Times

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KC Cheung
KC Cheung has over 18 years experience in the technology industry including media, payments, and software and has a keen interest in artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, neural networks and its applications in business. Over the years he has worked with some of the leading technology companies, building and growing dynamic teams in a fast moving international environment.
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