In a groundbreaking development for the telecommunications industry, optical network automation is emerging as a pivotal enabler for network operators seeking to maximize optimization, efficiency, reliability, and scale. This comes in response to surges in data traffic from transformative technologies such as AR/VR, AI/ML, and IoT, coupled with the growing trend of more programmable optical networks. However, despite its potential, adoption has been sluggish due to new challenges associated with rising operational expenditures (OPEX).
Recent data compiled by Nokia in collaboration with Analysys Mason reveals that global operators deploying network operations and service automation are experiencing transformative benefits across various facets of network and service lifecycle management.
Key Findings:
- Operational Cost Reduction:
- Reduced network lifecycle management operational costs by an impressive 56%.
- Simplification of complex network operations tasks results in shorter time frames for the provision, configuration, deployment, and management of optical networks.
- Service Delivery Efficiency:
- Achieved operational cost savings of up to 81% in service delivery.
- Drastically reduced labor required for service order orchestration, service fulfillment, and service assurance processes.
- CAPEX Optimization:
- Realized CAPEX avoidance of 26% by optimizing network resources and retiring legacy network equipment.
- Revenue Generation and Market Acceleration:
- Experienced an up to 10% uplift in anticipated revenue.
- Improved win rates attributed to accelerated time-to-market for services.
- Enabled the provision of differentiated services through optical network slicing and network-as-a-service business models.
- Swift Service Order Fulfillment:
- Decreased the time taken for service order fulfillment from an average of 10 days to an impressive 24 hours.
- Contributed to approximately 90% savings in operational costs.
The impact of optical network automation is exemplified by a Tier-1 North American operator, which leveraged these advancements to improve their win rates by an astounding 5x.
Despite the evident benefits, challenges persist in the form of slow adoption rates attributed to increasing operational expenditures. However, industry experts believe that as these challenges are addressed, the transformative potential of optical network automation will further revolutionize the telecommunications landscape, paving the way for a more efficient, cost-effective, and competitive future.