IBM will offer telecom operators Verizon and Telefonica new services ranging from running 5G over a cloud platform to using artificial intelligence.
Big technology players such as Microsoft and Amazon are vying for a share of 5G revenue by offering telecom operators next-generation software tools.
IBM, using technology it obtained from buying software firm Red Hat, will offer the telecom operators cloud services to run their networks and assist them in selling products tailored to customers.
A cloud platform uses software instead of physical equipment to perform network functions, helping telecom operators build 5G networks faster, reduce costs and sell customised services.
On the AI front, IBM and Spain’s Telefonica have created a virtual assistant that they say will remove friction points, such as long wait times, by automating the handling of frequently asked questions and tasks like billing.
IBM — at Mobile World Congress (MWC 2021) — said its hybrid cloud AI-powered automation software for communications service providers (CSPs) deliver zero-touch operations, reduced costs and the rapid delivery of innovative services to customers.
Using IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation, CSPs can use AI-powered automation to stand up and manage networks quickly, in a wide range of environments, and is engineered to scale new services in days, rather than months.
Andrew Coward, General Manager, Software Defined Networking, IBM, said: “IBM’s new Cloud Pak for Network Automation software uses AI-powered automation to enable zero-touch provisioning of new services which can facilitate the simplification of the management of network functions from the core to the edge.”
IBM Cloud Pak for Network Automation is designed so that a network engineer could use it to turn up a site in a matter of 4-5 days. The solution enables hundreds of thousands of network functions, including hostname details, server ports, network architecture, tenants, IP address plans and more, to be organized and brought together in real-time to deliver a holistic network service.
