It’s the beginning of a new school year in many parts of the world – and here at Nokia we’re also feeling a sense of a fresh start, with exciting new opportunities ahead for us and our CSP customers.

A lot of that opportunity lies in with new 5G network analytics capabilities and AI-ML driven automation. In this blog I’ll look at some emerging trends in these areas, and show how our Nokia AVA brand is evolving to help CSPs make the most of them.

5G network analytics- NWDAF is a potential game-changer for CSPs

Let´s start with what could be one of the biggest game-changers for CSPs in unlocking the value of network data: the Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF), a new 3GPP standard for 5G standalone networks, specified in 5G-Core.

5G networks are starting to produce vast volumes of data – in theory, bringing new monetization possibilities. However, the interface or format challenges make it hard to turn it into revenue-generating insight. The NWDAF is set to change that, providing a multi-vendor, probe-less solution and making it easy to collect and analyze data from networks, devices and services. It provides standard interfaces to collect data by subscription or request model from network functions and similar procedures. Real-time analytics can then be applied, allowing CSPs to manage, automate, and optimize 5G network operations much more efficiently.

Importantly, NWDAF real-time and predictive analytics can be made available for consumption at the network edge as well as at the core, using a centralized and distributed architecture.  That will allow CSPs to optimize the user experience for very low-latency use cases, opening up new revenue possibilities with ecosystem partners and end-customers. In the enterprise domain, promising use cases range from autonomous vehicles and robots to 5G drones, while cloud gaming will create consumer demand for low and consistent latency to deliver an enjoyable user experience.  

NWDAF can interwork with the Nokia Service Enablement Platform (SEP) including the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) and run on the same edge platform with other CNFs (Cloud native Network Functions).

By deploying NWDAF in a SaaS model, a CSP can turn NWDAF into much more than just a network function, using open APIs to share network data with an ecosystem of partners, and co-create unique and valuable propositions. For more about how CSPs can create new revenue with NWDAF, check out this article.

Vodafone unlocks new value with analytics, SaaS and public cloud

Vodafone is one example of a CSP unlocking new business value with AI/ML driven network analytics. It’s using the Nokia Anomaly Detection Service, delivered as-a-service on Google Cloud Platform, to quickly detect and remediate network anomalies.

This award winning solution leverages real-time analytics, and ML to automate root-cause analysis – improving network optimization and planning, reducing operational costs, and ensuring a seamless experience for Vodafone customers.

This type of partnership illustrates the opportunity for operators to rethink data management and increase the focus on use cases and application development.

Nokia AVA brand now extends across analytics, insights and AI

New 5G network analytics and AI/ML together with public cloud open up exciting new possibilities, and we’re reflecting those new opportunities in an expanded focus and purpose for our Nokia AVA product family.

From today, Nokia AVA will be the single family name for all our analytics, insights and AI/ML products, services and use cases. It combines the strengths of our software and services businesses, providing CSPs with a compelling set of use cases, proven to solve key business challenges with real-time and predictive insights and AI/ML driven automation. 

The Nokia AVA brand now covers all analytics, insights and AI/ML products, services, and use cases

Nokia AVA products and use cases are designed for use in an open ecosystem, enabling CSPs to unlock and monetize the value of network data, leveraged by external apps using open APIs.

With telco adoption of public cloud growing fast, we also offer CSPs a choice of delivery and consumption models. Nokia AVA products and use cases will be multi-cloud and multi-vendor capable, and will be available as software, service and Software as a Service (SaaS) to quickly deploy new applications in an agile “any cloud” manner on telco-grade cloud and public cloud.

Operators report tangible ROI from Nokia AVA solutions

Nokia AVA has already helped CSPs around the world to boost productivity, enhance customer satisfaction and grow new revenues:

Boosting productivity: Nokia AVA has helped POST Luxembourg to proactively identify and address 97% of network issues before they affect subscribers. Meanwhile, Hutchison 3 Indonesia was able to improve the spectral efficiency of their network by 17%.

Enhancing Reputation: Nokia AVA helped to improve nationwide Net Promoter Score by 25% in four months, and is helping China Mobile to reduce energy consumption by up to 20%.

Growing new revenues: Over 90% of customer care agents at North American operator report that customer engagement has notably improved since the adoption of Nokia AVA. Our solutions provide deeper insight into individual subscribers’ wants and needs, allowing for much richer interactions.

Unlock the full value of your 5G network data with Nokia AVA

With the convergence of 5G network analytics, AI/ML, automation,  public cloud and software-as-a-service, the opportunities for CSPs are almost endless – and very exciting. To find out more about how Nokia AVA can help you unlock the full value of your 5G network data, visit the Nokia AVA web page.