Elisabeth Nebster
The Second Wind for BSS: How to Adapt It to 5G and IoT
In this Article:
1. What Should You Focus on to Tailor BSS to the New Reality
2. BSS Transformation: Where to Start?

This article explains how to upgrade BSS and make it ready for innovations. Read on to discover where to start your BSS transformation journey.
No technology will work in the way you want until you provide a relevant base. 5G and IoT remain the leading technologies in the telecom market since they open a blue ocean of opportunities for communication service providers (CSP).
Meanwhile, do they work in any conditions? Unfortunately, not always. Modern technologies require careful preparation and transformation of all involved business processes. Therefore, to ensure strategic goals achievement and high ROI, telco companies begin their digital transformation from the business support system (BSS) modernization.
A few years ago, Ericsson helped Vodafone Egypt boost its BSS, making it flexible and seamless. They joined forces to ensure IoT and 5G readiness.
Meanwhile, what should you do with your BSS to get ready for technology implementation? We aim to tell you about it during the next 5 minutes.
Scroll down to discover what BSS would be suitable for 5G and IoT and where you should start your transformation.
What Should You Focus on to Tailor BSS to the New Reality
Microservices architecture
The majority of Business Support Systems remain monolithic. This architecture also has some pros. However, now CSPs face some significant challenges making them migrate. It's arduous to tailor legacy BSS to the new 5G IoT reality since it doesn't match the core principles of these technologies' operation.
Monolithic BSS:
slows down the operation of an entire company
can't cope with overload without the downtime and crashes
can't satisfy customer demand to receive high-quality digital services
has limited agility and doesn't support modern technologies
Communication service providers have two ways to do with their monolith-based BSS considering 5G and IoT implementation: to transform it or to leave it as is. The case is it's not a solution to uplift the burden on any legacy system because sooner or later, it will stop working. Its crash will lead to long-term and costly downtime.
Meanwhile, microservices can change the approach to BSS business processes and help companies implement 5G IoT easier. Owing to its peculiarities, this architecture will provide your BSS with the desired flexibility, scalability, and performance.
Microservice-based BSS is favorable for 5G and IoT implementation since it ensures a smooth operation, excellent integration with all involved systems, and real-time data processing.
You may also like: Made with XME: From Monolith to Microservice With Fast Code
Digital service platform
CSPs need one more innovation to get the most out of IoT and 5G. They should transform their legacy BSS into a well-designed digital service platform. It's like gathering all components under one roof, allowing employees and customers to boost their user experience.
BSS's digital service platform is more intelligent. Due to the convenient interface, it will help users perform their duties or solve their issues faster. Moreover, it can also provide an appropriate level of accessibility and run all the processes using the only management point.
Frequently, CSPs use low code platforms, like XME.fast code one, to set up digital service platforms faster. This approach allows businesses to speed up time to market, save development costs and focus on customization, not creating from scratch.
Digital service platform helps set up 5G and IoT by creating a sort of ecosystem where technologies, software, processes, and people exchange data. Meanwhile, 5G and IoT are catalysts of all business processes related to customers.
You may also like: Digital Service Platform in 2022: Luxury or Necessity?
Improvement of digital experiences
Modern BSS will boost your customers' experience. They can pay for subscriptions faster, receive personalized offers, use convenient channels and services, and communicate fruitfully with your customer support agent.
Excellent digital experience works in your favor, making the loyal audience broader and opening more opportunities for business development.
IoT and 5G here will only support your customer-centric direction. They ensure you with the approaches and tools to:
collect valuable data on client behavior and preferences
launch successful marketing campaigns
provide room for a new commercial offering
uplift the service provision speed
This variety of options helps clients receive customer-centric quality services and the company - remain flourish in highly competitive conditions and a dynamic market.
You may also like: Customer Experience, Employee Experience. Why do they matter?
BSS Transformation: Where to Start?
Before you start to upgrade your BSS in any suitable way, make a profound discovery of your current conditions. It will help you to reveal your weaknesses and turn them into strengths.
Sure, each case is different, and there's no standard for ensuring BSS readiness. However, a few crucial directions will help you define the entry point.
Most companies begin their BSS transformation journey with modernization or replacement of the following components:

Product Catalog: The centralized and well-designed catalog can simplify product management, fulfillment, and charging. Since the core CSP's asset is its offering, the product catalog is one of the first things a company should consider when boosting its BSS.
Online charging system: This software ensures seamless real-time charging and proper control over all involved processes and documents. You will benefit from IoT and 5G when this system works like a Swiss clock.
Billing system: It's the core one connecting with various back-office systems (including frequently legacy ERP and CRM), processing all documentation accompanying payments for service provision. Optimized processes there allow CSPs to use the full potential of 5G and IoT by eliminating blockers.
You may also like: Digital BSS in Telecom Industry 2022
The Bottom Line
BSS remains one of the core points for CSPs to begin their digital transformation and tailor the entire system to new technologies. To perform that process smoothly, companies should perform:
step-by-step migration from monolith to microservices
turn their legacy BSS into a cutting-edge digital service platform
create a favorable environment to create excellent digital experiences
It seems clear, but many companies are confused because they don't know where to start business support system transformation. In this case, we're offering you to pay attention to 3 core components that run your BSS:
product catalog
online charging system
billing system
Instead of it, to perform BSS transformation in the right way, the first thing you should consider is your actual business needs.
If you're looking for a solution that can help you boost BSS - let us know. Our specialists will advise you on the most appropriate way of modernization and relevant toolkit to make the process faster.
Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first who discovers the latest XME.digital news and announcements allowing you to upgrade your business.