 |
 |
 |
|
| The OSS Needs of the DSL Market Space by the Current OSS Research Group The explosive growth of the Internet and the corresponding panoply of E-commerce, entertainment and other service offerings on the Web are creating unprecedented demand for high-speed broadband delivery. As the communications world shifts to meet this demand, operational support system (OSS) vendors are listening to digital subscriber line (DSL) service providers in need of OSS services. How do DSL service providers' OSS needs differ from the requirements of other market segments? This article explores the DSL market space and looks at its OSS requirements. Scoping out the market By all estimates, DSL is poised to capture substantial market share throughout North America. At the end of the first quarter of 2000, 880, 000 DSL lines were in service in North America. This represents a 50% increase in the United States over end of 1999 figures (dsldigest.com 2000). The technology is particularly attractive to small- and medium-sized businesses (SMB) that do not have access to fiber. Indeed, the overall broadband market is expected to reach $30 billion US by 2005, with broadband penetration of the SMB market between 40-50 percent (David 2000). New DSL entrants are emerging all the time, and they display an innovative, hard-charging attitude uncommon in the industry. The unique makeup of this market segment has implications for the OSS products they choose. Reliability tops the list It's no secret that OSS vendors typically focus on speed to market and scalability when marketing their products to service providers. But this is not necessarily the number one preoccupation of DSL providers. DSL service providers are dealing with the inherent complexity of their technology by seeking out reliable OSS products to manage their most pressing concerns: inventory management, efficient provisioning and seamless interfacing.
"Everyone knows [DSL technology] is extremely complicated to get working, tying together multiple systems and scaling up to some impressive user numbers," notes Justin DeKoszmovszky, a Senior Consultant at Kaiser Associates. "It's the [OSS vendors] who can really cut through the complexity and deliver who will win out." Inventory management Because the DSL infrastructure consists of so many parts, DSL inventory management issues go far beyond those of other service providers. Many services and equipment make up the DSL network, including DSL modems, circuit cards, routers, network cards and Internet protocol (IP) addresses. An OSS that can simplify inventory management—and scale with diversified services and subscriber additions—is of critical interest to DSL service providers. Service order provisioning The complexity of inventory makes service order provisioning that much more complicated for DSL providers. For this reason, service order provisioning is a central OSS component for DSL providers. To get service to the end users, DSL providers must provision local loops. An automated loop provisioning solution would enable DSL providers to request service activation automatically from the incumbent local exchange carriers (ILEC) and regional bell operating carriers (RBOC). As it now stands, requesting service providers, scheduling solutions and interfacing with providers is a huge headache for DSL providers. And, like most communications providers, DSL providers would eventually like Web-enabled solutions that would allow customers to order tasks on-line and monitor their own services. Seamless interfacing Despite the fierce competition among service providers, success in the communication industry hinges upon cooperation. No single sector in the industry, or player within a sector, can possibly succeed in isolation. Of all segments in the communications industry, DSL service providers are perhaps most keenly aware of the need for reciprocity. To provision services, they rely extensively on the cooperation of ILECs and RBOCs. DSL providers expect OSS providers to exhibit the same cooperative philosophy. They expect service management OSS vendors to establish partnerships with OSS vendors in other sectors. They want OSS products to integrate seamlessly with other OSS products and existing infrastructures. If, for example, they already have a billing or trouble management OSS in place, they would like additional OSS components to work seamlessly with them. Open APIs and technological partnerships are inherent components of this cooperative philosophy. New business models The youth of the DSL market sector also makes alternative business models attractive, especially when it comes to provisioning OSS services. New DSL entrants, for example, are increasingly looking at the service bureau model as a viable alternative. This model enables them to lower their initial capital investment in the short term. "By outsourcing, the service provider can get their OSS solution up and running more quickly so the return on investment kicks in faster," notes DeKoszmovszky.
Those providers who decide to purchase their own OSSs generally seek vendors that can scale with their business over time. They choose OSS vendors with strong product roadmaps, outlining future automation of tasks, processes and Web interfaces. This roadmap can establish whether the OSS vendor's solution is in sync with their own company's objectives and direction.
From Current OSS, Fall 2000, Vol. 2, No. 1. Published by Eftia OSS Solutions. |