We discuss the following topics in this blog:
- Gartner recognises STL as key enabler in the’ enhanced partner ecosystem support in the digital marketplace.
- STL’s BSS solution, with its 5G charging function, also stands out.
- Vendors like STL aiding CSPs in their 5G transition.
In addition to these topics, we shall also be answering the following FAQs:
- What is WiFi?
- What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
Contents
Overview
Gartner has recently identified STL as a key enabler in the’ enhanced partner ecosystem support in digital marketplace. The recently released 2021 report ‘Expand CSPs’ Monetization with 5G, AI, Edge Compute’, also highlights STL as a key ‘BSS vendor offering 5G charging function (CHF) for developing and promoting new pricing levels for monetization’.
What This Means for STL’s Legacy of Delivering Enterprise Solutions?
With this recognition, STL’s proving its track record and expertise is more vital to delivering end-to-end digital enterprise marketplace solutions through Digital Enterprise partner ecosystem and Digital Business Support Solutions (BSS) to enterprise customers.
What Sets STL’s Enterprise Marketplace Apart?
The uniqueness of STL Enterprise Marketplace offerings is it brings together vendors, partners, and customers to its platform and can offer complex multiparty charging and settlements. Also, the platform serves to offer points systems, that partners can earn points and redeem it to pay towards the usage of Communication Service Providers (CSP) services. STL Enterprise Marketplace solution was also a winner in the recent TM Forum Catalyst Program event where the project on implementing 5G Digital Marketplaces won for the best use of Open Digital Framework (ODF).
Recognition for STL’s BSS Solution
STL’s BSS solution, with its 5G charging function, also stands out for developing and promoting new pricing levels for monetization in this Gartner Report for CSP monetization.
With rapid digitization and changing consumer behaviour, and with sinking revenues, CSPs look for better monetization models to address it. Pricing methods like the quality of service (QoS) based, service-level agreements (SLA) with a set range of low latency, productization like self-serve network slice as a service, and partnership approaches, will open up to create solutions for enterprises as well as services, provided to partners like loyalty management, and in terms of Application Program Interface (API) access.
Monetization will bring in new products and productization like Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a service, Network Security as a Service (NSaaS), digital marketplaces, and foster new partnership approaches in terms of new technology and also the server in the partner ecosystem and act as an enabler in the digital marketplaces. STL is ready with its tailor-made solutions to offer it to enterprises.
It is time that CSPs make a jump into the 5G bandwagon. With vendors like STL having digital marketplaces and BSS solutions ready, it will be easy for CSPs to look ahead in their technology upgrade and, of course, look at leveraging the monetary benefits that come along with it.
Download or read the full Gartner Digital Marketplace report on how CSPs can successfully monetize their investments across product, pricing and partner ecosystem here.
FAQs
What is WiFi?
Put simply, WiFi is a technology that uses radio waves to create a wireless network through which devices like mobile phones, computers, printers, etc., connect to the internet. A wireless router is needed to establish a WiFi hotspot that people in its vicinity may use to access internet services. You’re sure to have encountered such a WiFi hotspot in houses, offices, restaurants, etc.
To get a little more technical, WiFi works by enabling a Wireless Local Area Network or WLAN that allows devices connected to it to exchange signals with the internet via a router. The frequencies of these signals are either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz bandwidths. These frequencies are much higher than those transmitted to or by radios, mobile phones, and televisions since WiFi signals need to carry significantly higher amounts of data. The networking standards are variants of 802.11, of which there are several (802.11a, 802.11b, 801.11g, etc.).
What is an Optical Fibre Cable?
An optical fibre cable is a cable type that has a few to hundreds of optical fibres bundled together within a protective plastic coating. They help carry digital data in the form of light pulses across large distances at faster speeds. For this, they need to be installed or deployed either underground or aerially. Standalone fibres cannot be buried or hanged so fibres are bunched together as cables for the transmission of data.
This is done to protect the fibre from stress, moisture, temperature changes and other externalities. There are three main components of a optical fibre cable, core (It carries the light and is made of pure silicon dioxide (SiO2) with dopants such as germania, phosphorous pentoxide, or alumina to raise the refractive index; Typical glass cores range from as small as 3.7um up to 200um), Cladding (Cladding surrounds the core and has a lower refractive index than the core, it is also made from the same material as the core; 1% refractive index difference is maintained between the core and cladding; Two commonly used diameters are 125µm and 140µm) and Coating (Protective layer that absorbs shocks, physical damage and moisture; The outside diameter of the coating is typically either 250µm or 500µm; Commonly used material for coatings are acrylate,Silicone, carbon, and polyimide).
An optical fibre cable is made up of the following components: Optical fibres – ranging from one to many. Buffer tubes (with different settings), for protection and cushioning of the fibre. Water protection in the tubes – wet or dry. A central strength member (CSM) is the backbone of all cables. Armoured tapes for stranding to bunch the buffer tubes and strength members together. Sheathing or final covering to provide further protection.
The five main reasons that make this technology innovation disruptive are fast communication speed, infinite bandwidth & capacity, low interference, high tensile strength and secure communication. The major usescases of optical fibre cables include intenet connectivity, computer networking, surgery & dentistry, automotive industry, telephony, lighting & decorations, mechanical inspections, cable television, military applications and space.
