Nokia launches new multi-vendor OSS tools, expands services strategy

Nice, France--Nokia introduced new tools for its NetAct network and service management platform today at TeleManagement World. The tools range from planning and optimization to network visibility and service configuration.

The company also highlighted a services deal it signed last week with Vodafone Australia and Vodafone New Zealand for an extensive managed services contract that includes 3G core and radio network deployment and fully managed network operations.

“Everyone has been talking about operational expenses for a long time, but this year service providers will be taking drastic action,” said Jyrki Holmala, vice president and general manager of Nokia operations solutions.

The new NetAct Traffica product provides visibility for managing multi-vendor packet and circuit-switched core networks. Nokia’s new Intelligent Service Configurator helps operators specify and deploy new services using standard service modeling principles. It includes a centralized service repository for configuring all the network elements related to a service. It also makes us of a service directory and a service catalog to update subscriber management and customer relationship management systems.

Holmala cited two divergent forces driving the need for better service configuration tools. The first being the obvious cost pressure pushing revenues down and the second being “The wide array of offerings with the potential to push it back up.”

Nokia’s Optimization Solution product suite was enhanced to include Service Optimizer, which ensure quality of service from the end-user perspective as well as optimized capacity for GPRS networks.

“End-to-end capability is something a network equipment manufacturer can really pull together,” Holmala said.

While the Vodafone implementations are only recently underway, Nokia will be providing network planning and optimization and implementation and have the opportunity to replace key network elements in the operator’s GSM and GPRS core networks.

“It’s no longer about selling packaged software around an infrastructure. It mainly about providing professional services around how to deploy networks,” said Jaakko Alo, director of strategy and business development at Nokia.

Keith Willetts, chairman of the TeleManagement Forum, speaking on the need for business transformation in the telecom industry and how that might be accomplished given the cuts many operators have made said, “Even if every operator decides to go through a business transformation, who’s going to do it? That’s why it is interesting to see companies like Nokia focus on services.”