5G represents a fundamental shift in communication network architectures that will accelerate revenue generation through innovative services facilitated via 5G-enabled smartphones, tablets, laptops, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It will deliver a potent combination of network capabilities and flexible options for network deployments, service delivery, and network management to improve carriers’ ability to deliver a differentiated, customized, and scalable wireless service experience. 5G networks will be optimized to support various traffic profiles, including Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) for video/streaming, Ultra-reliable and Low-latency Communications (uRLLC) for a wide range of industry use cases and Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) to support large-scale machine-centric communications such as the IoT.

5G networks are significantly more dynamic than 4G networks, with new capabilities such as network slicing and microservices provided by logical network nodes distributed dynamically using the core tenets of distributed cloud computing. The interfaces into the network from a monetization perspective are more dynamic as well. The core network functions for charging and billing interfaces are rapidly instantiated and automatically scaled in 5G. Moreover, the evolution from physical network infrastructure to network function virtualization (NFV), which took place with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) deployments, continues with cloud-native network functions for 5G, further adding to the complexity of implementing and integrating 5G monetization solutions.

This Frost & Sullivan study presents a strategic analysis of the next-generation monetization opportunities for 5G. It discusses the challenges and opportunities for communications service providers (CSPs) in the 5G era and presents details of the expanded role of charging systems in supporting 5G operations. It also includes the profiles of CSG Systems, MATRIXX Software, and Oracle Corporation, highlighting their offerings and strategic approaches toward 5G monetization.

Author: Vikrant Gandhi