Artificial Intelligence and automation: powering the future telco

In our last blog about Artificial Intelligence (you can read it here) we provided a broad introduction to the subject of AI.

This time, we’ll look more closely at its relevance for telecoms operators. It’s a timely subject, not least because AI is the main theme of the TMForum’s upcoming Innovate Americas event.

AI is more than buzzword. We’re already seeing telcos adopt the technology in a variety of ways so let’s focus here on what those are. The use cases demonstrate the breadth of operational areas in which AI can be impactful. Here are ten:

1. In the area of network optimisations, AI can be used to analyse data from network equipment which can be parsed to predict failures and thus recommend proactive maintenance. The benefit here is a reduction of downtime.
2. In the corresponding area of network automation, AI can help to optimise traffic. This is done by analysing usage patterns which expose congestion points, thus enabling real-time re-routing of traffic where necessary.
3. And, of course, AI is (or can be) used to power Self Optimising Networks (SON), where network configurations are automatically adjusted to improve quality and performance without the need for manual interventions.
4. AI is already playing a big role in customer service. Who hasn’t been exposed to an AI-powered chatbot at this point, used to handle routine enquiries like billing and technical support.
5. In the same domain, sentiment analysis – where customer interactions are weighed to gauge satisfaction and identify potential issues – is being used to let telcos improve their service and, where appropriate, offer targeted solutions.
6. No surprise here; AI is playing a significant role in real-time fraud monitoring. It can analyse call patterns and network usage to detect fraudulent activity like SIM swap and unauthorised network access. This, of course, prevents revenue loss. AI can also detect unusual patterns in data, another marker of fraud, so operators can take immediate action.
7. Then, there’s marketing. Through customer segmentation, AI can analyse behaviour, preferences, and other data to create personalised marketing approaches. These should improve both retention and upsell efforts.
8. Another role for AI relates to the increasingly widespread introduction of dynamic pricing models. AI can recommend pricing plans based on previous usage and market trends that enables revenues for the operator and satisfaction for the customer to be improved in tandem.
9. Beyond fraud, AI also contributes to network security. The technology can monitor traffic for signs of cyber threats like malware and phishing attacks, enabling the operator to take fast action to mitigate risks as and where they arise.
10. Last but no least, there’s 5G. AI is playing a critical role in the deployment of 5G networks. It can play a major role n managing complex infrastructure and spectrum allocation to ensure efficient usage.

There’s more and, indeed, more to come. Telcos’ use of AI is evolving on a continual basis, and as technology advances, use cases will almost certainly expand. We’ll return to the subject again with another update in due course.