Service Assurance ensures that Service Provider network infrastructures deliver the contracted services to agreed quality standards. Where these are in danger of being breached, it can assist in the identification and prioritization of recovery activities.

The need for Service Assurance solutions emerged in mid 1990s led by increased pressure on service availability, affordability and performance. Previous network and element management “single-technology/single-vendor” solutions, mainly provided by Telecom Equipment Supplier, were replaced by multi-technology and multi-vendor solutions. These new Service Assurance solutions were still poorly-automated (mainly “supporting” Network Operation people) and quite “inflexible” with respect to introduction of new technologies and new services. They fulfilled a first vital need: to monitor the entire network infrastructure from a single control point.

Responding to Dramatic Change
These days the Telecom sector is facing changes at a dramatic pace. On the technological side, the introduction of complex IP services (i.e.IP-Telephony to the Desk) coupled with fixed-mobile convergence has led to strong requirements for automated and flexible solutions. On the business side there is increasing pressure on cost reductions due to restructuring, competition and M&A. This, coupled with sophisticated customer demands for higher service quality, has led to a strong focus on service level and performance management solutions. These new solutions fulfill a second vital need: to monitor the entire service infrastructure taking into account end-user perception.

Changing Mindsets
For all service providers, wireline, wireless & broadband operators, new revenue creation and higher differentiation passes through one IP network to provide any service to any user on any device at anytime. Service Providers need to change their mindset from “network-centric” to “service-centric” ending with “end-user centric” service level & performance management. Furthermore, increasingly complex IP services, like end-user IP-Telephony, and N-Play service bundles require a holistic view of all factors participating in the creation of QoS end-user perception and shifting the approach from “reactive” (typical of traditional Network Management solutions) to “proactive”.

Atos Origin has vast experience working with Telecoms companies around the world. We offer best-of-breed Service Assurance solutions, partnering with leading independent vendors, ranging from service level and performance management to network and service management. Atos Origin’s experience in the Telecom industry means that we can share our expertise and contribute at many different levels within operators.

PAOLO LOMBARDO
Business Consultant Atos Origin Italia Telecom Business Unit
Paolo Lombardo is responsible for managing Atos Origin Italy’s OSS service portfolio. He has over 15 years experience in the IT industry and combines a broad technical knowledge with sound business and management experience.

Paolo joined Atos in 1990 and has held many technical and management positions there and later in Atos Origin. In 2001 he started taking wider responsibility for the Telecom Service Offering leading some of the teams that have successfully won many very important OSS contracts in Italy.