How can telecommunication providers use network slicing to customize services for customers?

Network slicing allows Telecom operators to offer a customized and personalized experience using a common underlying infrastructure , it is believed to enable CSP's t truly monetize their networks as platforms by participating in the platform economy . This concept is really important as it means customer/enterprise can request its own unique flavor of network characteristics i.e SLA , QOS , Security levels , Performance , Area of service and many attributes . The catch here is over a Mobile Network CSP's need to promise all these characteristics under varying conditions so it should work End to End .

In my professional experience, Telecom providers can leverage network slicing to tailor services for customers for example by taking the following steps: 1. Offer diverse service packages with specific slices optimized for individual needs. 2. Provide slices tailored for diverse IoT devices, like wearables or home automation, ensuring optimal connectivity. 3. Create slices catering to unique requirements of businesses, optimizing parameters for productivity and security. 4. Offer slices with high bandwidth and low latency for superior video streaming experiences. 5. Provide slices prioritizing stable and secure connectivity, crucial for remote work setups. 6. Design slices with low latency and high speed for an enhanced gaming experience.

In my view, network slicing is vital because it enhances efficiency, it optimizes network resources, reducing costs by serving diverse needs with a single infrastructure. It also allows to boosts Innovation by facilitating the creation of customized services, fostering innovation in areas like IoT, healthcare, and autonomous vehicles. It also heightens flexibility which means it enables quick adaptation to evolving market demands and technological advancements. It also helps in driving revenue by opening new revenue streams by offering tailored services to different industries and user preferences. It helps in improving quality of service and user experience by delivering specific network parameters suited to each use case.

From what I understand, network slicing employs SDN and NFV technologies, by enabling resource allocation which helps in efficient distribution of bandwidth, latency, and other parameters based on specific slice requirements. It also allows isolation which is a logical separation of slices prevents interference, ensuring dedicated service parameters. It fosters dynamic adaptation which means real-time adjustments to accommodate changing user needs or network conditions. and it also helps in centralized control management which simplifies monitoring and customization of slices.

In my professional opinion, the other benefits could include for example, security enhancement by isolating slices enhance security by preventing cross-domain vulnerabilities. The other example can be rapid service deployment which means quick rollout of specialized services tailored to emerging market demands. Another example could be resource optimization which is the efficient use of network resources which leads to reduced energy consumption and environmental impact. One more example that comes to mind is edge computing Integration which can facilitate the integration of edge computing for low-latency applications.

Network slicing has now come to a maturity level so it is safe to say that it works but interworking with multi vendor solutions and scale like roaming etc are still some open issues that are currently being addressed. As an example one of biggest Gap that exist is on Radio resource reservation , as typical 3GPP solutions using RSRP and other operation modes do not explain how it can co-exist with GDPR and regulations that are simply a must in many geographies . Then comes security risk specially as each network slice customers want to manage and control by its own processes , will different handling means a security risk , how to ensure API security across . Luckily this is being addressed and Operator Gateway is the answer

Network slicing for brown field networks is a multi phase journey , we need to make sure to truly monetize it require it works end to end , so customers should first make foundation right . So definite starting point as per our experience is Cloud native transformation . Its most important as it enables to build a Network as platform which can be fully automated . Next is starting from domain wise , on this front Core domain is most important but this is already working only gap i see today is Slice operations specially O&M and RCA for 3rd party enterprise . Radical automation is required here , consider how a typical CSP with 300 staff can serve 10,000 enterprises in 24/7 SLA mode. Last domain is focus on RAN and Transport where gap