Beyond Connectivity: How LSO and NaaS Are Redefining Telecom's Next Chapter

The LSO Summit at the Global NaaS Event (GNE) brings together telecom industry leaders to explore how the future of network services is being reshaped through Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) and the Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) model. Organized by MEF Forum , GNE highlights the challenges and innovations in creating an ecosystem where global network automation and on-demand connectivity can thrive.

From automated API integration to multi-vendor network solutions, discussions at the summit are driven by operators like AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sparkle and Verizon Business, who share insights into the operator perspective on LSO and NaaS advancements. The summit provides a deep dive into how LSO standards and APIs are enabling a seamless service experience across a fragmented telecom landscape, creating new pathways for streamlined, scalable, and efficient network management.

This gathering not only underscores the importance of collaboration and interoperability in achieving true NaaS, but it also addresses the operational, technical, and economic implications for the future of telecoms. With a focus on enhancing customer experiences and future-proofing network infrastructures, the LSO Summit at GNE stands as a pivotal event for thought leadership and strategic vision in the evolving telecom ecosystem.

Key Takeaways and Industry Insights

1. The Power of NaaS and Collaborative Automation

Service providers are moving towards NaaS as a means of providing scalable, on-demand services tailored to modern enterprise needs. With NaaS federation models, the focus is on simplifying service delivery, enhancing interoperability, and streamlining operations through automation. Roy Chua from AvidThink emphasized that collaboration across NaaS buyers, suppliers, and enablers is essential to enable rapid scalability and market adaptability.

2. Operators’ Perspectives on Automation Challenges

Orange: Franck Morales highlighted that although automation is critical, managing NaaS components in-house is resource-intensive and may stifle innovation. He advocated for partnerships and third-party interoperability to enhance scalability and service agility, as seen in Orange’s Evolution and platforms.

Deutsche Telekom: Silke Hoesch explained the need for clear expectations and trust in partnerships. Deutsche Telekom's two-pronged approach — one for international markets with partners and another national in-house — emphasizes flexibility in development but also underscores the challenges of balancing internal resources.

Sparkle: Antonella Sanguineti noted that the digital economy requires more than just connectivity. Sparkle’s approach focuses on integrating APIs, governance, and collaboration across multiple stakeholders, which is essential for building scalable, cost-effective solutions that are sustainable over time.

AT&T: Bertrand Buclin stressed the importance of fully integrating APIs rather than adding them to legacy systems. This holistic integration enables more efficient processes, from quote generation to automated disconnections, illustrating the transformative potential of API-driven workflows.

3. Standardization and Interoperability for Scaling NaaS

Standardized APIs, such as MEF’s LSO APIs, are pivotal for scaling services across multi-vendor ecosystems. They allow CSPs to maintain consistent service quality and SLA adherence across various regions. MEF’s Onboarding & Interop Test (OIT) services further enhance interoperability, enabling faster onboarding for new vendors and providing a scalable foundation for global NaaS models.

4. Modernized Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Fahim Sabir from Colt Technology Services underscored the expanded scope of SLAs, which now go beyond connectivity to cover delivery timelines, service quality, and operational processes. These updated SLAs, aligned with software-centric service models, are essential for meeting modern customer expectations in a multi-layered network-based service landscape. SLAs are now designed to ensure resilience across complex service layers, which is essential as operators adopt multilayered NaaS architectures. The emphasis on end-to-end SLAs requires carriers to invest in training support staff across diverse technologies and to upskill teams for cross-functional roles.

5. AI and Predictive Capabilities for Enhanced Operations

Integrating AI within LSO APIs and network operations was a common theme across sessions. For example, predictive maintenance powered by AI can preempt network issues, and AI-enabled SLAs can provide proactive service assurance by tracking real-time service performance and automatically adjusting to meet agreed-upon standards. Such capabilities transform service reliability, allowing providers to not only meet SLAs but exceed them, enhancing customer satisfaction and service competitiveness.

The API Economy and Its Impact on Service Providers

With insights from Abhijit Sur of Salesforce , we see the transformative potential of APIs in reshaping telecom services. As approximately 99% of enterprises utilize APIs, but only 33% monetize them effectively, there’s a significant opportunity for CSPs to unlock business value and enhance service offerings.

1. Growth and Challenges The API economy is expanding rapidly, driven by MEF’s standardized APIs, which help CSPs create compelling business cases and strategic value beyond immediate client demands.
2. Future of API-Driven Networks APIs are the foundation of future networks, and LSO APIs offer the flexibility to support multi-product deployments. Business-focused APIs, such as Business Sonata APIs, streamline ordering, quoting, and other processes, driving efficiency across operations.
3. Integrating AI for Data-Driven Insights AI integration with APIs transforms data into actionable insights. Service providers can automate workflows, analyze structured and unstructured data, and optimize product payloads for enhanced customer experiences.
4. Emerging Service Opportunities As CSPs expand into upper-layer services like NAS, SD-WAN, and SaaS, strategic API utilization becomes critical for aligning with market trends and customer needs.

So what are the Strategic Recommendations for Service Providers?

1. Adopt a Multi-Stakeholder Approach to NaaS

Successful NaaS implementations require cross-industry collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including enablers, vendors, and technology providers. By integrating a multi-stakeholder approach from the beginning, operators can build more robust, scalable networks and reduce the costs associated with siloed or proprietary solutions. Embracing standardized frameworks like MEF's LSO APIs will also enhance interoperability and future-proof their ecosystems.

2. Invest in End-to-End API Integration for Process Efficiency

APIs should not be treated as quick fixes layered onto legacy systems but as integrated components that reshape and streamline workflows. As Bertrand Buclin from AT&T noted, fully integrated APIs in processes like disconnection and quoting can drastically improve speed and accuracy, reducing customer pain points. A holistic, API-driven architecture is key to realizing operational efficiencies and enabling on-demand, automated services.

3. Modernize SLAs with a Software-Centric Focus

As networks evolve into more complex, multi-layered architectures, service providers should expand SLAs to include delivery timelines, service quality, and operational benchmarks. These modern SLAs reflect the changing expectations of customers in an API-driven world, where network reliability and speed are paramount. SLAs should also incorporate AI-driven predictive capabilities to monitor and adjust service performance proactively.

4. Prepare for AI and Predictive Analytics

As the demand for higher service reliability grows, operators should look to integrate AI and predictive analytics into their operations. This approach allows for proactive problem-solving, reducing downtime and preempting service disruptions. Leveraging predictive analytics to monitor network health, usage trends, and capacity needs will enable operators to stay ahead of issues and improve resource allocation.

The LSO Summit highlighted that the future of telecommunications hinges on seamless automation, collaborative partnerships, and a robust API strategy. Operators like Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sparkle, and AT&T illustrate the importance of adapting to new operational models that embrace flexibility, efficiency, and interoperability. For aconnic , this highlights the importance of integrating multi-vendor interoperability, AI-driven automation, and customer-centered SLAs to deliver next-generation solutions in an evolving digital landscape.