Nokia 'AI-as-a-Service' helps telcos manage 5G networks and identify faults

(Image credit: Nokia)

Nokia says its new cloud-based AI monitoring platform will make it easier for operators to manage more complex network requirements and the larger volumes of traffic that will be generated by 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) deployments.

The Finnish telecoms equipment manufacturer says traditional approaches to network and service management are no longer suitable as cellular infrastructure is used to manage ever growing numbers of devices and mission critical applications.

Billed as ‘AI-as-a-Service’, the Nokia AVA 5G Cognitive Operations platform uses algorithms to automate and manage network functions and predict faults before they happen. It is powered by insights gathered from data science, machine learning and real use cases from telecoms and cloud environments.

Nokia AI-as-a-Service

The platform helps operators optimise new use cases, service requirements, virtualisation and network slicing. It can intelligently provision network resources helping operators and determine what SLAs they can offer customers – something that will be crucial for mission critical use cases.

On top of this, it is also possible to predict service and network failures up to seven days in advance -enabling a proactive approach to maintenance. The platform delivers intelligent fault diagnosis, failure localisation and dynamic impact analysis, helping operators to mitigate the issue and solve it much more rapidly.  

Nokia says customers who have trialled the service have seen a 20 per cent reduction in complaints and have managed to reduce site visits by 10 per cent, resulting in cost savings alongside greater efficiency.

“Operators face a perfect storm of rising traffic and consumer expectations, so it is crucial to be able to predict and prevent service degradations at an earlier stage, while solving issues that arise significantly faster,” said Dennis Lorenzin, head of Nokia’s network cognitive service unit.

“Nokia AVA 5G Cognitive Operations enables CSPs to operate and assure latency for 5G use cases through AI, ultimately delivering an enhanced customer experience for consumers and enterprises.”

Several operators around the world already use Self-Optimising Network (SON) technology that automatically allocates additional resources to sites where demand is higher than usual or to identify faults before they happen.

SON is usually deployed in the radio layer of networks but with 5G requiring mobile operators to rearchitect their entire infrastructure with cloud and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) technologies, the potential for intelligent networks is significantly greater.

Steve McCaskill is TechRadar Pro's resident mobile industry expert, covering all aspects of the UK and global news, from operators to service providers and everything in between. He is a former editor of Silicon UK and journalist with over a decade's experience in the technology industry, writing about technology, in particular, telecoms, mobile and sports tech, sports, video games and media.