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November 5-7, 2024
Bangkok

2024 Catalyst Projects

See Innovation Come To Life

At the heart of innovation at Innovate Asia, 10+ Catalyst projects will debut their groundbreaking innovations live in the expo hall and on the Innovate stage.

Harnessing the collaborative global force of the greatest industry minds from global organizations, our Catalyst project teams are pioneering solutions to propel industry innovation and growth through Open APIs, ODA, AI, and automation.

Experience first-hand their inventive and trailblazing demonstrations. Delve into the challenges tackled, use cases explored, and solutions forged. Connect with these visionaries to discover how you can leverage their achievements to align with your business objectives and advance future outcomes.

Catalyst Champions include:

Browse Catalyst Projects

AI-driven network automation for traffic and service resilience

AI-driven network automation for traffic and service resilience

In today’s digital era, telecommunication networks play a crucial role in economic growth and societal development. For instance, a 2020 report from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) showed that a 10% increase in broadband penetration could boost GDP by 0.77% to 1.50%. However, networks are vulnerable to outages, leading to service degradation and poor customer experience. Communication Service Providers (CSPs) typically use manual traffic and service engineering based on prioritization of Quality of Service (QoS). This method is slow, error-prone, and increases operational costs. A more efficient solution involves the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for self-healing networks. AI can automate troubleshooting and re-engineering within the network and services domain without manual intervention to adapt to disturbances, leading to faster problem resolution, fewer errors, and reduced expenses. Our innovation in this Catalyst explores an AI-driven approach to enhance network operations, advancing toward Autonomous Networks (AN) Level-4 and Level-5. It follows the Open Digital Architecture (ODA), allowing automated network configurations and traffic engineering while also leveraging Generative AI (GenAI) and related technologies to enable intent-based interactions. Further, the defined reference architecture allows these concepts to address any network domain, from the telco cloud to the telco edge. The innovation has two main components: (1) AI and network automation layer and (2) the incorporation of TM Forum’s Open APIs. The former will deal with the AI to enable intelligent network layer operations and intent-based actions. This is done by looking at two connectivity network aspects (transport and IP layers) to ensure that traffic takes the best paths and utilizes network resources effectively based on QoS. The TM Forum’s Open APIs will ensure seamless interaction between network components, enhancing resilience and performance. By integrating AI, the innovation can reduce downtime by 80%, lower operational costs by 50%, and improve network resilience. Customers benefit from increased satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, this innovation sets a new benchmark for automated network management, enabling CSPs to offer Connectivity as a Service (CaaS) and unlocking new business opportunities through business to business to various parties (B2B2X) partnerships.

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URN: C24.5.741
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The Big Deal

The Big Deal

Many enterprise business units within telcos quote manually. In operating this way, CSPs forego the opportunity to automate quote production (time to quote) and lose deals, configurations cannot be validated, costing needs to be done manually, and quotes are unable to transition seamlessly to become orders, introducing an additional step which can be a source of error as well as adding significant effort. CSPs that undertake transformation over their enterprise business units often use non-Telco focused “Core Commerce” solutions with the intention of solving this problem, starting with a small number of products. However, because of the coding required per product, the usefulness of the solution is limited when only part of the product catalog is available from which to assemble a quote, making it essential to perform all of this within a visually configured Telco-focused catalog. This project sets out to visually model complex configurations and relationships in a TMF-compliant catalog, allowing CSPs to productize and automate all their offers to enterprise customers. The solution addresses the challenges by providing the ability to automate quotes, validate configurations, and transition quotes seamlessly into orders. It also integrates with partners using TM Forum Open APIs to comprehensively manage responsibilities, agreed life cycles, and SLAs. The solution has the following innovative capabilities: - Visually model complex configuration and relationships in a TMF-compliant catalog to productize and automate all CSP offers to enterprise customers. - During bespoke contracting, use Gen AI to assist in drafting the contract and generating commercial considerations for the quote. Gen AI can suggest contractual clauses and analyze the impact of changes, significantly accelerating contracting. This faster contracting brings revenue forward and makes it more predictable for the CSP. - Use Gen AI to guide the process and provide insights, predicting potential issues and likely timelines per site, product, configuration, channel, partner, etc. Manage change and non-happy path use cases as the big deal progresses. - Many CSPs need to cancel and restart parts of orders to deal with change; others manage change but suffer from revenue leakage through uncontrolled change. - Support the channels of choice for sales teams, customers, operations staff, and partners. - Using TM Forum Open APIs, integrate with partners comprehensively to address enterprise challenges, enabling the CSP to effectively share responsibility with the partner, including agreed life cycles and SLAs.

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URN: C24.5.734
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GenAI powered toolkit for network & service management - Phase II

GenAI powered toolkit for network & service management - Phase II

Telecom operators face increasing challenges in maintaining reliable networks, especially amid environmental disruptions, natural disasters, and rising customer demands. To address these, this Phase II Catalyst is developing an AI-powered system that will transform network management by integrating fault, performance, and alarm management into a unified, automated framework. This AI-powered system will: - Swiftly diagnose faults by correlating data from network logs and user reports, significantly improving response times and reducing network downtime. - Continuously monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) through machine learning algorithms, to identify patterns, predict potential performance issues, and recommend proactive measures to ensure network efficiency. - Stremline alarm management by intelligently prioritizing alerts based on their severity and impact on service quality, enabling faster resolution and preventing service disruptions. This Phase II Catalyst project builds on the Architectural Framework introduced in its previous phase. It aims to create a Knowledge Graph that maps relationships between network elements, topology, faults, and inventory data. This will enable predictive fault correlation, proactive decision-making, and closed-loop automation. We will also integrate TM Forum APIs into end-to-end service assurance workflows, automating manual processes and aligning with the principles of an Autonomous Network. Moreover, the solution will focus on enabling intent-based RAN self-healing and optimization using event-driven automation and a Mixture-of-Agents approach. The AI system will leverage the Knowledge Graph to determine the next best actions, issue service requests, and manage network configuration autonomously, driving closed-loop operations. The ultimate vision is to empower telecom operators with AI-driven intelligence to not only meet current demands but also anticipate future challenges. By employing machine learning, advanced analytics, and automation, we aim to create a smarter, more resilient telecom infrastructure that can thrive in the face of both environmental and operational challenges.

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URN: C24.5.750
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Accelerated service-centric autonomous network operations

Accelerated service-centric autonomous network operations

The vision of Catalyst C24.5.755 is to empower champions in their Digital Transformation to Accelerate Service Centric Autonomous Network Operations (ASCANO) to meet their R.I.S.E (Revenue, Innovation, Satisfaction and Experience) differentiated business objectives: 1) Revenue: Revenue Loss Reduction (prioritize trouble tickets to minimise service traffic loss), New Revenue (monetize Customer Experience upsell ‘add-on’ packages, New Premium Transport Resilience B2B Latency as a service) 2) Technology Innovation: Leverage AI & GenAI (Generative AI) Co-Pilot, EDNS (expected demand not served) for service impact and service recovery and DTN (Digital Twin) for Multi-layer visualization, Service status analysis, Network simulation to enable Revenue, Satisfaction and Experience objectives. 3) Satisfaction: to stay ahead of competition in delivering high standards of Customer Experience (reduce churn, increase NPS, reduce customer complaints, increase first call resolution rate, and proactive customer care). 4) Network Experience Improvement: Network Availability Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) reduction and reduced OPEX for Fault Handling. Our solution for ASCANO incorporate the ODA TMForum AI-Native Telco Framework: 1)AI-Native Operations- Monitor and Handle Anomaly Event Value Stream for Cross Domain Closed Loop Automation. 2)AI-Native OSS and BSS – Use of Modular ‘Plug and Play’ Microservices Oriented AI Ready components Service & Network Incident Correlation, Network Recovery Automation and Service Restoration Workaround 3)Open Autonomous Infrastructure – OSS systems collaborate with EMS for autonomous close-loop resolution. Supported by NOC & SOC Collaboration for service-centric operations to remove silos, manual processes, inflexible architectures to streamline trouble ticketing unification, and multi-team convergence. Our proposal provides a pragmatic framework for operation transformation which integrates processes, platforms, people (organizations) and technology. Service-oriented business objectives are measured against metric/KPIs using the TMForum MAMA/Value Operation Framework (VOF) methodology. The Business Value Impact using the VOF methodology clearly shows the before and after innovative solution impact and quantified improvement in indicative and overall VALUE terms.

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URN: C24.5.755
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Mighty Minions: Unleashing domain-specific GenAI via SLMs

Mighty Minions: Unleashing domain-specific GenAI via SLMs

This project focuses on leveraging Small Language Models (SLMs) to enhance 5G use cases by enabling models that operate efficiently on devices with limited computational power, such as smartphones, IoT devices, and edge servers. These SLMs are designed to deliver real-time, context-aware services, improving both user experience and operational efficiency. By integrating SLMs into edge devices, we aim to showcase their effectiveness across various real-world scenarios. Building on the success of the previous phase, we will transition several proof-of-concept (POC) use cases into full production environments in collaboration with our key partners. This transition will validate the models’ practical applicability, demonstrating their readiness for large-scale deployment. The process will include comprehensive testing and optimization to ensure the models’ robustness and reliability in live operational settings. The implementation of these GenAI-driven solutions opens up significant new revenue opportunities for Communication Service Providers (CSPs). By adopting and commercializing these technologies, CSPs can diversify their service offerings, unlocking new income streams. Detailed financial projections and use case examples will demonstrate how these technologies drive both revenue growth and operational improvements, highlighting their value for CSPs in the evolving telecom landscape.

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URN: M24.5.735
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SmartHive xG: Horizon

SmartHive xG: Horizon

The new phase of Smart Hive XG builds upon the existing platform by incorporating advanced AI-driven enhancements, expanding its reach into new industries, and bridging key verticals such as tourism. This initiative aims to deliver cutting-edge edge-AI experiences and comprehensive service management solutions, driving business growth across sectors. The proposal addresses the inefficiencies and fragmentation of current digital platforms in onboarding and integrating diverse industry partners. These platforms often struggle to provide seamless B2B, B2C, and B2B2X services, leading to several critical challenges: 1. Fragmented Service Delivery: The absence of a unified approach results in disjointed service experiences for end-users, reducing satisfaction and engagement. 2. Barriers to Business Growth: Disconnected platforms make it difficult for industry partners to scale operations and expand market reach efficiently. 3. Revenue Assurance & Fraud Management Issues: Ensuring stable and reliable revenue streams becomes problematic due to gaps in service integration and delivery. Additionally, the tourism sector, especially in regions like Colombo Port City, faces its own set of challenges. These include inefficient service coordination, limited access to innovative technology, and poor user experiences. The significant potential of this sector remains underexploited. This project aims to overcome these barriers by introducing an integrated platform that enhances service delivery across industries. By leveraging AI-driven innovations, Smart Hive XG will improve the user experience, unlock new opportunities for industry partners, and foster tourism growth, contributing to the broader economic development of Sri Lanka.

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URN: M24.5.746
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INNOVATION PIONEER PROJECT: ODA in a box

INNOVATION PIONEER PROJECT: ODA in a box

Communication Service Providers (CSPs) have long sought to reduce operational costs and enhance efficiency through pre-integrated software solutions that streamline enterprise-wide processes. The Open Digital Architecture (ODA) addresses this by offering powerful Open APIs, enabling dynamic solutions without the high costs of systems integration. This Innovation Pioneer Project aims to advance this framework by developing rigorous conformance tests for increasingly complex use cases. The goal is to foster a market of ready-to-deploy software suites that automate critical business processes at an affordable cost. The ODA-in-a-Box project will demonstrate how ODA components can deliver end-to-end processes in the cloud for CSPs. Focused on the telecommunications sector, we will create a simplified, scalable ODA solution that enables rapid deployment of business and operational support systems (BSS/OSS) with minimal integration overhead—think of it as using larger, fewer blocks for faster, easier assembly. Beyond mapping ODA components to system functions, this project will develop a comprehensive, scalable IT stack tailored to industries like IoT, smart cities, and cloud services. Participants will explore configuring ODA components into macro modules to efficiently implement processes across key telecom scenarios, including: - B2C: Mobile connectivity for individuals - B2B: Mobile connectivity for corporate groups, Enterprise private lines, IoT solutions for smart cities, Reselling cloud computing services, Pre-sales and in-sales activities (with a focus on lead and opportunity management) What does this mean for Innovate Asia? For Innovate Asia 24, this project is building a working demonstration of ODA-in-a-Box—a simplified version of the ODA architecture, designed for faster deployment and scalability. By leveraging macro components, CSPs will be able to adapt quickly to new technologies and growing connectivity demands.

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URN: C24.5.753
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