IG1388 Vision and Strategy of Blockchain in the Telco Industry v1.0.0

Blockchain is a technology that changes the capabilities of the internet through the introduction of peer-to-peer value transfers. Prior to Bitcoin, sending monetary value required a third party intermediary (typically a bank), bringing cost and complexity. With bitcoin, sending monetary value became as straightforward as sending an email – you can do it over a decentralized, peer-to-peer network without having to rely on a central intermediary. In discussions of blockchain there is a primary distinction which must be drawn: private and public networks. A private blockchain controls the parties that can interact within the network. A public blockchain is a decentralized protocol: anyone who follows a set of prescribed rules can interact and participate. 

In this paper, we explore both versions of this technology. Whilst private blockchains are certainly less controversial, the more revolutionary vision comes from the public blockchains. Private blockchains offer efficiency improvements, and many example use cases are discussed in detail in TR279 – including efficient roaming billing and MNP solutions.