Industry
Communications, Media and Information Services
Connect. Curate. Comprehend: Unlocking Value Beyond Boundaries
Highlights
- Telecom modernisation must balance innovation with always‑on operational stability. Replacing legacy operations and business support systems (OSS/BSS) platforms in one go is risky and costly, however leaving them unchanged limits agility and growth.
- The real challenge is not system failure, but inflexibility caused by the tight coupling of legacy integrations, shared databases, and vendor lock‑ins. These slow product launches and make even small changes high‑risk.
- Domain‑led modernisation using TM Forum Open Digital Architecture (ODA)enables safe, incremental evolution. By decoupling capabilities domain by domain and adopting cloud‑native, AI‑enabled models, operators can modernise faster without disrupting live services.
On this page
Why modernize?
Telecom operators are under constant pressure to innovate faster while continuing to deliver uninterrupted, always‑on services.
Large‑scale replacement of legacy OSS/BSS platforms is often risky, expensive, and difficult to execute without disrupting live operations. At the same time, leaving existing systems unchanged limits flexibility and slows innovation. Operators are therefore caught between the need to modernise and the need to protect operational stability, making safe evolution one of the most critical challenges in telecom today.
A more practical path is gradual, domain‑led modernisation guided by the principles of the TM Forum ODA. Instead of replacing entire platforms, capabilities can be progressively decoupled, refactored, and cloud‑enabled while critical services continue to run uninterrupted. This enables controlled, step‑by‑step change that improves adaptability, resilience, and time‑to‑market without increasing operational risk or customer impact.
The real issue: Inflexibility
The core challenge in telecom modernisation is not that legacy systems fail - they continue to operate reliably, processing millions of transactions every day.
Over time, tightly coupled architectures can introduce constraints that limit flexibility. Point‑to‑point integrations, shared databases, vendor‑specific workflows, and closely coordinated releases can increase the effort required to implement even modest changes. As a result, launching new products or onboarding partners may take longer than expected. This creates a natural tension: existing systems provide stability, while innovation depends on adaptability, both of which must be carefully balanced.
Traditional “big‑bang” replacement programs aim to address these challenges by rebuilding platforms end‑to‑end. While this approach can deliver long‑term benefits, it is often complex and resource‑intensive, with value typically realised over an extended period. In always‑on telecom environments, such transitions require careful planning and execution.
A more balanced alternative is incremental, reversible, and domain‑specific modernisation. Using TM Forum ODA as a structural lens, capabilities can be evolved by domain such as engagement, core commerce, production, intelligence, and platform services, rather than replacing entire systems. This enables modernisation efforts to focus on the areas that most influence agility, while preserving operational continuity.
Domain‑led safe modernisation
Progressive telecom modernisation works best when it is broken into small, low‑risk steps rather than large, system replacements.
A practical approach begins by isolating clear domain boundaries and decoupling tightly linked integrations using APIs and events. Capabilities are then refactored into cloud‑native services that can scale independently, while legacy systems are retired gradually by routing new traffic to modern platforms first, avoiding risky switch‑overs.
When combined with cloud‑native operating models, this approach enables faster releases, improved resilience, and continuous modernisation. Modular, event‑driven systems make it easier to unify data, improve visibility, and embed intelligence directly into operations. The result is fewer outages, faster recovery, and greater confidence in change, turning modernisation into an ongoing capability rather than a one‑time program.
ODA‑led AI‑native shift
ODA‑led, AI‑native modernisation is most effective when it enables continuous progress without compromising operational stability.
Adopting TM Forum ODA requires careful planning, including a shift from traditional monolithic OSS/BSS systems to modular, cloud‑native architectures. This transition often demands new design approaches, tools, phased capability evolution, and organisational alignment, supported by closer cross‑functional collaboration, API‑first principles, and wider adoption of Agile and DevOps practices.
A domain-led, incremental approach allows operators to progress at a pace aligned with business priorities while maintaining service continuity. By evolving capabilities progressively rather than replacing entire systems, organisations can reduce risk, realise value earlier, and build confidence in sustained transformation..
Over time, this approach supports faster service innovation, strengthens operational resilience, and improves the use of technology investments. It also enables telecom operators to respond more effectively to market shifts, partner ecosystems , and evolving customer expectations.
Ultimately, modernisation is not a one‑time initiative but a continuous capability. When approached this way, TM Forum ODA becomes a foundation for balancing stability with adaptability, positioning telecom enterprises to perform effectively today while preparing for long‑term growth in an increasingly digital ecosystem..