TECHNOLOGY

SURVEY

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As has become traditional, the Polystar Customers have once
again shared their knowledge and views with us on a range of
technology questions. Our focus is on progress towards 5G
and all that this entails in terms of virtualisation, cloudification
and more.

We had a large and very diverse audience, from more countries

than ever before. As a result, we obtained input from a broad
community, reflecting the status of different market situations.

Our report is based on real responses from the Mobile Network

Operators (MNOs) to the questions we asked. We’ve taken the
results of the survey and processed them, so we can report the
findings to our community in this brief research summary.

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Virtualisation – how is
the transition progressing?

However, while this is exciting, there are some impor-

The vast majority are tant nuances to explore. Virtualisation brings other

embracing the virtual complexities and requirements, creating a need for

new solutions, such as orchestration software to
technologies that will be coordinate service chains and resource allocation in
virtual environments, among other tasks. So, in ad-
required as they proceed dition to virtual components, orchestration software

with their 5G migration is a mandatory element in the overall transition. Here,

progress is more evenly divided.
and evolution.

Virtualisation is a key, complementary trend that is

fundamental to the new 5G network architecture. Clearly, the majority
So, we might expect to see our community eagerly
adopting virtual solutions to support network trans- is moving firmly in the
direction of sophisticated
formation and their migration towards 5G. And, this
is exactly what we have seen. 50% of our respond-
ents are already running virtualised deployments of
virtual orchestration.
key systems, such as the EPC and IMS. Moreover,
in aggregate, 88% of respondents can identify time
frames for investments in virtual technologies.
According to our respondents, 25% have moved or-
So, regardless of whether or not an MNO has already chestration software to commercial environments,
decided when to deploy 5G, it’s clear that the vast while 25% expect to take this step within the next 12
majority are embracing the virtual technologies that months. A further 18% anticipate doing so in more
will be required as they proceed with their 5G migra- than 12 months, with the remainder being uncertain
tion and evolution. about when they will adopt such technology.

Prognosis how many moved already the orchestration software to commercial environments

25% 25% 18% 32%

already moved move in next 12 month move in next 12+ month uncertain about when

TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
3 REPORT – 2020

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Our 5G Future is
rapidly taking shape

350+ 63+ 35 208+ 60

MNOs invested 5G networks in Countries with Launched commercial offerings
in 5G commercial operation 5G networks Devices by MNOs

Earliest expected 5G commercial launch dates

Launched
2020
2021
2022

© GSA February 2020

The attention of the industry is firmly focused on 5G So, against this background, how does the Polystar
deployment and investment. Every week seems to community reflect the evolving 5G market? Very well, it
bring news of a new launch. According to the GSA1, turns out. While only a few MNOs report live services,
by March 2020, more than 350 mobile network op-
erators (MNOs) had invested in 5G, with 63 5G net-
works in 35 countries now in commercial operation.
More than 60% of
The initial focus has been on offering consumer ser- respondents expect to launch
vices, a move supported by the fact that availability
of 5G devices has moved hand-in-hand with net- commercial services within
work investments. Again according to GSA data2,
by the end of January, more than 208 devices had
the next 12 months.
been launched with 60 being offered commercially
by MNOs. Intriguingly, the device ecosystem seems Of course, some MNO efforts have been held back
to be increasingly fragmented at this point in time, by delays to spectrum auction and allocation pro-
at least, as more than 70 vendors have brought of- cesses, but our findings are broadly consistent with
fers to the mobile supply chain. our 2018 survey.
1
GSA – Global Mobile Suppliers’ Association “LTE & 5G Market Status: Global Snapshot – March 2020”
2
GSA “5G Device Ecosystem Report: February 2020”

TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
4 REPORT – 2020

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Our 5G Future is
rapidly taking shape

At that time, 75% of respondents expected to de-
ploy 5G within a specified time period – largely
within the subsequent 12 months. Clearly, some
momentum has been lost – perhaps due to reg-
ulatory uncertainty – but the momentum remains
strong.
could expect this to become a reality. This year, the
situation is completely different.
Those who don’t know are now in the minority,
while nearly 70% see SA deployment in a given, vis-
ible timeframe. While for most (47%), this is unlikely
until after 2020, the fact that
there is now much greater 2.6 billion
clarity regarding SA shows

In fact, in total, nearly 75% how much the industry has

matured.

5G subscriptions
expect 5G to happen in
their networks in the next
This is reflected in other re-
ports – the latest edition of

two years. Ericsson’s mobility report3

forecasts a total of around
2.6 billion 5G subscriptions
However, there is another aspect which is strik- by 2025, suggesting rapid
ing. Current activity is focused on Non-standalone adoption post-deployment. 2025
(NSA) 5G, with the retention of the existing EPC The activity we have seen
core from LTE networks. Last year, there was con- from the Polystar community is broadly supportive
siderable uncertainty regarding full Standalone (SA) of this expectation, although we did not discuss
5G. More than 50% simply didn’t know when they subscriber adoption specifically.

3
Ericsson Mobility Report, November 2019

TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
5 REPORT – 2020

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Virtualisation – how is
the transition progressing?
When considering either
commercial VMware or
open source Openstack
for deployments of virtual
KALIX and OSIX, nearly
60% favoured Openstack,
while 30% have opted for
VMware.
But, we must recognise that this is proceeding at a
slower rate than virtualisation in general. One inter-
pretation is that early adopters of virtual solutions in
general have probably restricted them to key areas
and have delayed the integration of orchestration
solutions pending early results and growing demand.
We would anticipate this changing considerably in
the next year, partly as more trial deployments move
to commercial operation and create a need for more
orchestration, and partly as 5G investments proceed
apace, subscriber numbers grow, and as more di-
verse services emerge.
There is greater uncertainty, however, regarding two
key initiatives – ONAP and ETSI OSM. The Open
Network Automation Platform – ONAP – is an open-
source initiative that emerged from the combination
of projects from the Linux Foundation and another
4
Analysis Mason “ONAP and OSM may be reconciled in 2019”
https://www.analysysmason.com/Research/Content/Comments/ONAP-OSM-reconciliation-RMA07/
INNOVATION IN NETWORK INTELLIGENCE 
led by AT&T. ETSI OSM – Open Source Mano – is a
similar initiative that offers an open source solution
for NFV management and orchestration software
stacks, spearheaded by the well-established ETSI
standards group.
According to our community, around 18% have se-
lected OSM, while just over 6% have adopted ONAP.
However, 75% simply don’t know. This is support-
ive of the earlier finding, in which we observed that
orchestration software in general has yet to reach a
majority of our community.
There is another interpretation, though. There is
some speculation, reported by Analysys Mason4,
among others, that ONAP may converge with OSM,
with some level of code integration. Whether or not
this actually happens, it might suggest that many
are watching from the side-lines before making such
a crucial decision. We would expect this to shift in
2020, partly because of the ultimate necessity of
making a choice, and partly because orchestration in
one form or other is essential.
However, in one area, a clear divide has opened up.
When considering either commercial VMware or
open source Openstack for deployments of virtual
KALIX and OSIX, nearly 60% favoured Openstack,
while 30% have opted for VMware. One thing is cer-
tain – open source initiatives have rapidly gained not
only credibility, but significant market share – con-
firming the rapid adoption of such initiatives in our
industry.
TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
6 REPORT – 2020
WWW.POLYSTAR.COM
Data centres and the cloud
Of critical importance to the spread of virtual solu-
tions is the readiness of the data centre. In contrast
with typical enterprise data centre and cloud solu-
tions, MNOs need data centres that are capable
of hosting latency-sensitive, real-time, and data
intensive solutions. In this regard, the industry is
prepared:
Nearly 65% of respondents
declare that their data
centre is ready now, while a
further 12% expect it to be
ready in 12 months’ time.
As such, we might expect that such preparations
also translate into the adoption of container-based
cloud technologies, such as RedHat Kubernetes.
INNOVATION IN NETWORK INTELLIGENCE 
And, indeed, this is what we find. 12% are ready for
such solutions, while a solid 25% are taking the nec-
essary steps to prepare.
The data centre and the cloud are clearly a work in
progress, but maturity is coming fast. These mirror
our findings for the adoption of virtual technology.
Early deployments may have been low key, but in-
creasing scale and spread will demand sophisticated
orchestration, while dedicated data centre infrastruc-
ture must also be in place. The industry is gathering
pace and the cloud is clearly here to stay.
On which note, our audience was asked where they
see Polystar’s solutions being deployed – the telco
cloud or the OSS cloud, alongside other operational
system elements. Perhaps reflecting the long associ-
ation of Polystar with OSS systems, 41% of respond-
ents saw deployment in the OSS cloud as preferable,
while 18% see the telco cloud as more suitable. This
is an emerging field and we’ll continue to track this
as MNOs evolve their cloud architecture and infra-
structure.
TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
7 REPORT – 2020
WWW.POLYSTAR.COM
Machine Learning
and Artificial Intelligence
18% 80%
“ML and AI are all “Convinced they will play a role,
but inevitable.” only remains to be seen where.”
Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
have long been seen as technologies that can deliver
value to MNOs and across the industry. There are
numerous efforts to increase automation between
systems, with ML providing the means to train solu-
tions based on the accumulation and processing of
data, such that new outcomes and insights can be
delivered, resulting in more optimised network and
service performance, more accurate predictions and
proactive, service assurance automation.
While ML and AI may
have benefits, the industry
is uncertain about how
to capitalise on these
technologies.
However, this is undeniably an area that has attracted
considerable hype. While ML and AI may have bene-
fits, where should it be deployed and how can MNOs
capitalise on these intriguing technologies? With that
in mind, the industry is relatively uncertain.
INNOVATION IN NETWORK INTELLIGENCE 
62%
“Use cases must
first be identified.”
First, there is some striking confidence. 18% of our
respondents see that ML and AI are all but inevitable,
even without an identified use case. This suggests
that they understand the potential and are clear that
their adoption is inevitable – and that they are also
confident that use cases will be found.
In contrast, 62% think that use cases must first be
identified and have a relatively more cautious outlook.
They need to find use cases within their networks
and identify programmes into which ML and AI can
be incorporated. But, 80% are evidently convinced
that ML and AI will play a role, it surely only remains
to be seen where.
So, the industry is overwhelmingly positive about
such techniques, even while acknowledging reason-
able caution. Perhaps early enthusiasm has been
tempered by too much hype – and we are now see-
ing practical reflection, even while MNOs are keen to
capitalise on new capabilities and to explore potential
benefits that ML and AI can deliver. The identifica-
tion of use cases is clearly of great importance – but
once such cases emerge, might a flurry of adoption
proceed? The industry is poised and evaluating de-
velopments very carefully indeed!
Our findings reflect this uncertainty – but point to a
more assured future.
TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
8 REPORT – 2020
WWW.POLYSTAR.COM
Conclusion
There’s no doubt 5G is
coming , backed by a fully
virtual infrastructure and
advanced, real-time capable
data centre and cloud
technologies.
Our findings present a positive picture of an indus-
try and community embracing change and looking
ahead to further rapid evolution as promising new
technologies such as ML and AI gain a foothold in
the industry, for a variety of reasons.
Unlike last year, we did not explore IoT at length in
our survey, but we did drill-down into 5G architec-
tures. This dominated proceedings, as we heard
much about 5G plans. The focus was on early
INNOVATION IN NETWORK INTELLIGENCE 
eMBB adoption for consumers – so we can surely
expect IoT and URLLC to feature more prominently,
for example, as the standards emerge and as 5G
SA becomes a reality. For now, consumer-based
services appear to be the priority – perhaps also
because so many of our MNO community reported
in 2018 that they were already actively pursuing IoT
opportunities.
One thing is for certain. 5G is not just coming, it’s
here – but perhaps it’s the preparations made for the
adoption of the next phase of technology evolution
and the systems that will support it that offer the
most intriguing possibilities.
So, for now, we see an industry in rude health, eager-
ly adopting new solutions that offer much promise. It
is striking to see how aligned our community is with
other published research – and how much it is look-
ing forward to new models, new automation and new
opportunities to deliver enhanced communication.
Let’s see what 2020 brings!
TECHNOLOGY SURVEY
9 REPORT – 2020
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 Polystar is a leading provider of real-time monitoring and analytics platforms to more than
100 CSPs worldwide. The company´s solutions deliver tailored insights into network, ser-
vice and OTT application performance. These insights allow stakeholders to enhance cus-
tomer experience, operational efficiency, and identify new revenue streams from data mon-
etisation.

Polystar’s products enable the smooth introduction of new technologies and services, in-
cluding 5G, NFV and IoT, helping CSPs build and operate cost efficient, secure and reliable
networks.

Powered by Elisa Automate, Polystar also ensures proactive management of networks

through automation of operational processes, driven by machine learning. CSPs benefit from
faster fault resolution and more efficient use of both operational and network resources.

Polystar was founded in Stockholm in 1983. The company has experienced continuous
growth and has evolved to become a global company, serving customers and partners in
over 50 countries. Since June 2019, Polystar has been part of Elisa. For more information,
please visit www.polystar.com

Get in touch:
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www.polystar.com

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