4-advice. Digital. Change. Innovation
Case Study: Introduction of a “Service Capability Server” as a new mobile network component for IoT applications

Einführung eines "Service Capability Servers"

Branche: Telekommunikation

Ausgangslage: Herausforderungen & Probleme

Viele Kunden standen bei IoT vor dem Problem, dass sie zwar Anwendungsfälle für mobile IoT Produkte hatten, dass deren Umsetzung aufgrund der hohen Anforderungen an das benötigte Know-How im Umgang mit den von den Geräten verwendeten Protokollen, deren Verwaltung und Inbetriebnahme Schwierigkeiten bereitete.

Insbesondere in Anwendungsfällen, die den massenhaften Einsatz von IoT Modulen vorsahen, stellten die Kunden vor große Hürden, was schlussendlich die Marktadoption der vom Telekommunikationsanbieter vertriebenen IoT Konnektivitätsprodukte stark eingrenzte.

Es fehlte ein einfacher Weg, um große Mengen an IoT Geräten sicher bei der Erstinbetriebnahme mit dem Serversystem des Kunden zu verbinden und an Schnittstellen, die eine Kommunikation über in der IT weit verbreitete Methoden ermöglichte, ohne nativ die von den Geräten selbst verwendeten Protokolle sprechen zu müssen.

Des Weiteren stellte es die Kunden vor neue Herausforderungen die Erreichbarkeit großer Geräteflotten auch dauerhaft zu überwachen und sicher zu stellen.

Vorgehensweise: Was wurde getan?

Hier kam der Service Capability Server ins Spiel, der als Komponente des Mobilfunknetzes eine Reihe von Vorteilen bietet:

  • Sicherheit durch Integration mit dem Mobilfunknetz
  • Integrierte Funktionalitäten, um selbst massenhaft ausgerollte IoT Geräte sicher automatisch mit den eigenen Serversystemen zu verbinden, sobald diese erstmalig eine Verbindung mit dem Mobilfunknetz aufnehmen
  • Protokoll-Übersetzungsfunktionen, die es den „normalen“ IT Systemen ermöglichen sehr leicht über eine REST API die Daten der IoT Geräte zu konsumieren, oder an diese zu senden – egal welches IoT Protokoll das Gerät einsetzt
  • Mobilfunknetzbasierte Monitoring-Funktionalitäten, um auch den dauerhaften Betrieb einer großen Geräteflotte sicherstellen zu können

Fazit: Projektergebnisse, die sich sehen lassen

Mit der Implementierung des Service Capability Servers erkannte der Kunde eine Möglichkeit sich vom Wettbewerb zu differenzieren und seine eigenen Produkte aufzuwerten und attraktiver zu gestalten.

Zusätzlich wurde es durch die Abstraktion – weg von den IoT-spezifischen Kommunikationsprotokollen hin zu gängigen Protokollen, die auch den Hauseigenen Entwicklern bereits geläufig waren – für die Kunden möglich schneller ihr bereits vorhandenes Wissen zu nutzen und eigene Erfahrungen mit IoT zu sammeln.

Vor diesem Hintergrund entstand die Idee das Produkt in Form einer Developer Community zu vermarkten, die es den Kunden ermöglicht in Workshops erste Hands-On Erfahrungen mit der Technologie zu sammeln.

Hauptthesen der Fallstudie:

Punkt A. Herausforderungen Probleme, die der Kunde hatte  

  • Harter Preiskampf im NB-IoT Markt, wenig Spielraum um sich mit dem Standardprodukt von Wettbewerbern zu differenzieren
  • Vorteile eines Service Capability Servers für das IoT Geschäft des Telekommunikationsunternehmens und dessen Kunden wurden nicht unternehmensweit verstanden
  • Identifizierung und Überzeugung von internen Schlüssel-Stakeholdern zur Einführung des Service Capability Servers in das Mobilfunknetz
  • Keine vorhandene Produktvision und kein Produktkonzept für die Implementierung eines Service Capability Servers und zur Vermarktung der funktionalen Aufwertung von Mobile IoT Konnektivitätsprodukten (insbes. NB-IoT)

Was wurde getan:

  • Erstellung von Dokumenten und Anforderungsmanagement für Request for Proposal zur Anbieterauswahl
  • Projektlead für Service Capability Server Proof of Concept-Instanz:

– Projektmanagement

– Security-Freigaben

– Einholen von Kundenfeedback

  • Projektlead für Implementierung SCS als Produktivsystem inkl. Demand Management
  • Unterstützung Exploration & Solution Design für Integration mit CRM/BSS System
  • Entwicklung Geschäfts-& Preismodell, inkl. Business Case
  • Definition einer Customer Journey

Punkt B. Projektergebnisse

  • Auswahl und erfolgreicher Rollout eines Service Capability Servers im Mobilfunknetz des Kunden
  • Erfolgreicher Launch des Service Capability Service-basierten Produktangebotes im Rahmen einer IoT Developer Community mit

– 10.000+ verbundenen Geräten

– 800+ aktiven Nutzern

  • Integration des Service Capability Server in das Gesamtportfolio im Bereich Mobile IoT.

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