Telecom
The million Dollars Question about 5G
By Murat Sahinoglu
Experts are all eyeing 5G to open up monetization opportunities for communication service providers (CSPs) beyond their traditional markets. However, the million dollars question on everyone’s mind is how to capture these opportunities?
Standing above previous generations, 5G will give operators the opportunity to evolve their position in the value chain, playing three distinct roles: “Network Developer,” “Service Enabler,” and “Service Creator.”
These roles allow operators to provide increasing value from 5G network infrastructure, they can provide tailored connectivity solutions through a 5G digital platform for business customers to build their own processes and offers including “massive IoT,” and enable new digital services to collaborate on use cases beyond just communications.
At Ericsson, we believe that by setting the right goals for digital Business Support Systems (BSS), service providers can define new business models to monetize 5G.
As the first company that has launched live commercial 5G networks on four continents and the provider of core solutions that are supporting 2.5 billion subscribers from 2G to 5G, our team at Ericsson has been involved hands on with 5G technology evolution 5G and evaluating use cases of today and tomorrow.
If we look at new stakeholder groups that need to be considered in the 5G/IoT business context, we have four groups:
- Enterprises and industry verticals that require solutions beyond telecoms
- New types of suppliers such as IoT device providers and suppliers of eSIM (embedded SIM) and related technologies
- Platform providers that specialize in specific IoT or edge clusters or groups of use cases such as massive and broadband IoT platforms, industrial IoT platforms and content data networks
- Integrators that specialize in specific verticals such as asset management, mission-critical services or automotive that combine capabilities from multiple stakeholders to address consumer needs.
Looking at the traditional network developer role, a service provider acts solely as a cellular connectivity provider by offering solutions such as radio, core network and communication services while models are consumer focused.
In the service enabler role, the service provider extends its services by incorporating additional capabilities such as cloud/edge and IoT enablement and shifts focus to business customers and industry verticals. The service provider becomes a service enabler for 5G and the IoT, acting as a supplier of connectivity and platform services. This enables them to establish digital value systems with opportunity to deliver new services all the way up to full IoT solutions, taking on the roles of integrator, distributor or co-seller.
In the service enabler role, the service provider extends its services by incorporating additional capabilities such as cloud/edge and IoT enablement and shifts focus to business customers and industry verticals, acting as a supplier of connectivity and platform services.
To be able to take the role of service enabler, the BSS must be transformed into a system that is able to monetize IoT/5G platforms and edge deployments, which requires significant changes in both the functional and non-functional space, requiring business support systems with further functional extensions.
The stakeholder ecosystem of service creator is significantly more complex, as the customer base broadens to include verticals and the CSP starts offering full solutions beyond telecoms. As a result, BSS for service creators must include extensive and flexible partner relationship management, requiring new monetization models for charging and billing.
For example, multiparty charging, revenue sharing and profit sharing all require extended billing and reconciliation functionality. Concisely, scalability alone is not enough to handle massive amount of devices.
Looking at it from a step-by-step perspective, value chain evolution of BSS capabilities begins with “5G-enabled BSS”—supporting 5G standards and features like virtualization (NFV) and network slicing, while maintaining all of the end-to-end business capabilities. This is also the time to begin the containerization of some subsystems to provide flexibility for scaling.
The next step in BSS is “B2B, IoT, and Edge”—handling devices at IoT scale while supporting new revenue models and billing-on-behalf. This step is focused on supporting enterprise customers.
The final step is “Full IoT Ecosystem,” in which IoT and Edge partners are customers, suppliers, or both at the same time.
Use-case demands the capability to very quickly define, deploy, and adapt new offerings to capture new business opportunities when it comes to 5G. This means BSS will have to provide partners with tools that can request network capabilities, present configuration options, determine prices, and orchestrate the order—all in real time and without human intervention in a step-by-step approach.
In the recent MIT Technology Review Insights report, senior IT and network executives at telecommunications operators worldwide, including the Middle East and Africa have been asked to evaluate how they are preparing for the opportunities and challenges of 5G, and particularly how business model shifts will impact IT, network operations, and business support systems.
To conclude based on our work with operators globally as a provider of both 5G and BSS, a solid recommendation can be a 5G-evolved BSS for a smooth collaboration between connectivity providers, service creators, partners, suppliers and others that results in the efficient creation of attractive and cost-effective services.
Murat Sahinoglu, Head of Solution Area Business support systems (BSS) at Ericsson Middle East and Africa
At the recently concluded NextNow Business Forum in Victoria Island, MTN Nigeria electrified the business community with a live demonstration of its forthcoming Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS), a solution engineered to redefine how Nigerian enterprises connect with their customers.
Unlike traditional communication systems, MTN’s CPaaS is built for the realities of a mobile-first market. The platform unifies SMS, voice, WhatsApp, email, and more into a single, intuitive interface. This approach is especially significant in Nigeria, with over 107 million internet users, 45.4% of the total population, according to Data Report. This figure underscores the necessity for businesses to meet customers where they are.
During the demo, attendees witnessed how CPaaS enables two-way, real-time conversations between brands and customers. The platform’s support for rich media, instant analytics, and seamless integration with business workflows drew particular attention. These features are designed to empower businesses with data-driven insights and the agility to personalise every interaction, whether it’s a service notification, marketing campaign, or customer support exchange.
Akinbulejo Onabolu, Head of Enterprise Segment at MTN Nigeria, articulated the vision: “CPaaS gives enterprises the flexibility to interact with their customers on their preferred platforms; whether it’s chat, voice, or messaging, in a way that feels personal and immediate. We’re looking forward to the value this will unlock for businesses across industries once it launches.”
The fireside chat added depth to the conversation, with Omowunmi Olatunbosun, Head of SME Segment at MTN Nigeria, and Stephen Agbi of Bayobab, highlighting how digital engagement bridges the gap between businesses and audiences.
They emphasised that today’s consumers demand immediacy, relevance, and ease, qualities that CPaaS is built to deliver.
The stakes for digital transformation in Nigeria are high. In a report by Punch, the country’s enterprise tech market is projected to reach $22 billion by 2027, reflecting a surge in demand for scalable, cloud-based solutions that drive efficiency and customer loyalty.
The CPAAS Acceleration Alliance have estimated that globally, the CPaaS market is expected to grow from $14.7 billion in 2025 to $72.4 billion by 2035, at a compound annual growth rate of 18.4%, a testament to the platform’s transformative potential.
The event’s closing keynote from META’s Korhan Yunak reinforced the strategic value of digital channels like WhatsApp, which are now indispensable for business communication and engagement at scale.
As MTN Nigeria prepares for the Q3 2025 launch, the anticipation is unmistakable. With its promise of flexibility, intelligence, and seamless integration, MTN’s CPaaS platform is set to become the backbone of next-generation business-customer engagement in Nigeria, enabling enterprises to not just communicate but to connect, adapt, and grow in a digital-first era.
MTN Uganda is seeking input from stakeholders on a plan to structurally separate its mobile money service, MoMo, from its core telecoms business.
According to the company, the proposed change will be discussed at the upcoming extraordinary general meeting on July 2.
If approved, the telco’s fintech business will be run by a new company controlled by MTN Group Fintech Holdings B.V. and a trust benefiting minority shareholders following a merger.
Additionally, the restructuring also aligns with MTN Group’s ambition 2025 strategy which aims to unlock value, attract new investors, and strengthen regulatory compliance by creating standalone fintech entities in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The company’s fintech division has over 13 million customers, with an 18.4% revenue increase in the first quarter of 2025, driven by 19.0% growth in mobile money services, 19.8% growth in transaction volumes, and a 31.4% increase in transaction value.
Reports say the decision is part of the telco’s compliance with the National Payment Systems Act 2020, which mandates mobile money businesses to operate as standalone entities, and to align with MTN Group’s regional fintech strategy.
MTN Uganda, which is led by CEO Sylvia Mulinge, highlighted that the implementation of the proposed transaction will be subjected to a number of conditions and regulatory procedures.
“The implementation of the proposed transaction shall be subject to a number of conditions, including the company and MTN MoMo receiving all required regulatory approvals and no-objections and complying with any regulatory conditions,” said MTN Uganda in notice.
Netflix has announced plans to invest more than €1 billion in Spanish film and television productions over the next four years, reinforcing its commitment to Spain as a key creative hub in Europe.
The announcement was made by co-chief executive Ted Sarandos at an event held at Netflix’s production studios near Madrid, celebrating the company’s 10-year presence in the country.
Sarandos emphasized that the investment would contribute significantly to Spain’s economy, create jobs, and enable the streaming platform to produce more local content. He was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in unveiling the initiative.
Netflix first established its international production studios in Madrid in 2019, following the success of the Spanish-language hit series Money Heist.
Since then, its 22,000-square-meter facility has become one of Netflix’s major production centers within the European Union.
The company currently supports over 20,000 jobs in Spain, highlighting the nation’s growing influence in global entertainment.
The investment reflects Netflix’s ongoing strategy to expand its presence in European markets through original content and local talent.
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