WHITE PAPER

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
AND MACHINE LEARNING
AS THE FOUNDATIONS OF 5G
NETWORK MONITORING
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

nn How 5G and the IoT are forcing telcos to rethink

traditional network management methods

nn The role that artificial intelligence and machine learning

can play in network management

nn How to implement and manage automated processes

for network monitoring

nn Why it is so important to maintain good-quality data

for automated network management

nn The role of technical staff in an automated network

nn How automation can help telcos succeed

with customer-focused strategies
The 5G mobile network revolution is already happening. Together with the network infrastructure, network
management centers have also evolved. They are now integrated with broader projects such as telecommunications
networks and digital city initiatives. And, while they are not yet deployed by governments to oversee the smooth
running of entire states, theoretical studies are being undertaken and wide-area tests are being carried out.
The British city of Bristol is a good example of such a living experiment. The entire urban infrastructure and
operations within Bristol’s private infrastructure components have been integrated into the digital city.1

Proper management is essential for all systems. This is clearly visible in transport and logistics. We’re all too
familiar with the frustrations of congestion in urban areas when certain events (perhaps roadworks or public
gatherings) cause traffic to build up beyond expected levels. It’s not so clear in telecommunications, as the
notion of a “jam” is rather abstract in this respect. Yet, smooth functioning of mobile networks is vital for our
modern, connected, digital world.

HOW NETWORK MONITORING HAS DEVELOPED

Whether we are considering physical networks, such as transport routes or the abstract connections involved
in telecommunications, effective, automated management can help with long and short-term planning to
prevent blockages. On one hand, specialists can drill deep down into the network in order to understand the
causes of inconveniences and develop solutions to prevent them. On the other hand, continuous monitoring
allows transport and telecommunications experts to stay on top of potential issues just before they happen,
analyze their effects in real time, and deploy appropriate solutions to minimize damage.

Such dual monitoring isn’t new – but in recent years it has become far more sophisticated than it used to be.
Technology has made it possible to raise the bar continuously, simultaneously increasing the complexity of
challenges. The specialists at network management centers now need a greater depth of knowledge and
expertise, they need to be able to share these effectively and efficiently, and they need to be constantly aware
that a very short delay or minor error could hinder the operational processes of the network they are employed
to oversee.

1 Welcome to Bristol: A world-leading creative ‘digital city’, Calvium, 2017

https://calvium.com/welcome-to-bristol-a-world-leading-creative-digital-city

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR THE FUNDAMENTS OF 5G NETWORK MONITORING 3
In some cases, network management specialists develop baselines in relation to historical data, for monitoring
“everyday” occurrences. They can observe alarms generated by violations, and determine the necessary steps
to be taken to prevent or mitigate network malfunction. Problems can arise, though, when a wholly singular
issue emerges. That’s when the specialists’ own experience, contextual knowledge and accumulated skills
really come into play – but there are still limitations to what they can do.

So today’s network management centers, and the experts who work there, turn to artificial intelligence and
machine learning, particularly useful in the creation of baseline values.

THE RISE OF AI AND MACHINE LEARNING (ML)

AI enhances traditionally-defined baselines (established on the basis of historical data) by allowing automatic
calculations of the probability that a given parameter will be reached or exceeded. In addition, it facilitates the
application of different prediction models, any or all of which can feed into calculations.

Machine learning is also being deployed at network management centers for anomaly detection. Unlike
traditional methods, which concentrated solely on the concrete values of baseline parameters to establish
anomalies, modern techniques bring percentages into play. Combined with the above-mentioned probability
factor, this makes today’s network management center systems far more versatile.

For example, adjusting percentages for low values (where, let’s say, an issue that irritates one customer from
two can be said to affect 50 per cent of the total) is excellent for violation detection. With AI-based probability
algorithms, the system can search for likely causes of the anomaly, select the most appropriate, and act upon
it. Thus, the original anomaly event can be determined by allowing the system to work back from potentially
multiple symptoms. And this doesn’t apply only to individual anomalies; common violations can be grouped
together, which is important from the machine learning perspective because it means the system can learn
what action to take in a given situation. Taking into account customer service, this is invaluable for telcos
because the system monitors events directly from the network and connected with vital parameters such as
KPIs and SLAs.

4 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR THE FUNDAMENTS OF 5G NETWORK MONITORING
Four cycles of typical sample improvement

The industry has already made great leaps towards these goals, so how long does it take to establish this kind
of “next generation” network management? This will depend primarily on the quality of data available.

IT’S TIME TO ORGANIZE YOUR DATA

As machine learning is based on historical data, such data must be comprehensive and of the highest quality
and form. When this requirement is met (and the quality rule must apply to post-factum data too), it is possible
to build an effective, automated network management center solution in just three months. However, poor-
quality data will significantly extend the time required for implementation, as far more human effort will be
needed at the initial stages in order to properly collate and store data for machine analysis.

It follows, then, that even if artificial intelligence and machine learning are planned for some time in the
future, the time to start organizing data is now. What’s more, telecoms operators are unlikely to get the best
from 5G if they don’t adapt their network management processes to integrate AI and ML very quickly – which
makes it even more urgent to address any issues with the availability, quality and form of data, right away.

HOW TO MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN – COMARCH AI CONTROL DESK

Comarch Artificial Intelligence (AI) Control Desk puts the power of these AI and ML tools at the fingertips of
telcos, supporting them in data collection, analysis and root-cause detection and resolution. As long as an
anomaly has appeared once in an analyzed dataset, the system can identify it and take or recommend action
automatically. This reduces the level of operator interaction required (and thus lowers the risk of human error
in network management overall), freeing specialists from the need to carry out recurring tasks. The probability
factor means that completely new events can also be identified, although in such cases human intervention is
required – if only to confirm the root-cause of an incident and verify the solution for first and future occurrences.

This all feeds into Comarch’s vision of network management of the future. In this vision, networks will by and
large be monitored and maintained by automatic – maybe even autonomous – systems, while the specialists
will be free to concentrate on tactical, strategic and business decision-making. Of course (as noted above),
there will be situations where the human touch is required, but automation is clearly the way forward, and
advances in machine learning are paving the way for just such a future.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING FOR THE FUNDAMENTS OF 5G NETWORK MONITORING 5
At Comarch, we have examined the effectiveness and efficiency of artificial intelligence in projects the company
has implemented around the world. Our experts have compared process execution by averaging measured
parameters before machine learning implementation and afterwards, under both real-life and laboratory
conditions. It’s worth noting that there is still work to be done as they are derived from early-deployment
situations in which ML is working intensively to refine and improve algorithms.

SUMMARY
To return to our original concepts of networks as physical (transport) and abstract (telecommunications), there
is one major difference to take into account. While transport networks can be managed automatically, the
physical elements – vehicles and roads – do not change much in terms of their concrete reality; a traffic jam
is a traffic jam, and no amount of automated anomaly detection and resolution is going to magically remove
your car from the queue or create a new lane.

With 5G networks, especially given the potential for network slicing, this kind of “magic” is entirely possible;
the route that data take between one piece of hardware (your phone, tablet or IoT device, for example) and
another can be altered and optimized at any moment by a properly implemented network management
solution, with little or no need for human intervention. This is why now is the best time to start using artificial
intelligence in managing telecommunications networks, if you have not done so already.

ABOUT COMARCH
Since 1993, Comarch’s specialist telecommunications business unit has worked with some of the biggest telecoms companies
in the world to transform their business operations. Our industry-recognized telco OSS and BSS products help telecoms companies
streamline their business processes and simplify their systems to increase business efficiency and revenue, as well as to improve
the customer experience and help telcos bring innovative services to market. Comarch’s customers in telecommunications include
Telefónica, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, KPN and Orange.

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