Case USA98: Why a 5G Operator Equated Network Slicing Demos with Enterprise Architecture

Sunil Dutt Jha
Aug 11
2 min read

Overview:

This case is part of a 100-diagnostic series revealing how telecom operators have mislabeled proof-of-concept showcases as “Enterprise Architecture progress.”

In the 5G domain, a recurring pattern is treating network slicing and MEC (multi-access edge computing) demos as proof of architectural maturity.

Pilot slices were provisioned for enterprise clients, latency metrics looked impressive, and customer interest spiked — yet the enterprise structure linking product strategy, service orchestration, OSS/BSS integration, and lifecycle assurance was never modeled.

P1–P6 Insight Preview: These six perspectives define how an enterprise connects intent to execution

— P1: Strategy, P2: Business Processes, P3: System Behaviors, P4: Component Governance, P5: Implementation, P6: Business & Technology Operations.

P1 (Strategy): Network slicing was pitched as innovation, but no architecture-led roadmap connected it to monetization, service scalability, or operational support models.

P2 (Process): Demo order flows worked for pilots, but quote-to-cash, change management, and SLA enforcement processes were undefined for production.

P3 (System): Slice orchestrators weren’t behaviorally integrated across RAN, core, edge, and BSS platforms for consistent policy and assurance.

P4 (Component): Service catalogs, policy engines, and inventory systems were governed per domain without cross-domain consistency.

P5 (Implementation): Proof-of-concepts deployed rapidly, while industrialization and enterprise-wide integration were postponed.

P6 (Operations): Business ops could deliver pilots, but tech ops manually configured and monitored every slice in the absence of automation.

Stakeholder Impact Summary:

CEO/Telecom Group CEO – accountable for revenue growth and market positioning: Limited by weak P1 Strategy — demos create hype but don’t translate into scalable, profitable offerings.
CIO/CTIO – oversees network and IT integration: Impacted by P3 System Behaviors and P4 Component Governance — siloed governance creates costly rework for every new slice.
Sales Head (Enterprise Solutions) – manages corporate customer acquisition: Affected by P2 Processes and P5 Implementation — can showcase pilots but can’t commit to reliable SLAs at scale.
Chief Enterprise Architect – ensures telecom operating model coherence: Confronts P1–P6 issues — slicing is a point capability without an integrated service and operations backbone.
Head of Network Orchestration – responsible for day-to-day slice delivery and assurance: Feels P2, P3, & P6 — must create custom runbooks for each client, slowing delivery and raising OPEX.