Monday, January 8, 2018

Telecom AI: Customer Service Now, Self-Organizing Net works, Eventually

Customer service seems to be the most-visible way that machine learning (artificial intelligence) actually is used today by telecom service providers. Chat bots are used to automate customer service inquiries, route customers to the proper support or sales agents. The Spectrum Virtual Assistant provides an example.

The Angie interaction tool used by CenturyLink provides an example of an AI-powered system for generating retail sales leads.   

Atticus, an AI-powered chatbot, also is used by AT&T to provide information about TV content.

Machine learning also enables speech and voice services, such as voice remote control features. Comcast’s “X1” voice-powered remote is a good example of that.

In the network, machine learning is used for predicting network element failures.


Verizon, for its part, has integrated AI into its Exponent service aimed at other service providers, and providing a platform for internet of things, media, internet and cloud computing services provided by other service providers to retail customers.  

While it likely is a given that internet of things and artificial intelligence will get higher spending by all sorts of enterprises in the future, the precise degree of adoption within the telecom industry, and its impact, remain uncertain, it seems obvious enough that machine learning will underpin moves towards self-healing and zero-touch networks that sense problems and make changes without manual human intervention.

SK Telecom is among telecom service providers using an AI-assisted management system known as T Advanced Next Generation Operational Supporting System (TANGO ), based on big data analytics and machine learning, to automatically detect, troubleshoot and optimize its fixed and mobile networks.

That self-organizing network approach could become a reality for many more service providers over time.

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