arrow_large_rightarrow-right-comfilters-bgicon_arrowDownicon_closenoun_Email_707352icon_facebookGroup 3icon_instagramicon_linkedinicon_loaderMap pointicon_pdficon_phonePlayicon_searchicon_threads_blackThreads logoTwitter X logoFill 1icon_usericon_youtubeicon-arrowBreadcrumbicon-arrowLinkicon-calendericon-emailicon-location

Cloud Connect Portal for BICS Leased Line Services

Tietoevry Create helped BICS streamline leased line services, automate manual processes, and enhance customer experience with Cloud Connect Portal, a scalable white-label solution.

Radoslaw Rzepkowski

Global Telecommunications Principal

Executive Summary 

Goal: Streamline leased line provisioning by automating manual processes and improving customer experience. 

Solution: Develop a Cloud Connect Portal leveraging Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) principles, integrating multiple OSS/BSS systems for seamless order processing. 

Benefits: Reduced provisioning time, enhanced customer experience, minimized manual intervention, and enabled white-label capabilities for reselling. 

Services Delivered: Design and experience, Advisory and innovation, Software engineering, Cloud and infrastructure services 

Client Background 

BICS is a global voice and data service leader, providing innovative messaging, roaming, connectivity, 5G, IoT, and cloud communications solutions. Headquartered in Brussels, BICS serves over 2,500 enterprise and telecom operator customers across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. 

Business Challenge 

With the increasing demand for cloud adoption, leased lines have become essential for ensuring direct, low-latency connectivity between enterprises and cloud service providers. BICS faced several challenges in provisioning these services: 

  • A complex and time-consuming manual process requiring multiple touchpoints for feasibility checks, routing, testing, and line activation. 
  • Lengthy order processing times spanning several days or even weeks. 
  • Inefficient communication, requiring constant interaction between customers and BICS personnel. 
  • The need to scale operations efficiently while maintaining high service quality. 

To address these challenges, BICS envisioned the Cloud Connect Portal, a fully automated platform to simplify leased line provisioning, reduce delays, and enhance the customer experience. 

Solution & Business Value 

As a long-term technology partner of BICS, Infopulse, now part of Tietoevry Create, led the development of the Cloud Connect Portal, integrating cutting-edge technologies to optimize the leased line provisioning lifecycle. 

Key Solution Components 

  • Automation & Integration: Our team has developed a centralized portal integrating BICS’ OSS/BSS systems, streamlining order feasibility analysis, routing, and activation. We also integrated Inmanta, an intent-based service orchestrator, to automate the service provisioning lifecycle. 
  • User Experience & Interface: An intuitive UI/UX interface with pixel-perfect design reduces order steps to a few clicks. It enables customers to self-manage orders with real-time tracking and notifications. A customer selects the preferred Point of Presence and cloud provider, leased line type (protected/unprotected, diversely routed), the required bandwidth (50MB/s to 10GB/s Ethernet), contract duration (1 day to 12 months), and submits the order. Further, BICS customers receive real-time status updates and notifications upon activation. 
  • Flexible & Scalable Architecture: The Cloud Connect Portal was designed as a white-label solution that allows telecom operators to resell BICS’ leased line services under their own brand. The customizable configurations support various cloud providers (Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, Oracle), bandwidth options, and contract terms. 

Business Value 

The Cloud Connect Portal has revolutionized BICS’ leased line services, bringing substantial improvements: 

  • Accelerated provisioning: the quote-to-bill time was reduced from 3+ days (involving 7 employees) to just 1 minute. 
  • Enhanced customer experience: The self-service portal eliminates redundant communications and delays. 
  • Cost & resource optimization: Automated workflow minimized human intervention, significantly saving operational costs. 
  • Operational efficiency: Improved internal coordination, minimized order errors, and enhanced service reliability. 
  • Scalability & revenue growth: White-label solution enabled BICS to expand market reach and generate new revenue streams. 

Tietoevry Create and BICS plan to develop additional capabilities of the Cloud Connect Portal, including: 

  • API integrations 
  • Cloud-to-cloud connectivity enhancements 
  • Bandwidth upgrade 

This project was recognized in the 2022 Network X Awards, with the Cloud Connect Portal making it to the finals in the Outstanding Cloud Automation Solution category, competing alongside industry giants like Nokia and ZTE. 

“From the very start, Tietoevry Create played a crucial role in the development of the Cloud Connect Portal. Their skilled and flexible team took full responsibility for the project, ensuring high-quality software development tailored to our needs. Thanks to their expertise in telecom projects, we created an outstanding product that enhances our leased line services and boosts operational efficiency.” 

— Ievgen Martsin, Cloud Connect Portal Product Owner, BICS 

 

Share on Facebook Share on Threads Share on LinkedIn