Telcos as digital enablers: How network infrastructure is being transformed into scalable B2B services

Events organised by the well-established “Telecommunication Executive Circle” highlight just how important additional services are becoming for telcos’ continued B2B value creation. At the same time, the discussion is increasingly focusing on how such offerings can be standardised, operated cost-effectively and scaled across a large customer base. Recurring themes include platform strategies, partner integration, clear operating models and the reusability of technical components. Consequently, alongside the development of new services, the focus is shifting above all to their productisation.

High-performance networks remain the foundation

For business customers, high-performance networks, high availability and stable connections are key prerequisites for digital communication and services. Additional services are becoming increasingly relevant where they bring together and secure communication, data access, security, billing and integration into existing processes.

For telcos, this service layer opens up additional opportunities for value creation and monetisation. This is also relevant because the expansion and modernisation of network infrastructure involve substantial investment. Existing and new value-added services can help to utilise network and platform capabilities more widely and economically, and to tap into additional sources of revenue.

Scaling determines the business model

New services can enable additional revenue and differentiation. However, if they are predominantly implemented as individual integration projects, delivery and operational costs rise with every customer.

This is precisely a key point in the discussion about further B2B value creation by telecoms providers: new services must not only be technically feasible. They require an operational and platform model that enables repeatable deployment. A scalable B2B service therefore requires more than just a functioning application. Administration, monitoring and reporting, rights and role concepts, standardised integration mechanisms and – in the case of platform offerings – consistent client isolation must be part of the service architecture from the outset.

However, this also raises the question of whether these service innovations fit into system environments that have, in some cases, evolved over many years, or whether legacy structures need to be migrated. Modernisation therefore does not mean abandoning the value of existing telco services, but rather developing them further on a future-proof platform.

Existing services represent value that must be migrated

A significant part of the value of existing systems lies in the service logic that has evolved over the years. Routing rules, service numbers, charging, provisioning and integration with BSS and OSS systems often represent business-critical processes on which ongoing services and revenue depend.

Modernisation cannot, therefore, simply mean replacing old technology with new.

CreaLog advocates a phased migration approach. Existing IN services can be transferred to SIP- and IMS-based environments, whilst proven service logic and business processes are retained and further developed in a targeted manner.

CreaLog has been supporting such transformations for many years and also migrates even complex legacy environments to the Service Delivery Platform. Close collaboration is crucial here: understanding existing service landscapes and dependencies, taking risks into account, and developing a migration path that combines ongoing operations with future service development.

This enables operators to consolidate existing services whilst simultaneously laying the technological foundations for innovation and new offerings – from intelligent routing and call recording to AI-based communication services.

Scalability starts with the service architecture

From telco infrastructure to network-based B2B services

This is one of CreaLog’s core competencies: our solutions are not merely ‘over-the-top’ applications running on top of the network, but are directly integrated.

The CreaLog Service Delivery Platform combines signalling, routing, media, messaging and application logic on a single platform. It supports traditional IN environments as well as SIP, IMS and cloud-native architectures. This enables network-based services to be deployed and further developed within the carrier’s infrastructure.

These include, for example, number translation and intelligent routing, voice and messaging services, VPN, recording and contact centres, as well as IVR, bot and AI-based services.

This network integration is crucial. Telco services do not consist solely of a single application. They access provisioning, charging, BSS/OSS, customer data, network status and other backend systems, whilst simultaneously having to meet requirements for availability, scalability and controlled operation.

CreaLog therefore connects existing network-based services with new communication and AI functions without bypassing the established telco architecture. Existing service logic can continue to be utilised, modernised and enhanced with new functions. Multi-tenancy, rights management, service creation, open back-end connections, as well as monitoring and charging, form the basis for operations across multiple services and customers.

In this way, the existing network infrastructure becomes not merely a transport layer, but the foundation of a scalable service portfolio.

Standardisation and customer-specific integration are not mutually exclusive

In this context, scalability does not mean offering every business customer exactly the same service. A smaller company may require a largely pre-configured contact centre service or an AI agent for a clearly defined process. An enterprise customer, on the other hand, expects customised connections to data sources, bespoke processes and integrations with CRM, ERP or line-of-business systems. Both can be implemented on the same technical foundation.

Reusable components, standardised interfaces and shared operational mechanisms form the technical foundation. Customer-specific differentiation takes place where it is functionally necessary – for example, in dialogues, knowledge, authorisations, workflows or connected systems.

Agentic AI extends network-based services to include transactions

AI is not a separate technological realm, but rather an additional capability within this service architecture.

The relevant progress does not lie solely in a voice agent communicating more naturally or a language model formulating better responses. AI becomes particularly interesting for communication services when a dialogue can lead to a controlled action.

To achieve this, an AI agent must, for example, be able to retrieve information from enterprise systems, check a process, supplement data or trigger defined backend actions.

However, such access must not take place in an uncontrolled manner. Customer, contract, routing or provisioning processes require clearly defined authorisations, traceable workflows and controlled access.

The CreaLog AI architecture therefore separates AI-based reasoning from operational execution. Via a governance and integration layer based on the Model Context Protocol, AI agents can access approved tools, data and workflows in a controlled manner. Operational execution remains an integral part of a defined service and integration architecture.

One platform, two levels of use

These capabilities are relevant both to a network operator’s own operations and to its B2B portfolio.

Within the operator’s own customer service, for example, they can be used for self-service, intelligent routing, agent assistance or the automation of recurring processes.

Services for business customers can be developed on the same technological basis.

The business customer then gains not merely access to a language model or another software interface, but a managed communications or automation service that is connected to communication channels, back-end systems and defined operational and governance models.

This is where telcos can leverage their existing strengths: their infrastructure, communication channels, existing customer relationships and their experience in operating business-critical services.

Partner business becomes part of the platform strategy

Not every application needs to be developed by the network operator itself. It can combine network and infrastructure expertise, customer access and operations with specialised technologies from partners. Specialised technology and solution partners can supplement network and infrastructure expertise with additional applications, integrations or AI capabilities.

A partner service becomes particularly relevant when it is integrated into the existing platform, operational processes and billing systems, and can subsequently be reused for other customers and use cases.

CreaLog complements the carrier’s network and platform expertise at the service level: from SIP, IN, routing, media and messaging, through contact centres and recording, to AI agents and controlled backend integration.

Conclusion: Adding value from existing infrastructure

Telcos do not need to abandon their existing business in order to create new value as digital enablers.

Networks, connectivity and network-based services remain central components of their business. At the same time, forms of communication, technologies and the requirements of business customers are evolving. This creates opportunities to modernise existing services and integrate new value-added services into the portfolio.

The key challenge lies in implementation: new services must be integrated into existing networks and processes, existing service logic must be migrated in a controlled manner, and the technical infrastructure must enable cost-effective operation across a wide range of customers.

This is precisely where CreaLog comes in. Our Service Delivery Platform combines established telco technology with modern service creation, open integrations and controlled AI. This enables carriers to consolidate and further develop existing services whilst simultaneously building new communication and automation services on the same technological foundation.

New value is not created solely through new technology. It arises when telcos can reliably further develop their existing network and service capabilities, deliver them in a scalable manner, and translate them into new offerings.