Beyond Now powers cloud-native BSS/OSS for BNET’s nationwide fiber broadband network

Beyond Now’s cloud-native SaaS solution will support BNET’s rapid launch, delivering BSS and OSS functionality for the new Bahrain wholesale broadband provider – while reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and supporting new service and growth opportunities

Amsterdam, March 18, 2020 – Beyond Now today announced that BNET, the newly-created independent service provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain responsible for the country’s planned national next generation broadband network, will use Beyond Now’s BSS solution as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), to power the BSS and OSS systems for its forthcoming nationwide fiber broadband network.

BNET was launched in October 2019 as a completely new and independent wholesale broadband provider by Batelco, Bahrain’s largest telecoms operator. BNET’s purpose is to provide next generation wholesale fiber broadband connectivity to all licensed telecom operators and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Bahrain – including Batelco itself. It will also provide broadband services to large enterprise customers in the Kingdom.

BNET chose Beyond Now’s solution as the enablement platform for its wholesale business thanks to the truly cloud-native, SaaS delivery model, built on AWS, which allows BNET to focus squarely on its business. Importantly, with Beyond Now BSS, BNET is able to meet its fast approaching go live date scheduled for May 2020.

The AWS cloud-hosted SaaS model will reduce BNET’s Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and provides valuable auto-scaling capabilities and rapid agile delivery that can accommodate future growth. BNET will use Beyond Now’s automated platform to power a range of BSS and OSS functions – including billing, charging, order fulfilment and management, and service activation. As part of the agreement, network inventory specialists CROSS Network Intelligence (CNI) will provide network inventory and service assurance solution to BNET. The unique, multi-tenant capabilities of Beyond Now BSS can also be extended and used by BNET’s ISP and enterprise customers as a digital innovation and monetization solution.

“Signing with Beyond Now and selection of SaaS is part of our strategy to adopt the latest digital technology in operating the national network, and as per the technical indicators published by leading technical institutes in the telecom sector, cloud technology is the future of the business world. AWS provides the most implemented cloud solution in the world, hence adopting this technology is in line with our long term strategic goals to provide a solid quality national broadband network, with high speeds and competitive prices that enable operators to provide internet products and services to its customers that are value added and provide creative solutions.”

Mohamed Bubashait, BNET, Chief Executive Officer

The BNET network is a key part of Bahrain’s fourth National Telecommunication Plan (NTP4) to grow and diversify Bahrain’s telecoms sector. The plan includes rolling out fiber broadband connectivity to 100 percent of businesses and 95 percent of households across Bahrain. NTP4 aims to provide internet access speeds of at least 100Mbps for up to 95 percent of homes and 1Gbps for all government and business entities.

The Beyond Now platform’s multi-tenancy and ecosystem orchestration capabilities offer BNET the potential to launch new revenue-generating offerings in the future – including reselling hosted BSS capabilities to other service providers in the country.

“BNET’s planned fiber broadband network is a visionary endeavor that demonstrates the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to providing next generation connectivity to its citizens and businesses,” said Angus Ward, CEO of Beyond Now. “The combination of AWS’s highly secure, highly scalable, feature-rich cloud capabilities with the flexibility, agility and advanced functionality of Beyond Now’s cloud-native Infonova SaaS platform is compelling for operators everywhere who want to modernize their operations and transform their businesses.”

This win is highlighted in a recent report from Omdia (formerly Ovum), 'Beyond Now’s recent win shows cloud-native BSS is gaining momentum', as further confirmation that migrating business to the cloud enables the agility to react quickly and scale in line with market demands.

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About BNET

BNET is a key part of the 4th National Telecommunication Plan (NTP4) to develop the growth and economic diversification of the telecommunication sector, including rolling out a fiber optic network to 100% of all businesses and 95% of all households across the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The birth of BNET marks a new era in the telecommunications sector for the Kingdom of Bahrain, to prepare Bahrain for a digital future with first class infrastructure and an energetic digital services sector.
From the start our vision has been to create a technologically advanced digital communication infrastructure that enables a safe, secure and smart Kingdom contributing to economic growth and consumer welfare. To achieve our aims, we have put solid plans in place which include the development of the national broadband network and national cybersecurity, while remaining focused on delivering exceptional customer experience with reliable and consistent service delivery.

Going forward, we will continue to work on enhancing the national broadband connectivity, enabling the provisioning of quality services to all operators, in order to positively impact the end user through the availability of high speed, affordable internet.

For more information, please contact salah.alasam@bnet.com.bh