“The upgraded ngBSS platform allows Cell C to deliver faster and more reliable services, supporting future scalability and efficient resource management. For VAS-X, the project highlighted their capability to execute large-scale, high-stakes integrations, further solidifying their position as a leading system integrator in the telecom industry.”
CELL C ngBSS PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Kabusha project at Cell C, managed by VAS-X, represented a full OSS/BSS transformation. This extensive modernisation effort was essential due to the end-of-life status of Cell C's legacy BSS stack, necessitating a seamless transition to the next-generation BSS (ngBSS) platform, led by Huawei as the primary vendor. The project was executed over an 18-month period, during which all prepaid subscribers were migrated in phases to the new platform, ensuring uninterrupted services and seamless operation for all third-party integrations.
VAS-X’s ROLE & CONTRIBUTIONS
VAS-X played a critical role as the integration partner, acting as the “glue” between third-party services and the new OSS/BSS stack, VAS-X ensured that all third-party vendor traffic could seamlessly route between the legacy and ngBSS platforms. This effort involved the redevelopment of over 300 web service calls and the creation of more than 100 new microservices to support robust functionalities, including auto-failover, redundancy, auto-scaling, and centralized logging.
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES WITH LEGACY BSS SYSTEMS
The migration from legacy BSS systems to ngBSS was crucial to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving telecom industry. Traditional BSS systems often face challenges such as:
- Limited scalability
- Complex integrations
- Outdated documentation
- Increasing operational costs
By transitioning to ngBSS, Cell C gained access to advanced features and better support for CRM, billing, provisioning, and ERP integrations, essential for maintaining competitive service levels.
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS & SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTS
The Kabusha project involved a large-scale upgrade and modernisation of the OSS/BSS stack. The existing integration (SOA) was deployed over 48 servers and VAS-X deployed to a 5 node stack (XTREME) to handle the operational load, which processes in excess of 800 million recharge transactions monthly. VAS-X contributed extensively with:
- 12,000+ end-to-end test cases
- 377 updated stored procedures
- 368 test cases to ensure a smooth deployment process
- The new platform was tested rigorously through multiple phases with significant resources dedicated to design, development, and post-go-live support.
THE RESULT
The upgraded ngBSS platform allows Cell C to deliver faster and more reliable services, supporting future scalability and efficient resource management. For VAS-X, the project highlighted their capability to execute large-scale, high-stakes integrations, further solidifying their position as a leading system integrator in the telecom industry.
COLLABORATION
This success was the result of close collaboration between VAS-X, Huawei, and Cell C, marked by regular standups, “show-and-tell” sessions, and detailed system integration testing. VAS-X’s internal team was key to this achievement, with many original team members who contributed to the project now taking on new roles within the company.
AWARDS
The successful completion of the Kabusha project and VAS-X’s dedication were recognised with several awards at a joint Huawei-Cell C event. VAS-X received the following awards for underscoring its excellence in delivering high-quality solutions and support for Cell C.
- Best Technical Team
- Best Maintenance & Support Team
- Outstanding Contribution
