The level of M&A activity in the assurance space is increasing

At a certain point in the maturity of a discipline or solution, there is a need for various disparate components to be brought together. Such consolidation can enhance the ability of the discipline or solution and bring more value to users. Networks are becoming increasingly complicated and more components (which may span a range of domains and come from various suppliers) are being included in service delivery, and consolidation brings much-needed simplification.

Automation remains a priority as communications service providers (CSPs) move towards 5G standalone. Indeed, automation enables CSPs to reduce and recoup costs from expensive 5G roll-outs and, more importantly for their customers, to provide the service quality that 5G promises. Vendors are on a mission to deliver more-advanced automation solutions to meet this demand.