Telecom's Golden Ticket: How API-Driven Pricing is Redefining Revenue

The telecom industry is at an inflection point. Legacy billing systems and static pricing models are holding back operators from capitalizing on 5G's full potential. Enter the INFINITY project, a collaboration between Optiva, PlektonLabs, and Qeema, which has cracked the code on monetizing 5G network slicing and API ecosystems through dynamic pricing. Backed by TM Forum standards, this initiative isn't just a technical upgrade—it's a blueprint for transforming telecom operators into agile, profit-driven enterprises.

The Problem: Telecom's Monetization Stagnation

Telecom operators are sitting on a goldmine of 5G infrastructure but lack the tools to monetize it effectively. Static pricing models, rigid legacy billing systems, and fragmented API ecosystems have stifled innovation. According to TM Forum, 60% of operators admit their revenue growth is constrained by outdated infrastructure. Meanwhile, 5G network slicing—a technology that allows customized virtual networks for industries like healthcare, gaming, or IoT—has gone largely untapped due to pricing inefficiencies.

Enter the INFINITY project, a three-year collaboration designed to solve these challenges.

The Solution: Dynamic Pricing Meets Industry Standards

The INFINITY project integrates TM Forum's Open Digital Architecture (ODA) and Autonomous Networks (AN) initiative to create a real-time pricing engine. Here's how it works:

1. Dynamic Pricing at Scale:
2. Prices adjust in real time based on network utilization, demand, and customer needs. During peak times, operators can charge a premium for high-priority slices (e.g., for live streaming or emergency services). During off-peak hours, discounted slices attract new users.

3. Example: A telecom operator might offer a 20% discount on low-demand network slices overnight, then shift to premium pricing for dedicated gaming slices during weekend peaks.

4. AI-Driven Efficiency:

5. GenAI chatbots handle customer inquiries and customize service packages on the fly.

6. AI portals simplify API discovery and adoption, enabling operators to launch new revenue streams without coding.

7. Network Slicing as a Profit Engine:

8. Operators can now monetize underutilized 4G/5G capacity, turning it into tailored slices for industries like smart cities, autonomous vehicles, or telemedicine.

The project's alignment with TM Forum's AN Target Architecture ensures interoperability and scalability. By 2025, the initiative aims to achieve Level 4 network autonomy, where systems self-optimize and self-bill.

Why This Collaboration Matters

The trio's partnership combines Optiva's cloud-native revenue management software, PlektonLabs' API ecosystem expertise, and Qeema's AI-driven enterprise solutions into a cohesive platform. Key advantages:

• Reduced Legacy Risk: Operators can modernize billing and pricing systems without overhauling entire infrastructures.
• New Revenue Streams: APIs and network slicing open doors to B2B2C markets (e.g., selling slices to SaaS providers or IoT platforms).
• Industry Validation: Backed by TM Forum, the project is already attracting partners like AT&T, GCI, and STC, signaling its credibility.

The Investment Case: BSS Software Leaders Lead the Charge

For investors, the INFINITY project is a buy signal for companies enabling real-time monetization. Focus on Business Support Systems (BSS) software providers like Optiva and system integrators like PlektonLabs. These firms are not just vendors—they're architects of telecom's future:

1. Optima's Edge: Its cloud-native platform is the backbone of dynamic billing, with contracts expanding at 25%+ YoY.
2. PlektonLabs' API Ecosystem: Its Infinity Catalyst framework lowers barriers for operators to monetize APIs, a market projected to hit $22B by 2027.
3. Qeema's AI Integration: Its Middle Eastern partnerships position it to dominate emerging markets, where 5G adoption is accelerating.

Risks? Minimal, Thanks to TM Forum's Ecosystem

Critics may cite implementation costs, but the TM Forum's AN initiative ensures these solutions are standardized and scalable. The DTW25 Ignite showcase in Copenhagen (June 2025) will further validate the project's market readiness.

Time to Act: Telecom's Pivot to Real-Time Profitability

The telecom industry is on the cusp of a monetization revolution. Operators that adopt API-driven dynamic pricing will dominate 5G's $1.5 trillion market opportunity. For investors, the INFINITY project isn't just a collaboration—it's a blueprint for profit.

Investment Thesis:
- Buy BSS software leaders (Optiva, Acronym Solutions).
- Partner with system integrators (PlektonLabs, Telus).
- Avoid legacy infrastructure plays—they'll be left in the dust.

The window to capitalize on 5G's full potential is now. The INFINITY project isn't just a project—it's the future of telecom. Don't miss it.

Data sources: TM Forum, company reports, and analyst estimates. Always conduct independent research before making investment decisions.