How 5G Home Broadband Is Forcing a Major Rethink of Telecom ERP Systems
Telecom architect Sivasubramanian Kalaiselvan discussed how the rise of 5G home broadband is forcing operators to overhaul legacy ERP systems built for a different era. He explained how modernising these platforms is now essential to support large-scale FWA deployments, seamless service activation, and future-ready supply chains
As 5G adoption accelerates globally and home broadband becomes a critical growth engine, telecom operators find themselves navigating one of the most consequential operational transitions in decades. The industry’s shift from device-centric business models to service-based broadband delivery has exposed the limitations of legacy ERP systems originally built for mobile hardware sales—not the orchestration-heavy Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) environment that now underpins new revenue streams.
It is within this evolving landscape that Sivasubramanian Kalaiselvan played a pivotal role, driving a major SAP ERP redesign for a leading telecommunications provider. His work targeted the operational foundations required for large-scale FWA deployment, a domain where speed, configurability, and service fulfillment precision have become non-negotiable. The redesign introduced enhancements to available-to-promise logic, Distribution Centre routing, installation workflows, and even disaster-recovery considerations—changes engineered to support rapid broadband service uptake without destabilizing existing enterprise systems.
As FWA matured into a high-growth product, system stability and scalability moved to the forefront. To meet this demand, the organization adopted AI-supported product development lifecycle methods to introduce new service capabilities more efficiently. Kalaiselvan’s guiding philosophy shaped much of this work. “Technology only matters when it makes complexity disappear for the people who depend on it,” he reflects, underscoring his focus on simplifying frontline operations even as backend systems grew more sophisticated.
The ERP modernization extended well beyond FWA. Enhancements to the order-to-cash process aimed to reduce friction across digital and retail channels, while updates to Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) inventory management were designed to prevent delays during demand spikes. A traditionally product-oriented ERP was also re-architected to support field-based activities such as installations and activations—capabilities that required defining entirely new service-driven process flows.
The broader industry context intensified these challenges. With telecom mergers and acquisitions becoming increasingly common, the ability to integrate large corporate systems while preserving service continuity has become a defining factor in post-acquisition success. “ERP platforms often determine how quickly organizations can stabilize operations after a merger,” Kalaiselvan notes, framing his contributions within a sector grappling with both rapid growth and structural consolidation.
His interest in telecom supply chain architecture extends into research as well. His published work, The Circular Supply Chain: Leveraging Reverse Logistics for Financial Performance with SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP), examines how equipment returns and reuse shape financial outcomes—an area gaining traction as operators deploy more home broadband hardware into the field.
Looking ahead, Kalaiselvan sees telecom supply chains evolving toward highly automated, intelligence-driven models. “As 5G home internet becomes more widespread, the differentiator won’t just be network speed. It will be the fluidity and predictability of the entire activation process from order placement to installation,” he says.
In an industry undergoing foundational change, the work of engineers and architects remains essential. As Kalaiselvan reflects, “When systems are designed well, they give an organization room to evolve. That stability is what allows the next phase of transformation to happen.”
