Freedom to choose: Why open device and service management Is the future of broadband

The broadband bottleneck: Vendor lock-in

Picture this: A customer calls about slow internet. Your field tech discovers it’s a simple configuration issue that could have been fixed remotely—if your management system allowed it. That truck roll just cost you $150 (or more, according to Gartner), and it’s happening hundreds of times across your network.

Broadband Service providers are under relentless pressure to deliver faster, more reliable connectivity while managing increasingly complex device ecosystems. Yet many remain tied to closed, vendor-specific systems that hinder innovation and drive up costs.

According to Gartner, sole-sourcing with a single vendor can result in costs that are 20–50% higher than those incurred through multiple vendors. That’s not just a procurement issue—it’s a strategic liability. Gartner also found that introducing vendor competition or leveraging third-party maintenance contracts can yield average savings of 60%.

In today’s market, vendor lock-in isn’t just inconvenient—it’s unsustainable.

The hidden costs of closed systems

Closed ecosystems don’t just drive up customer-premise equipment (CPE) costs. They create operational drag that cascades through every aspect of your business.

Consider the ripple effects: slower service rollouts mean missed revenue opportunities. Higher support overhead strains your team and budget. An overreliance on costly truck rolls can destroy your margins and frustrate customers who expect instant solutions.

Accenture reports that over 25% of field visits are unnecessary, often due to limitations in legacy operational systems. That’s a massive opportunity for savings through remote management and automation enabled by open platforms.

The case for openness

Modern service providers need agility, not constraints. That means embracing platforms that are:

• Vendor-neutral: Support any CPE, any software stack (RDK-B, OpenWRT, PRPL).
• Cloud-native: Scalable, resilient, and future-ready.
• Unified: One platform to manage across DOCSIS, fiber, and FWA.
• Time-to-Market: Flexibility that enables faster onboarding of devices and rapid deployment of new services.

This isn’t just a technical preference—it’s a business imperative.

Enter Synamedia Gravity

Synamedia Gravity is more than a platform—it’s a strategic enabler. This cloud-based SaaS solution redefines how Broadband Service Providers manage devices and orchestrate services.

With Gravity, Broadband Service Providers gain:

• Zero-touch provisioning and remote diagnostics
• Unified lifecycle management across all broadband CPE
• Rapid deployment of value-added services like managed Wi-Fi, parental controls, and advanced security

Whether managing legacy or next-gen devices, Gravity offers a single pane of glass, regardless of vendor, software stack, or access technology.

“We wanted to offer our residential and SMB customers the most advanced technologies. Synamedia Gravity’s open architecture gives us the flexibility to integrate devices from multiple vendors while maintaining full control over our service evolution.” – Lead Communications Specialist

Why it matters

Gravity empowers Broadband Service Providers to:

• Consolidate operations into a single, intelligent platform
• Slash operational costs by up to 50% while improving service quality
• Dramatically reduce truck rolls and support calls
• Accelerate time-to-market for new services from weeks to days
• Deliver exceptional customer experiences that build loyalty

This is how Service Providers move from reactive to proactive—from constrained to competitive.

Ready to break free?

The broadband industry is at a crossroads. Service Providers who cling to closed systems will fall behind. Those who embrace openness will unlock new growth, agility, and customer loyalty.

Don’t let vendor lock-in hold you back another quarter. The future belongs to operators who understand that innovation starts with choice. With Gravity, that choice is finally within reach.

Learn how Synamedia Gravity can transform your device and service management operations.