Circles and by.U Power Tier-1 Telco Digital Transformation with Next-Generation SaaS Platform
Southeast Asia’s largest telecom operator, Telkomsel, through its digital brand by.U, has launched a next-generation vertical Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform in partnership with Circles.
The new cloud-native platform is purpose-built to accelerate brownfield digital transformation for Tier-1 telecommunications operators, enabling modernization within complex legacy environments — without disrupting live services.
This milestone marks one of the most advanced modernization programs undertaken by a Tier-1 global telco.
Driving Brownfield Digital Transformation at Scale
Unlike greenfield deployments, this transformation was executed in a live, large-scale environment serving millions of active users nationwide.
Through its collaboration with Circles, Telkomsel successfully consolidated and modernized multiple legacy Business Support Systems (BSS), orchestration systems, and digital experience platforms into a unified, configurable, vertically integrated SaaS ecosystem.
The transition was carefully managed to ensure:
- Service continuity
- Operational stability
- Seamless customer experience
- Risk mitigation in a complex legacy infrastructure
This initiative demonstrates how Tier-1 telecom operators can modernize core digital capabilities while maintaining business continuity.
Enterprise-Grade Business and Technology Impact
The deployment delivers measurable improvements across key performance areas:
🚀 Performance Optimization
Reduced transaction latency across digital journeys such as checkout and product activation, enabling faster and more responsive customer experiences.
⚙️ Enhanced Business Agility
End-to-end configurability across products, pricing models, campaigns, and customer journeys — allowing faster time-to-market while maintaining governance controls.
🌐 Enterprise Scalability
A modular, API-first architecture designed to operate at national scale and support millions of subscribers reliably.
🔄 Legacy System Consolidation
Reduction in operational complexity and technical debt through unified platform integration.
🤖 AI-Ready Digital Foundation
Modern data orchestration architecture enabling future AI-powered use cases, including digital monetization and autonomous operations.
Leadership Perspectives
Joyce Shia, Director of Information Technology at Telkomsel, emphasized that the platform’s configurability strengthens the company’s ability to innovate rapidly while maintaining operational discipline.
Sanjay Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer at Circles, highlighted that this collaboration demonstrates how large-scale brownfield transformations can be successfully executed in live Tier-1 telecom environments — setting a scalable blueprint for global operators.
A Blueprint for Tier-1 Global Telcos
This partnership establishes a repeatable transformation framework for telecommunications providers seeking to modernize legacy systems without compromising service reliability.
By combining deep telecom expertise with a purpose-built vertical SaaS model, Telkomsel and Circles have created a sustainable path toward innovation, resilience, and long-term digital growth.
