BH Telecom Taps Qvantel for Cloud Upgrade, Eyes 5G Leadership

HELSINKI – February 17, 2026 – BH Telecom, Bosnia and Herzegovina's largest telecommunications operator, has announced a strategic project to modernize its core infrastructure, selecting global BSS leader Qvantel to upgrade its convergent charging and payment platform to a cloud-native solution. The move is a decisive step to prepare for the country's approaching 5G market, enhance customer experience, and accelerate the launch of new digital services.

This significant overhaul continues a partnership that spans more than a decade, as BH Telecom was a long-standing customer of Optiva, whose charging and payment systems are now part of Qvantel's portfolio. The upgrade will position the telecom giant to solidify its market leadership as the nation transitions to next-generation mobile technology.

Preparing for the 5G Horizon

The timing of this modernization is critical. Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the cusp of its 5G rollout, with the Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) expected to issue its much-anticipated 5G license tender later in 2026. By overhauling its core monetization engine now, BH Telecom is proactively building the foundation needed to capitalize on this technological leap and secure a first-mover advantage in the market.

The new platform is engineered to provide the agility required to design, deploy, and manage the complex, high-value services that 5G enables. This includes sophisticated use cases such as dynamic network slicing for enterprise clients with guaranteed service levels, enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) for consumers demanding higher speeds, and massive Internet of Things (IoT) deployments for smart city and industrial applications.

“Our system modernisation and upgrade to Qvantel’s cloud-native, 5G-enabled monetization platform will position us to lead the market in digital and future 5G services, deliver exceptional value to our customers and continue establishing BH Telecom as a leading digital platform,” said Amel Kovačević, CEO of BH Telecom. This initiative is a cornerstone of the operator's broader digital transformation strategy, which aims to drive technological growth within the country. With a commanding 42.3% of the nation's mobile subscribers, the impact of this transition will be felt across a significant portion of the population.

The Technology Driving Transformation

At the heart of this project is a fundamental shift from traditional, rigid telecom infrastructure to a flexible, scalable, and automated cloud-native architecture. The new platform, which leverages the powerful charging engine and payments system from Optiva, is designed to operate as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution on public cloud infrastructure. This model provides a level of scalability and economic efficiency that legacy, on-premise systems struggle to match.

For BH Telecom, this translates into a dramatic acceleration in its ability to innovate. Qvantel's solution features a no-code configuration environment, which empowers the operator to design and launch new products, promotions, and personalized service bundles in a matter of hours—a process that could previously take weeks or even months with older systems. This agility is crucial for responding to fast-changing market demands and competing effectively in a dynamic digital landscape.

Furthermore, the platform incorporates a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline and a robust test automation framework. This modern software development approach ensures that BH Telecom's systems are always up-to-date (“evergreen”) and that new services can be deployed rapidly and reliably. The technology is designed to manage 3G, 4G, and 5G services simultaneously from a unified model, guaranteeing a smooth and seamless transition for customers as the network evolves.

A Partnership Evolved

This agreement marks the next chapter in a long and successful collaboration. BH Telecom has relied on Optiva's charging technology for over a decade. Qvantel's recent acquisition of Optiva has created a global BSS and monetization powerhouse, combining Qvantel's deep expertise in digital-first BSS with Optiva's renowned, carrier-grade real-time charging capabilities. The deal solidifies Qvantel's position as a key enabler of digital transformation for telecom operators in emerging and established markets worldwide. The newly combined entity now serves over 70 operators in more than 40 countries.

Robert Stabile, Senior VP of Qvantel, commented on the evolution of the partnership and its future potential. "We value our collaboration of over a decade with BH Telecom. Originally an Optiva customer, BH Telecom is implementing the online charging and payment platform, now part of the wider Qvantel Flex full BSS and monetization suite," he stated. "This means that we can further build upon our partnership to power and support BH Telecom’s digital transformation and future-ready strategy, delivering the best communications experience to its customers."

Impact Beyond Connectivity

The ripple effects of this modernization project are expected to extend far beyond BH Telecom's own operations, influencing both customer experience and the national economy. For subscribers, the upgrade promises a more sophisticated and personalized digital journey. The platform's real-time capabilities will enable hyper-personalized offers, instant service provisioning, and a seamless, all-digital experience across all of the operator's touch-points, from mobile apps to customer care centers.

On a national level, the investment is a critical step in advancing Bosnia and Herzegovina's digital economy. The country's telecom market, considered one of the less developed in Central and Eastern Europe, holds significant growth potential. As a 90% publicly-owned company, BH Telecom's investments are intrinsically linked to the development of national infrastructure, which serves as the essential backbone for a modern digital society.

By building a platform capable of supporting advanced enterprise services and a burgeoning IoT ecosystem, BH Telecom is laying the groundwork for broader economic digitalization. This aligns with national goals to modernize public services, enhance the country's overall economic competitiveness, and foster a more robust and innovative digital landscape in Bosnia and Herzegovina.