WO2025199446A1

WO2025199446A1 - Methods and apparatuses for trading communications products among multiple communications networks

Info

Publication number: WO2025199446A1
Application number: PCT/US2025/020922
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Salant; Steve G. LANNING
Original assignee: Viasat Inc
Current assignee: Viasat Inc
Priority date: 2024-03-22
Filing date: 2025-03-21
Publication date: 2025-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-22

Abstract

A product exchange platform (PEP) and associated methods of operation enable the standardized representation of communications products for exchange between or among multiple communications network operators acting as participants on the exchange. The PEP relies on a standardized contract for transparent and consistent submissions of buy and sell offers into the PEP, including parameterized representation of service requirements desired or offered by the respective PEP participants. Further, the PEP generates service obligation signaling for use in configuring the involved communications networks to meet service obligations incurred with transacting on the PEP.

Description

METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR TRADING COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS AMONG MULTIPLE COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Disclosed methods and apparatuses relate to auction systems and, particularly, relate to the exchange of communications services among multiple communications network operators.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Communications network operators often face capacity problems, whether as a result of maintenance activities, equipment failures, or gaps in coverage. Regarding the latter reason, a communications network operator may offer a wireless communications service over a given geographic area, with one or more regions in that area lacking sufficient network infrastructure to ensure good signal coverage or sufficient capacity for the aggregate service demands of its subscribers or other end users of the network.

[0003] When a given communications network operator considers the possibility of using one or more networks owned by other operators to substitute for or augment the offerings of the given operator, a number of challenges arise. Challenges include potential interoperability issues, and the difficulties in specifying the specific service needs and ensuring that the supplied service(s) conform to those needs.

[0004] A further complication is the legal and practical complexity that attends the formulation of inter-network service agreements and the settlement mechanisms. Often, such transactions occur on a one-off basis and lack any form of standardization, transparency, or automation.

SUMMARY

[0005] A computerized product exchange platform (PEP) and associated methods of operation enable the standardized representation of communications products for exchange between or among multiple communications network operators acting as participants on the exchange. The PEP relies on a standardized contract for transparent and consistent submissions of buy and sell offers into the PEP, including parameterized representation of service requirements desired or offered by the respective PEP participants. Further, the PEP generates service obligation signaling for use in configuring the involved communications networks to meet service obligations incurred with transacting on the PEP.

[0006] An example embodiment comprises a method of trading communications products via a PEP. The method includes maintaining an electronic ledger of pending product offers responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators acting as participants on the PEP. Each pending product offer either is a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product, and each pending product offer is recorded in the electronic ledger as a timestamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP. Further, the method includes recording PEP transactions in the electronic ledger, each PEP transaction involving one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants, and the recording including changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status. Still further, the method includes, for each PEP transaction, transmitting service obligation signaling to one or more communications networks associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks in accordance with incurred service obligations.

[0007] A related example embodiment comprises a PEP configured for trading communications products. The PEP includes a communications interface and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to maintain an electronic ledger of pending product offers responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators acting as participants on the PEP. Each pending product offer either is a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product, and each pending product offer is recorded in the electronic ledger as a timestamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP. Further, the processing circuitry is configured to: record PEP transactions in the electronic ledger, each PEP transaction involving one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants, the recording including changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status; and, for each PEP transaction, transmit service obligation signaling via the communications interface to one or more communications networks associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks in accordance with incurred service obligations.

[0008] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the above features and advantages. Indeed, those skilled in the art will recognize additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description, and upon viewing the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram of a product exchange platform (PEP), according to an example embodiment.

[0010] Figures 2A and 2B are diagrams of example collaborative buying or selling on a PEP, according to an example embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a distributed ledger implementation with respect to a PEP, according to an example embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 is a block diagram of a PEP and a communications network, according to an example embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 is a logic flow diagram of a method operation by a PEP.

[0014] Figure 6 is a block diagram of an example scheme for representing communications products and associated contractual requirements for sale, according to an example embodiment. [0015] Figure 7 is a block diagram of a cellular network and satellite communications system (SCS) as example communications networks exchanging communications products via a PEP, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] One embodiment disclosed herein is a capacity trading platform, which is also referred to as a computerized product exchange platform (PEP). “Capacity” may be broadly understood in terms of communications services, which may be referred to as “communications products” or simply “products.” Example products include any number of terrestrial or nonterrestrial communications services, and one advantage of the PEP is that it allows for multiple suppliers of such services. In particular, although not limited to collaborative scenarios, a nice feature of the PEP is the ability to aggregate product offerings from multiple suppliers, for fulfillment of a service need not met by any single one of the aggregated product offerings. [0017] Combining products in this way via operation of the PEP allows the overall multiplicity of participating network operators to trade and combine products for fulfillment of the needs of their respective communications networks or associated end users in ways that would not be possible with simple two-party transactions. Of course, the PEP in one or more embodiments provides for competition among participating network operators, with respect to competing offers for the purchase or sale of products via the PEP.

[0018] Consider an example case where a first satellite network operator faces technical constraints that limit one or more types of satellite service capacity or availability at a given or at given times. These limits may be temporary or chronic and, in either case, the PEP in one or more embodiments provides for combining product offers from two or more other participating satellite network operators, to supply the needed capacity.

[0019] In one aspect of its structure and operation, the PEP makes advantageous use of a ledger for recordation of product offers and corresponding transactions — the exchange of products. The ledger in one or more embodiments comprises a distributed ledger. In at least one embodiment, the ledger is based on blockchain technology.

[0020] Consider an arrangement of the PEP in an example embodiment, for the buying and selling of capacity among multiple communications network operators operating as participants on the PEP. A pre-trade functionality of the PEP provides for: (1) the submission of applications for admission to the PEP by all prospective participants; (2) the approval by all prospective participants of a uniform contract of terms and conditions governing participation; (3) recordation of contract acceptance by all operators admitted to the PEP as participants, e.g., recordation into the ledger with participant identifiers, cryptographic signatures, etc.; (4) submission of deposits from all participants acting as buyers on the PEP, and submission of performance guarantees by all participants acting as sellers on the PEP. Of course, any participant may act as a buyer in some transactions, while acting as a seller in others.

[0021] Example products transactable via the PEP include communication services of various types, generally with pre-defined characteristics or specifications. Satellite services, such as satellite-based emergency calling or satellite-based messaging, are one example of products offered on the PEP. Other examples include terrestrial mobile network services. As noted, sellers will be required to meet service performance and technical provisions, as may be specified in the standardized contract or agreed on a transaction basis. Buyers of products pay PEP-determined prices for each quantity or duration of service purchased on the PEP.

[0022] Clarity of product definition and standardization for product definitions offers a number of advantages, including determining the compatibility or matching between sell offers and buy offers on the PEP, determining whether or how products offers can be aggregated for fulfillment of service needs, etc. An example product definition comprises one or more of the following: (1) area of coverage, such as partition of a geographical area into hexagonal or other subdivisions; (2) reliability, such as stipulations that each product, j, will be available x percent of the time and/or that availability entails meeting required latency and bandwidth/speed specifications are satisfied; (3) speed or throughput requirements, such that each product] will provide no less than mbps; and (4) latency requirements, such as a stipulation that the latency of each product] will not exceed X milliseconds. [0023] Of course, the particular set of service parameters that are of interest or most meaningful for a given product depend on the nature of the product. As such, the PEP in one or more embodiments has a plurality of standard templates, each defining a respective type of communications product in terms of the parameters relevant to its reliability and/or performance. Product definitions in one or more embodiments include validity times and/or contract durations, such as days or months. In general for communications services, speed and latency requirements need to be maintained over at least some minimum duration of connections, e.g., for at least the first p minutes of connection time.

[0024] As such, in one or more embodiments, the PEP provides standardized product definitions, such as a defined set of key performance indicators (KPIs) and/or the underlying performance requirements needed to realize the defined set of KPIs. Advantageously, in one or more embodiments, the PEP uses standardized schemas — e.g., XML or other agreed language — for defining product offerings, including in terms of the KPIs or performance metrics, both on the buy side and the sell side. This standardization avoids business disputes and, in one or more embodiments, enables sophisticated product matching and transaction generation on the PEP. [0025] The PEP in one or more embodiments tracks all buy offers, including by correlating the product types and geographic areas represented in all pending buy offers. Likewise, the PEP in one or more embodiments tracks all sell offers using similar information. In at least one embodiment, the underlying database or ledger used by the PEP includes among its stored records end user information, also referred to as subscriber information. Here, “end user information” refers to information regarding the equipment or systems that make use of the communications products transacted through the PEP.

[0026] For example, consider the purchase of broadband wireless connectivity via the PEP by a mobile network operator unable to satisfy the demands of its end users in one or more geographic areas, such as at peak usage times. The buy offer from this mobile network operator may include or be linked to end user information, such as projected total number of users, etc. In one or more embodiments, the PEP provides authentication for the exchange or accessing of end user data between or among participants to transactions conducted on the PEP. For example, the communications network of the product seller gains access to subscriber information associated with the end users of the communications network of the product buyer, for use in authenticating those end users with respect to consumption or use of the sold communications product.

[0027] Pricing and allocation on the PEP in one or more embodiments depends on the number of participants associated with each product category, where these categories may be broadly defined in terms of communications services types, or more narrowly defined in terms of not only communications services types but also according to any one or more narrowing parameters, such as offer times or validity times, involved geographic areas, etc.

[0028] For a SOS service for emergency messaging, for example, the product may be defined based on any one or more of the following: the defined over geographic area, the period(s) of time, and one or more specifications. Example specifications of a SOS product offer comprise, for example: offered capacity for providing emergency connectivity; reliability guarantee, e.g., “five nines” reliability, support or lack thereof for two-way messaging, support or lack thereof for multimedia messaging, support or lack thereof for inclusion of GPS location information or services.

[0029] As another example, one of the product offerings traded on the PEP may be “airphone” service, in which voice and/or data connectivity is offered to an airline operator. Example product definition parameters for airphone service include: the geographic area(s), the time(s) of availability, minimum or average download and/or upload speeds, service availability or reliability KPIs, packet latency specifications. Some or all of these requirements or specifications may be varied with respect to particular activities, such as guaranteeing minimum bit rates or latency with respect to more critical tasks, such as performing software updates, video conferencing, or other real-time or near-real time streaming.

[0030] Network “slicing” stands as another product that may be exchanged advantageously using the PEP. Network slicing enables the creation of multiple virtual networks on a shared physical infrastructure, each optimized for specific use cases. Logically partitioning underlying network resources into independent slices allows for the allocation of resources dynamically and allows service level agreements (SLAs) and security provisions to be applied on a per slice basis. Thus, a “slice” represents a certain allocation of network infrastructure or, more accurately, the provisioning of a virtual network on underlying network infrastructure, for a specific customer and/or set of end users, with corresponding agreed capacity, performance ,and reliability requirements.

[0031] Example parameterization of a slice product includes any one or more of the following parameters: the involved geographic area(s); the period(s) of time; the capacity, e.g., in number of supported connections, aggregate throughput, etc.; availability or reliability; connection speeds, e.g., minimum guaranteed bit rates or the like; download and/or upload performance; packet latency; packet jitter; and service types supported.

[0032] One or more embodiments of the PEP define buyers — pending buy offers — as “demand” and define sellers — pending sell offers — as “supply.” In at least one embodiment, the PEP gradates or resolves demand and supply on a particularized basis, including identifying the demand in terms of product types, specified requirements, offer times or validity periods, and geographic area(s). In this manner, the PEP in one or more embodiments automates product pricing based on demand and supply, or the PEP at least provides participants with real-time or near-real-time indicators of demand and supply.

[0033] Consider an example where a participant has need for broadband service at, say, 25 megabits per second (mbps), and needs that service for a three-month window of time. The buy offer submitted by the participant specifies the particulars of the service, including the bit rate requirements and the geographic area(s) from which the service must be accessed. Other example parameters include the air interface and/or protocol requirements for connectivity, user authentication requirements, etc.

[0034] In one or more embodiments, the PEP uses correlation processing to match compatible buy and sell offers among the offers pending on the PEP and, in at least one embodiment, the PEP carries out those transactions on an automated basis, potentially subject to participant profiles or policies that govern the amount or extent of transaction automation. In at least some embodiments, the PEP provides real-time or near-real-time output signaling to the computer systems of the respective participants, indicating pending buy and sell offers, and may indicate supply and demand conditions or other metadata corresponding to prevailing conditions on the PEP.

[0035] The PEP in at least one embodiment uses optimization or incentive compatible rule processing to match compatible buy and sell offers among the offers pending on the PEP. Specific examples of such metadata include percent of matched trades in total geographies bid, the number of supply bidders and/or the number of demand bidders on a geographical basis, the total system bids, the difference between non-matched buy bids and non-matched sell bids expressed in nominal or relative terms, limits in changes between buy bids and changes in sell bids allowed for the next stage or round of bids. Such information can be used by buyers and sellers to modify the bids (offers) in light of a list of bidders known to be eligible to make buy and sell bids.

[0036] Admittance to the PEP in one or more embodiments is determined by separate eligibility rules. Further, in one or more embodiment, the identities of bidders are anonymous, but the identify of who can bid is known. This arrangement means that buyers and sellers can be reasonably certain that matched transactions meet their needs and do not violate concerns about with whom they are transacting with on the PEP.

[0037] A significant advantage of the PEP in one or more embodiments is its implementation of mechanisms flowing from use standardized contracts, which provide for automatic generation and output of provisioning and/or control information of seller network, such as prioritization, scheduling, or power shifting, to assure compliance with the SLA(s) defined in the standardized contract(s) governing transactions conducted on the PEP. Such automation relieves buyers to “engineer” or otherwise he responsible for the management, control, and provisioning of the communications network(s) used in delivering the communications products sold on the PEP. [0038] For ease of reference, consider a first network operator on the PEP acting as the seller of a communications product, a second network operator on the PEP acting as the buyer of the communications product, and a population of end users affiliated with the buyer as the ultimate beneficiaries of the sale. That is, the buyer purchases the communications product for the benefit of its affiliated end users.

[0039] Service delivery of the communications product occurs in any one or more ways. A first approach is “transparent” to the end users, while a second approach is “non-transparent.” With the transparent approach, usage of the service does not depend on acquiescence by the end users to incur extra or specific charges associated with usage of the communications product. In the non-transparent approach, end users agree to use the communications product, subject to extra or specific charges. For example, an end user attempting to use the communications product is prompted to accept additional charges for such usage, with the usage attempt granted contingent upon acceptance of the additional charges by the end user.

[0040] The standardized PEP contract in one or more embodiments supports either approach, or hybrids of the two approaches. A buyer may favor the transparent approach because it provides a frictionless user experience to its end users, and the transparent approach also may benefit sellers on the PEP because it eliminates the variability that arises with respect to end-user discretion as to whether accept the additional charges associated with consumption of the communications product.

[0041] An example transparent approach sees a seller on the PEP selling a communications product to a buyer on the PEP, with the buyer agreeing to pay, for example, a baseline reservation cost to the seller for making the communications product available at agreed times and in agreed geographic areas, with the buyer further agreeing to pay an agreed rate for all consumption/usage of the communications product by its affiliated end users, for the agreed times and areas, at least up to some defined consumption limit, which may be expressed as a monetary cap for the buyer or capacity or other type of service cap for the seller. The nontransparent approach introduces potential revenue variability for the seller, at least as regards revenue beyond whatever baseline amount the buyer pays for making the communications product available, given that the discretion to incur extra charges for usage of the communications product is given to the individual end users affiliated with the buyer. [0042] Consider a scenario where the communications product is satellite-network connectivity for messaging or other communications services, with the seller being the satellite network operator and the buyer being a terrestrial network operator that desires coverage for its affiliated end users in or more geographic areas that are underserved or not served by the terrestrial network of the buyer. The PEP contract information recorded in the ledger for the transaction between the buyer and the seller stipulates according to the standardized contract format whether the transparent or non-transparent approach is to be used, or whether some hybrid of the two has been agreed. For example, the contract stipulates the validity time(s), the eligible geographic region(s), service KPIs or underlying performance metrics, usage limits or demand caps, any baseline or guaranteed minimum payment amounts, and rating mechanisms for determining charges over the baseline.

[0043] Consider an example case where the communications product sold on the PEP is messaging or other connectivity provided by a satellite communications network, where the seller of the communications product is a satellite network operator, and where the buyer of the communications product is a terrestrial network operator, e.g., a mobile network operator. With the transparent approach, an end user represented by a communications device credentialed to use the terrestrial network of the buyer attempts to send a message or otherwise gain connectivity. The communications device preferentially connects to the home terrestrial network of the buyer and secondarily to a roaming terrestrial network. If terrestrial connectivity is unavailable, the device attempts satellite connectivity.

[0044] With the transparent approach, the satellite network of the seller allows or blocks the connectivity based on whether the attempt conforms to the contract provisions, e.g., in terms of time, location, and demand. For example, if the current demand in the aggregate from end users affiliated with the buyer does not exceed a stipulated demand cap, the connectivity is granted. If the current demand exceeds the demand cap, the selling may still allow the connectivity but provide it on a best-efforts basis rather than according to contracted performance metrics. Further, the contract may specify the rate or charges for such over-the-cap usage, and, more generally, the contract may specify whether or how the seller allows usage in excess of any demand caps or other limits.

[0045] With respect to a messaging service or other connectivity product, a communications device representing an end user of the buyer preferentially connects with the home terrestrial network of the buyer and, failing home-network availability, attempts roaming terrestrial connectivity and then satellite-network access. The satellite network of the seller receives the access-attempt signaling from the device and determines whether to grant access to the device based on evaluating the attempt with respect to the contract provisions, e.g., time, location, prevailing demand, etc. In an example case, the contract stipulates a demand cap for aggregate usage by the end users affiliated with the buyer and the attempt is granted or denied in dependence on whether the current demand is below the cap.

[0046] In one or more embodiments, the standardized contract form used in the PEP provides for contingencies, e.g., how service requests in excess of the demand cap are handled. For example, the contract may obligate the seller to handle excess usage on a best-efforts basis, rather than in compliance with KPIs or underlying performance metrics specified in the SLA embodied in the contract for usage below the demand cap. Additionally, or alternatively, the contract may specify non-transparent payment of service in excess of the demand cap, such as prompting the end user to accept charges for service usage, or the contract may specify a premium to be paid by the buyer, e.g., according to a contracted rating mechanism.

[0047] In at least one embodiment, the PEP contracting and ledger recordation system supports various types of contingencies that extend contracting flexibility and service assurance. All such contract provisions may be framed in according to standardized contract definition, which may be embodied as a data structure having a defined schema — e.g., buyer/seller header information along with a defined set of fields of information elements that collectively define the particulars of the contract. Certain fields may be populated or marked active and certain fields may be unpopulated or marked inactive, in dependence upon the particulars of the buy/sell transaction. As noted, the schema provides for standardized selection of transparent billing, nontransparent billing (end user discretion), baseline or guaranteed payments, overage payments, demand caps, payment obligation caps, etc.

[0048] For service delivery, the PEP provides an interconnection point between the communications networks of the respective PEP participants, or the PEP communicates with the interconnection point, which may be a secure computer server configured for such operation. The respective communications networks may include fiber connectivity within their backhaul networks or elsewhere, and the interconnection point(s) may couple to such links. For example, terrestrial network operators use wide area network (WAN) links to couple to respective radio access points or other base station systems, while non-terrestrial network operators use WAN links or other connectivity arrangements to couple to satellite access nodes (SANs), for linking to satellites, high-altitude balloons, or other aerial or space-based access points. The interconnection point(s) provide for network provisioning, e.g., automated provisioning of the network of a product seller, for conformance to the contract obligations associated with the sold communications product.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, each participant in the PEP includes one or more interconnections points in their respective communications networks, for participation on the PEP and/or for receiving network provisioning information or control signaling for automating network configuration for contract fulfillment. In at least one embodiment, each PEP participant provides at least one interconnection point and the PEP maintains its electronic ledger as a distributed ledger across the collection of interconnection points.

[0050] Before a seller makes an offer of capacity or other communications product on the PEP, the seller may be expected to know what, if any, changes are needed in the network that will be used to supply the product. For example, delivering the communications product in compliance with the agreed SLA or other requirements requires changes in resource scheduling or modifications in service flow weights. All such changes are recorded in the electronic ledger so that a match between a sell offer and a buy offer has accompanying network configuration information reflecting the changes or updates needed in the network of the seller. Such changes made be made immediately or deferred, in dependence upon the particulars of the contract. Another feature of the PEP in one or more embodiments is that network configuration changes are recorded in the electronic ledger, in association with the contract(s) for which those changes are made. Recording such changes provides, for example, a record for the seller that the network of the seller was configured for delivery of the sold communications product, and provides for the buyer a mechanism to confirm such operations.

[0051] In at least one embodiment, the contract for the sale and purchase of a communications product on the PEP is keyed, e.g., with a cryptographic value or other identifier that is uniquely associated with the contracted communications product. The key may be stored in the electronic ledger and may be accessible to the buyer and seller for use in delivering the product to end users and in confirming such delivery or usage by end users. For example, the key may be provided to the end users eligible for use of the communications product, with the key recognized in both buyer and seller networks, such that the communications product is available to the eligible end users either through or by the network of the seller without separate or additional authentication or provisioning.

[0052] Sellers participating on the PEP have, in one or more embodiments, a number of obligations in association with the sale of communications products on the PEP. In at least one embodiment, the PEP is configured so that sellers are obligated not only to monitor compliance with SLAs or other contractual requirements that govern capacity or other service delivery, but are further obligated to provide to the PEP on a pull or push basis data demonstrating compliance with or exceptions to the contractual obligations. In at least one embodiment, the electronic ledger provides for immutable recordation, such as with a blockchain-based implementation of the ledger. Broadly, with the PEP providing for recordation of compliance data, buyers have an in-built mechanism for evaluating contract fulfillment. Such data, for example, triggers changes in payment obligations by the buyer or triggers refund or future-discount obligations on the part of the seller. All such modifications may be stipulated in the standardized contract.

[0053] Figure 1 illustrates a PEP 10 according to an example embodiment. The PEP 10 comprises a computer server or other computer apparatus that includes a processing circuitry 12, a communications interface 14, and storage 16. The processing circuitry 12 comprises, for example, one or microprocessors that are specially adapted to carry out the PEP operations described herein, based on the execution of computer program instructions (CPI) 18 stored in the storage 16. To that end, the storage 16 in one or more embodiments comprises one or more types of computer readable media, such as volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The storage 16 in one or more embodiments also hold data 20 provisioned or generated in association with PEP operations.

[0054] The PEP 10 interfaces with respective communication networks 32 through respective interconnection points 30, e.g., interconnection points 30-1 through 30-N interface the PEP 10 with communications networks 32-1 through 32-N, where N is some integer number greater than one. As an example, the communications interface 14 of the PEP 10 comprises an Ethernet interface or other data networking interface, and each interconnection point 30-1 comprises a computer server or other computer apparatus configured for communicative interaction with the PEP 10 and for interconnecting the PEP 10 with one or more elements of the corresponding communications network 32. Although not shown, such elements comprise, for example, charging/billing systems, operations & maintenance (0AM) nodes, etc., to provide a basis for the PEP 10 to control or otherwise initiate network provisioning for fulfillment of service obligations incurred via transactions conducted on the PEP.

[0055] Each communications network 32 has an associated network operator 34 and may have an associated population of end users 36, e.g., the communications network 32-1 has an associated population of end users 36-1 and so on. While the term “end user 36” may connote or at least suggest respective human users of the communications network 32, with respect to signaling and communications and associated processing, the term may be understood as referring to a communications device or item of communications equipment that is credentialed or otherwise configured for connecting to the communications network. Broadly, an “end user 36” may be understood as an identifiable end point involved in the consumption of communications services provided through the communications network 32.

[0056] Each network operator 34 may be an owner/operator of more than one communications network 32. In one or more embodiments, at least one of the communications networks 32 is a satellite communications network. Further, in at least one embodiment, one or more of the communications networks 32 are terrestrial mobile networks, e.g., a cellular networks.

[0057] Among other things, the PEP 10 advantageously allows a first given network operator 34-1 participating on the PEP 10 to buy capacity or other service from a second given network operator 34-2 participating on the PEP 10, meaning that the end users 36-1 associated with the first given network operator 34-1 receive service by or through the communications network 32- 2 associated with the second given network operator 34-2, at least under circumstances provided for in the PEP-conducted transaction.

[0058] More broadly, each communications network 32 shall be understood as providing or making accessible one or more communications services, which may be referred to as “communications products.” As such, the PEP 10 provides for the buying and selling of communications products, e.g., on an auction basis, whereby the end users 36 affiliated with one of the communications networks 32 gain the use of resources in one or more other ones of the communications networks 32. For example, a first network operator 34 may not have any or adequate network coverage in one or more locations and may buy connectivity from one or more other network operators 34 having communications networks 32 that provide connectivity in the one or more locations. As such, the end users 36 affiliated with one communications network 32 gain connectivity via one or more other communications networks 32.

[0059] Of course, the end users 36 must have compatibility with the involved networks 32, to make use such services. For example, for wireless network connectivity, it is assumed that the communications devices referred to as end users support the applicable air interfaces and signaling protocols.

[0060] The PEP 10 maintains an electronic ledger 40 for storing PEP related information. The electronic ledger 40 may be centralized or may be structured as a distributed ledger maintained, for example, across the plurality of interconnection points 30 associated with the respective network operators 34 acting as participants on the PEP 10. Indeed, in one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 itself comprises a distributed system, with the illustrated communications interface 14 and processing circuitry 12 implemented in distributed fashion across the plurality of interconnection points 30 or other plurality of computer servers. [0061] However implemented, a PEP 10 according to one or more example embodiment is configured for trading communications products and the PEP processing circuitry 12 is configured to: (a) maintain an electronic ledger 40 of pending product offers responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP 10 from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators 34 acting as participants on the PEP 10, each pending product offer either being a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product, and each pending product offer recorded in the electronic ledger 40 as a timestamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP; (b) record PEP transactions in the electronic ledger 40, each PEP transaction involving one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants, the recording including changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status; and for each PEP transaction, (c) transmit service obligation signaling via the involved communications interface(s) 14 to one or more communications networks 32 associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks 32 in accordance with incurred service obligations. [0062] The processing circuitry 12 in one or more embodiments is configured to generate PEP transactions automatically, including generating PEP transactions having a collaborative mapping of multiple product offers on the buy side or sell side to a single complementary product offer on the sell side or the buy side. For example, for generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping, the processing circuitry 12 is configured to identify two or more sell offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a buy offer. As another example, for generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping, the processing circuitry 12 is configured to identify two or more buy offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a sell offer. Thus, collaboration may be on the buy side or the sell side or on both the buy and sell sides.

[0063] Figure 2A illustrates a many-to-one mapping of sell offers (“SOs”) to buy offers (“BOs”), where the aggregate product offering of the multiple (two or more) sellers satisfies the product requirements included in the buy offer. In one or more embodiment, the processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 is configured to perform automatic offer aggregation, such as by identifying the combination of two or more sell offers that together satisfy the buy offer requirements. In the example diagram, SOs 1 through P are aggregated to form a combined sell offer that meets the requirements of one BO. “P” is an integer greater than or equal to two. [0064] The preferred combination of sell offers is the one, for example, that comes closest to matching the buy offer, without falling below any of the buy offer requirements. In at least one embodiment, the processing circuitry 12 dynamically signals the involved sellers in instances where a given combination of sell offers exceeds the buy offer in terms of one or more requirements, allowing one or more of the involved sellers to agree to a modification of their sell offers, for improved matching with the buy offer.

[0065] Substantially the same operations may be performed in a one-to-many mapping, such as shown in Figure 2B. In Figure 2B, one sell offer is matched to a combination of buy offers — e.g., BO 1 through BO Q, where “Q" is an integer greater than or equal to two.

[0066] The processing circuitry 12 in one or more embodiments is configured to generate PEP transactions automatically, based on correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger 40 with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger 40. Here, each generated PEP transaction is based on correlation levels between respective buy offers and sell offers pending in the electronic ledger.

[0067] -H-4-The standardized parametric representations of buy and sell offers or information linked thereto in the electronic ledger 40 can be used to configure correlation processing to the needs or desires of the individual participants on the PEP 10, such as by specifying the level of correlation required for identifying a buy offer as matching a sell offer or vice versa, and the correlation requirements may be tailored in some embodiments on a parameter by parameter basis. This level of granularity allows, for example, a given network operator 34 to enforce perfect or a high degree of matching on some product parameters but not others. For example, for a certain broadband connectivity buyer, average packet throughput may be more important than packet jitter or latency, and the correlation configuration allows that buyer to submit a buy offer into the PEP 10 that requires strong or complete correlation on the average throughput parameter but not on latency or jitter parameters.

[0068] For correlating parametric representations of the communications products contained (represented in) in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger 40 with the parametric representations of communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger 40, the processing circuitry 12 in one or more embodiments is configured to perform correlations according to one or more policies. For example, each policy comprises correlation rules indicating degrees of correlation required for respective parameters included in the parametric representations of the involved communications products. [0069] In one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 is configured to maintain the electronic ledger 40 as a distributed ledger stored across the interconnection points 30, based on communicating with the interconnection points 30. Figure 3 illustrates an example implementation. Further, the PEP 10 itself may be realized in distributed fashion, across the interconnection points 30.

[0070] In any case, in one or more embodiments of the PEP 10, for each committed product offer in the electronic ledger 40, the processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 is configured to receive subsequent fulfillment performance signaling indicating to what extent the incurred service obligations corresponding to the committed product offer were satisfied, and record corresponding fulfillment performance information in the electronic ledger 40. In at least one such embodiment, the processing circuitry 12 is configured to maintain fulfillment performance scores for the participants on the PEP 10 based on a historical record generated from the fulfillment performance signaling received over time in association with delivery of a plurality of committed products.

[0071] The processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 in one or more embodiments is configured to generate the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction in accordance with the parametric representations of the communications product or products involved in the PEP transaction. However generated, as suggested in Figure 3, the PEP 10 outputs the service obligation signaling towards the involved communications network(s) 32. For example, with respect to the communications network(s) 32 corresponding to the seller(s) of a communications product, the service obligation signaling may be data or control signaling effecting a reservation or scheduling of communications resources in the communications network(s) 32. As a particular example suggested in Figure 3, the interconnection point (ICP) 30 associated with each communications network 32 provides communicative coupling to one or more provisioning or control nodes 50 in the communications network 32. The node(s) 50 comprise, for example, operations and maintenance (O&M) nodes or network control nodes that govern resource allocations and scheduling.

[0072] In Figure 3, the reference number “32” denotes any given one of the communications networks 32 and it shall be understood that suffixing may be used herein only when it is desired to draw distinctions between two or more like elements.

[0073] In one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 receives service fulfillment signaling from the involved communications network(s) 32, either after the fact or during contract fulfillment, with such signaling indicating compliance or lack thereof with the applicable service obligations. Such signaling may indicate the actual delivered parameters of the communications product, e.g., in terms of QoS, or other metrics, and such information may be stored or processed for grading or ranking participants on the PEP 10. Such rankings may be used for expressing preferential sellers or buyers or for differentiating offer prices on the PEP 10.

[0074] In one or more embodiments, the processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 is configured to generate the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction as SLA obligations representing the incurred service obligations. Correspondingly, the service fulfillment signaling — the performance feedback — in one or more embodiments is structured to indicate the degree of compliance of service delivery with the KPIs or underlying performance metrics comprised in the SLA obligations.

[0075] Figure 5 illustrates a method 500 of trading communications products via the PEP 10. The method 500 includes maintaining (Block 502) an electronic ledger 40 of pending product offers. The maintaining is done, for example, responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP 10 from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators 34 acting as participants on the PEP 10. Each pending product offer is either a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product. Further, each pending product offer is recorded in the electronic ledger 40 as a times tamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP 10.

[0076] The method 500 further includes recording (Block 502) PEP transactions in the electronic ledger 40. Each PEP transaction involves one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants. The recording includes changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status. Still further, for each PEP transaction, the method 500 includes transmitting (Block 504) service obligation signaling to one or more communications networks 32 associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks 32 in accordance with incurred service obligations.

[0077] One or more of the participants on the PEP 10 are non-terrestrial network operators 34, with the communications product or products represented by one or more of the pending product offers on the PEP 10 being satellite communications products. For example, one or more of the communications products is satellite-based messaging or other satellite-based data connectivity.

[0078] The method 500 in one or more embodiments includes automating the generation of one or more PEP transactions. Each automated PEP transaction is based on the PEP 10 identifying two or more pending sell offers that collectively satisfy a pending buy offer and committing the two or more communications products represented in the two or more pending sell offers in the aggregate, for fulfillment of the pending buy offer.

[0079] For each committed product offer in the electronic ledger 40, the method 500 in one or more embodiments includes the PEP 10 subsequently receiving fulfillment performance signaling indicating to what extent the incurred service obligations corresponding to the committed product offer were satisfied. The PEP 10 records corresponding fulfillment performance information in the electronic ledger 40. For example, the method 500 includes the PEP 10 maintaining fulfillment performance scores for the participants on the PEP 10 based on a historical record generated from the fulfillment performance signaling received over time in association with delivery of a plurality of committed products.

[0080] The method 500 in one or more embodiments includes the PEP 10 sending requests for the fulfillment performance signaling corresponding to respective committed product offers, responsive to reaching associated times for fulfillment.

[0081] In at least one embodiment or operating scenario, each pending product offer in the electronic ledger 40 has a corresponding validity time, and the method 500 further comprises the PEP 10 changing a status of individual ones of the pending product offers from pending to expired, responsive to expiration of the corresponding validity times.

[0082] The method 500 in one or more embodiments comprises the PEP 10 generating the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction in accordance with the parametric representations of the communications product or products involved in the PEP transaction. For example, Figure 6 illustrates an example standardized product representation 60, for representing product offers in the PEP 10.

[0083] The standardized product representation 60 also may be referred to as standardized product schema 60 and comprises a data structure or logical object that is instantiated to represent product offers in the exchange. That is, each product offer is represented using the same standardized data structure but is populated as needed with values or other data specific to the offer.

[0084] In one or more embodiments, the schema 60 comprises an XML structure or other standardized language representation, and it includes: participant information along with other header information 62, security information 64, timestamp(s) 66, status information 68 (e.g., pending, committed), transaction matching requirements 70 (e.g., correlation requirements for automatic transaction matching by the PEP 10), and a parametric representation 72 of the communications product itself, comprising a collection of fields or information elements (IES) 74, not all of which are necessarily used for every type of communications service. However, the field arrangement and usage are standardized.

[0085] The schema 60 in one or more embodiments includes placeholders for fulfillment metrics 76. For example, the standardized product representation 60 that is instantiated for a sell offer may be updated during or subsequent to delivery of the sold communications product with information indicating to what extent the applicable service requirements were met. Even where the per-offer instantiations of the standardized product representation 60 do not carry fulfillment information, one or more embodiments of the PEP 10 provide for capture and recordation of fulfillment information, such as may be used for ranking the performance of participants, for securing full or partial refunds for failing to meet performance requirements, etc.

[0086] In one or more embodiments, the participant information stored in the header or other field of the standardized product representation 60 comprises an identifier, which may be a cryptographic key or other value that uniquely maps the offer to a particular participant on the PEP while providing anonymity. For example, in one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 provides signaling to the participants regarding the number of participants associated with pending buy and sell offers on the PEP 10, and may indicate the demand in terms of potential buy/sell offer matches and the number competing buy or sell offers for respective types or categories of communications products. However, the PEP 10 in one or more embodiments enforces anonymity, either across the universe of participants or as between competing sellers and/or competing buyers.

[0087] In one or more other embodiments, the PEP 10 provides for partial or complete identification. For example, the PEP in one or more embodiments allows a seller to see the identities of prospective buyers, or allows a buyer to see the identities of prospective sellers. In at least one embodiment, the identities of all buyers and sellers are known.

[0088] A further point of flexibility with the PEP 10 is that the standardized product representation 60, or another data- structure arrangement, provides for the submission of reserve pricing information, e.g., the minimum selling price that will be accepted by the seller, or the maximum purchase price that will be paid by a buyer. For example, the parametric representation 72 may include one or more pricing fields that allow participants to stipulate price minimums or maximums, or ranges. Such data allows the processing circuitry 12 of the PEP 10 in one or more embodiments to generate buy and sell prices based on evaluating exchange activity and/or assessing the demand associated with pending communications products, while still observing price limits that are acceptable to the respective participants. [0089] Further, in these or other embodiments, the PEP 10 provides demand feedback signaling to the participants. Such feedback allows the respective participants to amend pricing in pending product offers and respond to changing competitive pressure.

[0090] As a further advantage in one or more embodiments of the PEP 10 is the use of whitelisting and/or blacklisting. Such usage has value as a general proposition and enhanced value in PEP embodiments that impose full or partial anonymization of the participants. With whitelisting, a participant on the PEP specifies which other participants with whom they are willing to transact. Thus, in embodiments where the PEP 10 is configured for automatic buy and sell offer matching and corresponding transaction execution, the whitelisting information informs the PEP 10 of which pairings or combinations of participants automatic transacting is permitted.

[0091] Whitelisting in one or more embodiments also permits ranking or prioritization, such that each participant can indicate its preferences for transacting with other participants. In at least one embodiment, there is a whitelisting hierarchy in which each participant submits a default or general whitelist that applies in the absence of conflicting whitelisting information carried in the instantiations of the standardized product representation 60 for pending product offers. In other words, individual product offers submitted by a participant may have their own whitelisting information that supersedes the default whitelisting information submitted by the participant. [0092] In one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 supports blacklisting in the same manner(s) as described for whitelisting. Indeed, both whitelisting and blacklisting may be used, at least in some circumstances. With blacklisting, a participant identifies participants with whom transactions are not permitted. As with whitelisting, a participant may submit default blacklisting information to the PEP 10 and including product-offer-specific blacklisting information in the individual product offers submitted into the PEP 10.

[0093] As a further variation, the whitelisting and blacklisting may operate on something other than participant identity, and instead operate in terms of geographic or national affiliations. For example, a participant may whitelist all participants who have a certain geographic affiliation. As a further variation or extension, different whitelists or blacklists may apply to different categories of product offerings, or to different geographic region, e.g., where some participants are acceptable for transacting for communications products to be delivered in one geographic area, but not in others.

[0094] Turning back to other details of the PEP 10, in one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 is configured for automatic transacting, meaning that the PEP 10 identifies matches between pending buy offers and pending sell offers, and executes the corresponding transactions. In at least one embodiment, the PEP 10 does not require or use confirmation signaling, as it treats each pending product offer as ready for commitment. This automatic execution prevents, for example, attempts at pricing exploration by participants on the PEP 10. For example, absent automatic execution of matching product offers on the buy and sell sides, a participant may submit product offers with different pricing, not necessarily with the intent to transact at those prices, but rather to assess pricing conditions on the PEP 10 based on confirmation request signaling coming back from the PEP 10.

[0095] The method 500 in one or more embodiments includes generating the aforementioned service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction as SLA obligations representing the incurred service obligations. For example, for a given transaction and for each selling participant in the given transaction, the PEP 10 generates signaling indicating times of obligated service delivery. Generating the service obligation signaling additionally or alternatively comprises generating signaling indicating geographic areas of obligated service delivery. In at least one embodiment, generating the service obligation signaling comprises generating network configuration signaling that directly or indirectly configures the provider networks — the communications networks 32 used to provide sold communications products. For example, the configuration signaling indicates needed resource reservations and SLA information.

[0096] As suggested earlier, several options exist for maintaining the electronic ledger 40. In one or more embodiments, the PEP 10 maintains the electronic ledger 40 as a distributed ledger in in a plurality of authenticated computer systems corresponding to respective ones among the participants on the PEP 10. For example, the ICPs 30 of Figure 1 are authenticated computer systems participating in a distributed-ledger arrangement. More broadly, the electronic ledger 40 may be maintained as private blockchain or otherwise maintained as a private ledger requiring authenticated access by the participants on the PEP 10. In one or more such embodiments, the method 500 includes the PEP 10 operating as a certificate authority with respect to the participants on the PEP 10, and allowing or disallowing access to the private ledger in dependence on authenticating individual ones of the participants in accordance with cryptographic certificates issued by the PEP 10. For example, the data 20 shown in Figure 1 includes certificate information and the PEP 10 distributes authentication certificates or underlying keys or other cryptographic information for authenticated communications between the PEP 10 and the respective ICPs 30 and/or between the PEP 10 and the respective communications networks 32. [0097] In at least one embodiment, maintaining the electronic ledger 40 in the method 500 comprises maintaining an immutable record that contains all product offers and all status changes applicable to each product offer entered into the electronic ledger 40, including a change from pending to expired, a change from pending to committed, or a change from committed to fulfilled.

[0098] In one or more embodiments, the method 500 includes generating PEP transactions automatically, including generating PEP transactions having a collaborative mapping of multiple product offers on the buy side or sell side to a single complementary product offer on the sell side or the buy side. Generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping comprises, for example, identifying two or more sell offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a buy offer. As another example, generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping comprises identifying two or more buy offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a sell offer. These collaborative capabilities allow, among other things, two or more sellers together to satisfy the requirements of a given buyer, in cases where neither seller could individually meet the requirements. Similarly, two or more buyers may aggregate their service needs, such that together it makes sense to buy a product that is overkill with respect to their individual needs.

[0099] Whether one-to-one, many-to-one, or one-to-many mappings are used for matching sell offers with buy offers, one or more embodiments of the method 500 include generating PEP transactions automatically. For example, the PEP 10 is configured to correlate the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger 40 with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger 40. Each generated PEP transaction is based on correlation levels between respective buy offers and sell offers pending in the electronic ledger 40.

[0100] Correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger 40 with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger 40 comprises, for example, performing correlations according to one or more policies. Each policy comprises correlation rules indicating degrees of correlation required for respective parameters included in the parametric representations of the involved communications products.

[0101] There may be different policies for different types of communications products and, indeed, in one or more embodiments, the policy may be embedded in the product offer. See, for example, the matching requirements 70 depicted in Figure 6, which may be understood as an embedded correlation policy. More broadly, the PEP 10 may maintain respective policies for different participants on the PEP 10, in dependence on receiving policy preference signaling from respective ones among the participants on the PEP 10.

[0102] Figure 7 illustrates an example where a communications device 80 (an end user) is located in a given geographic region 82. The communications device 80 is a wireless handset or terminal, for example, and is configured for wireless communications according to one or more radio access technologies (RATs).

[0103] Assume, for example, that the communications device 80 is affiliated with a cellular network 84, where the operator of the cellular network 84 is a participant on the PEP 10. As such, the cellular network 84 communicatively couples to the PEP 10 via a respective ICP 30. Further, assume that the cellular network 84 provides no coverage or spotty coverage with respect to the geographic region 82 and that the network operator of the cellular network 84 purchased service coverage for the geographic region 82 from the operator of a satellite communications system (SCS) 86, via transacting on the PEP 10.

[0104] Here, the SCS 86 comprises a SCS ground network 88 and one or more satellites 90, which may be geosynchronous satellites, or may be medium-Earth or low-Earth orbit satellites or any mix thereof. With the operator of the SCS 86 being a participant on the PEP 10, the SCS ground network 88 communicatively couples to the PEP 10 via a respective ICP 30. Further, based on the service coverage sold through the PEP 10 and supplied by the SCS 86 for end users of the cellular network 84 operating in the subject geographic region 82, the SCS ground network 88 stores or is otherwise configured in accordance with a service obligation configuration by which it conforms to the service obligations incurred via the PEP transaction. [0105] For example, the service obligation configuration comprises both resource reservations and user traffic scheduling, by which the SCS 86 fulfills the service obligations associated with the service coverage sold by the satellite network operator to the cellular network operator via the PEP 10. Also, although not specifically illustrated in Figure 7, there may be more than one SCS 86, with each SCS satisfying a respective portion of the service needs of the end users of the cellular network operator with respect to the geographic region 82. That is, the PEP 10 in such an example will have identified a collaborative sell in which the sell offers of two or more satellite network operators were combined by the PEP 10, for fulfillment of a buy offer from the cellular network operator with respect to its service needs for the geographic region 82. [0106] Notably, modifications and other embodiments of the disclosed invention(s) will come to mind to one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention(s) is/are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method of trading communications products via a computerized product exchange platform (PEP), the method comprising: maintaining an electronic ledger of pending product offers responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators acting as participants on the PEP, each pending product offer either being a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product, and each pending product offer recorded in the electronic ledger as a timestamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP; recording PEP transactions in the electronic ledger, each PEP transaction involving one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants, the recording including changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status; and for each PEP transaction, transmitting service obligation signaling to one or more communications networks associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks in accordance with incurred service obligations.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the participants on the PEP are non-terrestrial network operators, with the communications product or products represented by one or more of the pending product offers on the PEP being satellite communications products.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises automating the generation of one or more PEP transactions by, for each automated PEP transaction, identifying two or more pending sell offers that collectively satisfy a pending buy offer and committing two or more communications products represented in the two or more pending sell offers in the aggregate, for fulfillment of the pending buy offer.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising, for each committed product offer in the electronic ledger, subsequently receiving fulfillment performance signaling indicating to what extent the incurred service obligations corresponding to the committed product offer were satisfied, and recording corresponding fulfillment performance information in the electronic ledger.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising maintaining fulfillment performance scores for the participants on the PEP based on a historical record generated from the fulfillment performance signaling received over time in association with delivery of a plurality of committed products.

6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising sending requests for the fulfillment performance signaling corresponding to respective committed product offers, responsive to reaching associated times for fulfillment.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein each pending product offer in the electronic ledger has a corresponding validity time, and wherein the method further comprises changing a status of individual ones of the pending product offers from pending to expired, responsive to expiration of the corresponding validity times.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the method further comprises generating the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction in accordance with the parametric representations of the communications product or products involved in the PEP transaction.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the method further comprises generating the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction as service level agreement (SLA) obligations representing the incurred service obligations.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein generating the service obligation signaling comprises, for each selling participant, generating signaling indicating times of obligated service delivery.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein generating the service obligation signaling comprises generating signaling indicating geographic areas of obligated service delivery.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1-11, wherein maintaining the electronic ledger comprises maintaining a distributed ledger in a plurality of authenticated computer systems corresponding to respective ones among the participants on the PEP.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein maintaining the distributed ledger comprises maintaining the distributed ledger as a private blockchain.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1-13, wherein maintaining the electronic ledger comprises maintaining a private ledger requiring authenticated access by the participants on the PEP.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising operating as a certificate authority with respect to the participants on the PEP, and allowing or disallowing access to the private ledger in dependence on authenticating individual ones of the participants in accordance with cryptographic certificates issued by the PEP.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1-15, wherein maintaining the electronic ledger comprises maintaining an immutable record that contains all product offers, all status changes applicable to each product offer entered into the electronic ledger, including a change from pending to expired, a change from pending to committed, or a change from committed to fulfilled.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein the method further comprises generating PEP transactions automatically, including generating PEP transactions having a collaborative mapping of multiple product offers on a buy side or sell side to a single complementary product offer on the sell side or the buy side.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping comprises identifying two or more sell offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a buy offer.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping comprises identifying two or more buy offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a sell offer.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1-19, wherein the method further comprises generating PEP transactions automatically, based on correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger, each generated PEP transaction based on correlation levels between respective buy offers and sell offers pending in the electronic ledger.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger comprises performing correlations according to one or more policies, each policy comprising correlation rules indicating degrees of correlation required for respective parameters included in the parametric representations of the involved communications products.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising maintaining respective policies for different types of communications products.

23. The method according to claim 21 or 22, further comprising maintaining respective policies for different participants on the PEP, in dependence on receiving policy preference signaling from respective ones among the participants on the PEP.

24. A computerized product exchange platform (PEP) configured for trading communications products, the PEP comprising: a communications interface; and processing circuitry configured to: maintain an electronic ledger of pending product offers responsive to signaling incoming to the PEP from respective ones among a plurality of communications network operators acting as participants on the PEP, each pending product offer either being a sell offer, offering to sell a communications product, or a buy offer, offering to buy a communications product, and each pending product offer recorded in the electronic ledger as a timestamped entry bound to a parametric representation of the communications product according to a standardized product representation defined for the PEP; record PEP transactions in the electronic ledger, each PEP transaction involving one or more of the pending product offers and a corresponding one or more buying participants and one or more selling participants, the recording including changing the involved one or more pending product offers to a committed status; and for each PEP transaction, transmit service obligation signaling via the communications interface to one or more communications networks associated with the one or more selling participants, for provisioning of the one or more associated communications networks in accordance with incurred service obligations.

25. The PEP according to claim 24, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate PEP transactions automatically, including generating PEP transactions having a collaborative mapping of multiple product offers on a buy side or sell side to a single complementary product offer on the sell side or the buy side.

26. The PEP according to claim 25, wherein, for generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping, the processing circuitry is configured to identify two or more sell offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a buy offer.

27. The PEP according to claim 25, wherein, for generating any particular PEP transaction having a collaborative mapping, the processing circuitry is configured to identify two or more buy offers that, when the involved communications products are aggregated, satisfy requirements of a sell offer.

28. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-27, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate PEP transactions automatically, based on correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger, each generated PEP transaction based on correlation levels between respective buy offers and sell offers pending in the electronic ledger.

29. The PEP according to claim 28, wherein, for correlating the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the buy offers pending in the electronic ledger with the parametric representations of the communications products contained in the sell offers pending in the electronic ledger, the processing circuitry is configured to perform correlations according to one or more policies, each policy comprising correlation rules indicating degrees of correlation required for respective parameters included in the parametric representations of the involved communications products.

30. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-29, wherein the PEP comprises a centralized computer system with the communications interface communicatively coupled to respective interconnecting computer systems corresponding to the participants on the PEP.

31. The PEP according to claim 30, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to maintain the electronic ledger as a distributed ledger stored across the interconnecting computer systems, based on communicating with the interconnecting computer systems.

32. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-31, wherein, for each committed product offer in the electronic ledger, the processing circuitry is configured to receive subsequent fulfillment performance signaling indicating to what extent the incurred service obligations corresponding to the committed product offer were satisfied, and record corresponding fulfillment performance information in the electronic ledger.

33. The PEP according to claim 32, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to maintain fulfillment performance scores for the participants on the PEP based on a historical record generated from the fulfillment performance signaling received over time in association with delivery of a plurality of committed products.

34. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-33, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction in accordance with the parametric representations of the communications product or products involved in the PEP transaction.

35. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-34, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the service obligation signaling transmitted for each PEP transaction as service level agreement (SLA) obligations representing the incurred service obligations.

36. The PEP according to any one of claims 24-35, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to maintain the electronic ledger as a private ledger that either is centrally stored or maintained as a distributed leger across a plurality of authenticated computer systems corresponding to respective ones among the participants on the PEP.