NOC (Network Operations Center)

A Network Operations Centre is the staffed facility from which an operator monitors and manages its network 24x7, fault detection, performance management, change execution, and first-line incident response. The NOC works alongside the Security Operations Centre (SOC), with overlapping but distinct responsibilities; mature operators define clear escalation paths between the two.

Categories: Security ControlsOperations and Business

NOC in context

Security controls in telecom span signaling firewalls (SS7/Diameter/GTP screening at the network edge), transport encryption (IPsec, TLS, PRINS), identity and access on OSS/BSS, and monitoring at both the packet and log level. Controls are audited against GSMA FS.11/FS.19/FS.20/FS.36 and, in Europe, NIS2 sectoral rules.

OSS/BSS platforms (provisioning, charging, mediation, order management) hold the highest-value subscriber and revenue data on the operator side. They are heavily targeted for fraud and insider abuse and are increasingly in scope for regulatory obligations like NIS2 and the UK Telecoms Security Act.

To place NOC in the wider telecom-security picture, review Control Plane Security, EDR, KPI, VPN, Slice Security and GSMA Open Gateway.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

  • Silent SMS Type-0 SMS location tracking and detection.

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