When the term SON first hit the market, it meant self-organizing network and it was a relatively low level function, automating the process of allowing base stations to work together without interference. The rising interest in dense small cell networks placed new strategic importance on SON, since automation became essential, not just efficient, when provisioning huge numbers of base stations in close proximity. SON platforms which can manage hardware from many vendors, and interoperate with one another, are critical enablers for densification and future 5G architectures, and so are the focus of activity by several industry bodies such as the Small Cell Forum and the NGMN Alliance. And the acronym changed to reflect the deeper functionality of the new SON,…