After years of incremental progress, the convergence of openness, programmability, AI, and new economic realities is reshaping how networks are developed, operated, and monetized. While challenges remain—from security risks to inefficient data practices and mounting operational pressures—the momentum behind transformative change has never been stronger. In this second instalment of the Ranplan CEO Insights series, we explore the emerging ecosystem that will define the next decade of connectivity: one built on open collaboration, software-driven intelligence, and a broader sense of societal responsibility.
The transition toward Software Defined Networks (SDN), long heralded but historically quite slow in progress, will continue unabated. While Open RAN (O-RAN) has been marred by technology challenges and standardisation disagreements, it has clarified the shortcomings that must be addressed. At the core remains a strong industry desire to standardise hardware components, since programmability and adaptability through software depend on it. Equally critical is the ability to freely exchange data.
This is where, amongst others, the Ericsson-led joint venture Aduna (Latin for ‘many entities united as one’) comes in. Backed by several major global operators, this commercial alliance aspires to create an ecosystem of app developers that enhance network capabilities, much like the app economy did for smartphones. Such endeavours will be instrumental to embedding AI across the layers of the RAN.
It is noteworthy, though, that combining SDN and AI will also expose the network to heightened vulnerabilities. Future network management systems must account for these cumbersome side effects as end-to-end security remains non-negotiable in a world increasingly reliant on the internet for communication and information sharing. Reliability and trustworthiness cannot be compromised.
The evolution of programmable networks depends on fundamentals now seemingly well underway
Economic reality and operational necessity will impel the telecom industry to shift emphasis from infrastructure specification (remember: “less is often more”) to application monetisation ("you tend to get what you pay for”) and efficiency gains through operational excellence (by employing technology).
Achieving this requires the timely deployment of modern, AI-driven software tools that meaningfully and predictably reduce manual workloads. In their absence, operational expenses will continue to rise without commensurate revenue growth—an imbalance that risks investor frustration and could trigger an extended negative financial spiral. From a venture capital standpoint, (risk-adjusted) returns on investment—evaluated across the full lifecycle of network management, from inception to conclusion, including spectrum costs—remain the incisive benchmark for any undertaking seeking external funding.
The telecom sector must strive to become more lastingly attractive to the investment community
Few factors hinder telecom operational efficiency more than the continued reliance on proprietary file formats. While once the only viable option, these formats now obstruct seamless data exchange between software systems, stifle innovation, and limit the flexibility to adopt mix-and-match, best-of-breed solutions. Removing these artificial barriers is essential to realising the vision of AI-native networks and AI-RAN.
Given its long history with standards and technical specifications, the telecom industry is uniquely positioned to define, structure, and champion widespread adoption of BIM (Building Information Modelling). The construction industry has already made major strides through IFC (Industry Foundation Classes).
A logical next step is the classification of network devices down to the port level—an area where we see broad interest and growing momentum. Such standardisation would significantly ease the work of both design, planning, and installation engineers, especially in the in-building environment. Even greater benefits will accrue once OpenUSD (Universal Scene Description) gets ready for prime time. As an open-source, fully 3D, layered data framework, OpenUSD is a prime candidate to enable true-to-physics simulations and unlock the full potential of granular digital twins in telecom-centric scenarios.
The greater the importance and role of software, the greater the frustration with proprietary file formats
While 3GPP sets its sights on the next generation of cellular standards, IEEE appears poised to narrow the gap to carrier-grade performance. Already capable of offering multi-link and emerging roaming and handover capabilities, upcoming Wi-Fi generations—expected to launch commercially before 6G—aim to dramatically alleviate reliability concerns and position Wi-Fi as a viable alternative for industrial use cases so far dominated by private 4G/LTE and 5G. Forthcoming partnerships with satellite operators appear poised to help address issues associated with limited coverage outside conurbations.
The Wi-Fi community will most certainly continue to capitalise on its cost advantages in terms of network equipment, ease-of-deployment, and licence-free spectrum, strengthening the case for Wi-Fi offload to help cellular operators manage traffic spikes. Ideally, the cellular community can, in turn, draw inspiration from Wi-Fi’s efficiency and simplicity. In the future, both camps shall learn from each other.
As Wi-Fi narrows the quality gap to cellular (3GPP), the case for offloads becomes ever more compelling
The days, several decades ago, when a wireless network could be designed, installed, and then left to its own devices are long gone, literally and practically. Except for the simplest environments, a life-cycle approach to wireless planning, optimisation, and refinement is now strongly recommended. This is especially true for mission-critical deployments in industrial settings and public-safety undertakings.
Any material change to the physical environment must be incorporated into the building models, and any noticeable shift in key performance indicators (KPIs)—capacity, coverage, throughput, reliability, latency, security, or combinations thereof—must be tackled expediently and expeditiously. The anticipated introduction of AI-native technologies across many layers of telecom networks adds yet another notable dimension to the challenging art of mastering holistic network planning to perfection.
In the end, what ultimately matters most is the total cost-benefit calculus delivered over the lifecycle of any asset
As we enter the latter half of the decade, the telecom ecosystem seems destined to embark on increasingly ambitious R&D programs to make 6G an operationally practical and commercially successful reality. A range of critical technologies will have to be developed, fine-tuned, and thoroughly tested before they can be implemented on an industrial scale. Alongside the integration of AI-native systems, proper attention must be devoted to the economics of transforming existing infrastructure.
Key technology pillars include:
Investments in 6G are set to intensify in the run-up to the real commercial launch by 2030
Economic history unequivocally shows that human ingenuity—refining products, processes, and knowledge—underpins the creation of wealth in the long run. These themes were echoed clearly in the Nobel Prize announcements for economic sciences in October 2025, which highlighted the value of openness to new ideas and the willingness to change. The Committee also noted, however, that established organisations and special interest groups may impede developments. As such, creative destruction— through which new technologies supersede old ones—must be managed thoughtfully.
Irrespective of historical and ideological perspectives, the conclusion is the same in all parts of the world: technology drives productivity and profitability. It fuels economic growth, resilience, and, most surely, the creation of wealth. Few sectors illustrate this more vividly than ICT. Without the internet, smartphones, mobile networks, and fibre connectivity, today’s society would be unrecognisable and much less fun.
History is replete with evidence that openness to invention catapults economic growth and welfare
For centuries, humans have offloaded physical labour to machines—and before that, to animals. Today, millions of robots handle mechanical tasks in factories, warehouses, and increasingly, in homes and gardens. While this trend is bound to intensify in the years to come, it will in all likelihood be tremendously outpaced by the offloading of neural activity—analysing, reasoning, sensing, and thinking—to interconnected webs of machine-accessible knowledge powered by AI and the internet.
These inferences notwithstanding, it’s essential to recognise that AI is not a panacea. Its performance depends entirely on the quality, the relevance, and the significance of the data it is trained on. How AI-agents weigh training material, steer clear of pitfalls, filter out biases, and unwanted influences remains largely unresolved. The data must be:
For the foreseeable future, an agentic approach—AI acting as an assistant, sounding board, or guide to human decision-makers—is most pragmatic. With the right guardrails put in place, AI will effortlessly handle laborious (mental) tasks, enhance decision-making, and prevent incidents of human mistakes.
AI in general and its agents in particular had better be implemented with proper guardrails in place
The telecom industry has much to learn from the IT (Information Technology) sector. Standardisation is indispensable for connectivity and economy, but innovation is essential for creativity and timely productivity. Without inventiveness, the industry risks falling a decade behind the next paradigm shift—and the consequences of long delays are immense. The time is ripe for a more ambitious and assertive mindset. Those who proactively embrace adaptivity and agility will get a competitive edge, strengthen their market position, elevate their brand, and ultimately generate superior returns for stakeholders.
The real winners will be those who anticipate, embrace, and proactively implement the workflows of the future—built on seamless data exchange via open file formats in the spirit of BIM, unified APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), and access to an ever-evolving and ever richer ecosystem of 3rd party applications.
The telecom sector would benefit from becoming more receptive to creativity and innovation
As nations seek to safeguard regional sovereignty in an age dominated by “computerised intelligence,” concerns will grow that today’s telecom infrastructure is ill-equipped to withstand disruptions, fraud, or infiltration of sensitive information. Service providers must respond with pre-emptive, rather than reactive, initiatives. Beyond enhanced security—a daily topic in the media these days —networks must increasingly be designed for extra layers of redundancy and resilience. Recent global events – amid heightened geopolitical tension - show just how fragile connectivity can be. This is especially true for wireless networks, now foundational to society, and particularly vulnerable to external disturbances.
Providers of connectivity services carry ever greater national responsibilities to society at large
Last but not least, it is worth recalling that the popularity of social media has made it easier than ever to influence, perturb, or manipulate the thoughts, emotions, and, by extension, even the decisions of human beings. This reality - amplified by AI - necessitates regulatory oversight—pragmatic, reasonable, and light-weighted to allow for a healthy pace of innovation, but firm enough to preserve trust and safeguard democratic principles. This underscores the societal importance of telecommunication networks. It is no longer only a matter of how much information can be transmitted, at what speed, and to whom, but also about what type of information flows in the system. Screening will be imperative.
Some form of regulatory oversight will be needed to control the negative repercussions of general AI
The positive progression of the telecom sector depends on the development of networks that are open, programmable, and AI-capable—designed to adapt quickly and deliver reliable results. By embedding added intelligence, operational efficiency, and commercial value into every layer, operators can enhance user experience while boosting returns. Equally critical is social responsibility: resilient, secure, and trustworthy networks will serve communities safely and sustainably. Those who integrate planning, lifecycle management, and ethical practices today are set to champion the telecom markets of tomorrow.