Skipping Wi-Fi validation is a costly mistake, Ookla

Telecom operators are being urged to treat network autonomy as a central growth strategy rather than a narrow cost‑cutting exercise, according to a wave of recent research and industry commentary. Studies from the Capgemini Research Institute and TM Forum find that around 84% of telcos are still at only level‑1 or level‑2 autonomy, mostly focused on isolated automation use cases, even as a majority aim to reach at least level‑3 by the end of the decade. Analysts at firms such as Bain and IBM argue that this incremental approach leaves operators stuck in “pilot purgatory”, shaving opex at the margins but failing to unlock intent‑based services, real‑time SLAs and network‑as‑a‑service models that could materially shift growth trajectories.

Vendors and consultants now frame autonomous networks as a potential “profit engine”, enabling on‑demand 5G slices for enterprise verticals, API‑exposed connectivity features and service‑centric operating models that more closely resemble hyperscaler playbooks than legacy telco NOCs. Capgemini estimates that operators plan to invest about 87 million dollars on average in autonomous networks over the next five years, with early movers already reporting roughly 20% gains in operational efficiency and double‑digit opex reductions, alongside measurable cuts in network energy use.

Yet the same research underscores significant barriers, from fragmented data and legacy integration challenges to cultural resistance and skills gaps, with only about 17% of telcos having a well‑defined autonomous‑network strategy or a dedicated executive sponsor. Industry voices warn that unless operators broaden their ambitions and pair autonomy roadmaps with concrete commercial plays, cloud providers and software‑centric challengers—who already run highly autonomous infrastructure—are likely to capture the lion’s share of value from advanced, AI‑driven connectivity services.

For report, https://www.communicationstoday.co.in/networks-with-intelligence-capgemini/

CT Bureau