NGMN News Archives - NGMN

NGMN FORUM Düsseldorf

Juliya Naumova — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:02:22 +0000

To reserve your space, kindly register your attendance.
Participation in the NGMN Forum is free and open to all employees of NGMN member organisations.

AGENDA

What is the NGMN Forum?

The NGMN Forum is a collaborative platform that brings together NGMN’s global membership — including operators, vendors, and academia — to share insights, align on key initiatives and drive innovation. Through discussions, presentations and group sessions, participants engage on topics such as network disaggregation, sustainability, and the evolution toward 6G. The Forum supports the NGMN Board and CEO by coordinating input across the membership and advancing the industry’s strategic agenda.

Not an NGMN member yet? Discover how you can help shape the future of our industry at this engaging and dynamic event.

Contact office@ngmn.org for more information or learn more here. https://www.ngmn.org/about-us/membership.html

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NGMN urges the telco ecosystem to learn the migration lessons from 5G and agree to prioritise simplification to unlock the full potential of 6G

Juliya Naumova — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:57:53 +0000

Enabling the full potential of 6G requires a different standardisation approach to prevent complexity and market confusion, alongside a smooth and cost-effective migration path with a focus on Multi-RAT Spectrum Sharing (MRSS) as a baseline solution, according to two new Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) industry publications.

‘6G Architecture and Migration Options – An Operator View’ evaluates multiple 6G architecture and migration options for the radio access network (RAN) and core network. The goal is to help identify the most appropriate migration choices early when it comes to simplifying networks and reducing complexity, ensuring smooth and scalable deployment.

NGMN has also released a second publication, ‘6G Deployment Timeframe Considerations – An Operator View’, providing a consolidated view from leading operators across multiple regions on the timing constraints associated with the introduction of 6G. Drawing on lessons learned from 5G standalone deployments, it emphasises the importance of allowing sufficient time to develop robust standards that meet operator requirements. Current industry perspectives suggest that commercial introduction of standardised 6G capabilities is likely to emerge in the early years of the 2030s.

Both publications have been released in conjunction with the 3GPP plenary meeting in Singapore (8-12 June).

Ahead of the June-September 2026 timeframe of the 3GPP study phase, a decisive period to establish foundations for initial 6G deployments, NGMN’s ‘6G Architecture and Migration Options – An Operator View’ urges the global industry to learn the lessons from 5G. That means converging early on a primary approach to 6G migration in order to limit fragmentation and reduce long‑term complexity across user equipment (UE), RAN and core networks.

The publication also emphasises the need for operators to prioritise further study efforts on real performance and implementation feasibility with MRSS, while acknowledging that MRSS performance needs to be enhanced compared to 4G-5G Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) and thatfurther work on MRSS efficiency such as support of Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) and Time Division Duplexing (TDD) spectrum will be required.

Alternative approaches including Dual Connectivity and Dual Stack solutions were also analysed against current networks and future deployment needs, but with the caveat they should only be pursued if they can tackle well‑defined deployment gaps that MRSS cannot address.

Meanwhile, ahead of 3GPP’s decision on Release 21, which will be the first announced 6G specification, NGMN’s ‘6G Deployment Timeframe Considerations – An Operator View’ highlights the need to prioritise simpler and better initial standards to unlock the full potential of 6G.

The publication also emphasises the importance of avoiding blurring the value proposition to customers and minimising migration complexity for operators. It underscores the importance for NGMN operators that high-quality specifications are completed before standardised 6G capabilities are introduced commercially. Large-scale deployments depend on the availability of a fully developed ecosystem, encompassing both network infrastructure and a broad base of compatible devices.

Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, commented: “The transition to 6G will present significant opportunities, but only if the industry prioritises migration paths that build on existing network assets, minimise operational complexity and deliver tangible benefits from the earliest deployment stages. Dedicating sufficient time to this process is crucial, otherwise risking unnecessary complexity and long-term challenges, limiting the value to operators and end users.”

Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT, and NGMN Board Director, said: “Alongside early evaluation of migration options, it is equally critical that decisions around architecture align cost with a realistic assessment of hardware reuse and enable scalable, multi‑vendor ecosystems. Migration and architecture solutions should support interoperability, cloud‑based deployments and long‑term operational efficiency.”

Guangyi Liu, Chief Expert of China Mobile and NGMN Board Director, added: “While flexibility is important, migration options need to be limited if we are to learn the lessons from 5G that hindered time-to-market. The current promise of MRSS as a migration path for 6G deployment is clear, but for this to be realised that means ensuring there is not unnecessary complexity on networks or devices.”

Anita Döhler, CEO of NGMN, said: “6G is one of NGMN’s core areas of strategic focus and this year and next will be critical to pave the way. Decisions of today around standardisation, including migration options, will shape the entire 6G ecosystem and determine its long-term successwith regards to ability to deliver value to customers. We will continue to provide operator-driven guidance around key requirements for design considerations and network architecture evolution to support the industry in the evolving 6G landscape.”

NGMN contributes operator-driven requirements to standards organisations (SDOs) and provides impactful industry guidance to enable innovative, sustainable and affordable mobile telecommunications services.

NGMN’s latest two publications can be downloaded from here:

‘6G Architecture and Migration Options – An Operator View’*

‘6G Deployment Timeframe Considerations – An Operator View’

*This is an initial version that will evolve in the coming months in line with ongoing standardisation developments and emerging insights.

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From cloud-native to autonomous networks: NGMN outlines AI-driven operating model framework

Juliya Naumova — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:00:10 +0000

New operator-driven guidance outlines how mobile network operators can adopt AI-based operating models to enable increasingly autonomous network operations.

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) today published new guidance outlining how mobile network operators (MNOs) can evolve their cloud-native network operations towards Agentic AI-based and increasingly autonomous operating models. The publication “Cloud Native Next Chapter – Agentic AI-based Operating Models” provides a framework for Mobile Network Operators to support the adoption of Agentic AI in telecom network operating models, helping operators navigate the transformation across technology, processes, skills, and organisational culture.

Building on NGMN’s Cloud Native Manifesto and established cloud-native frameworks such as the Cloud Native Computing Foundation’s (CNCF’s) Cloud Native Maturity Model (CNMM), the publication introduces a structured approach to integrate Agentic AI-based capabilities into telecom operations. It defines five progressive AI adoption levels and maps them to the CNCF Cloud Native Maturity Model (CNMM) stages, enabling operators to assess their readiness and required next steps to gradually evolve towards more intelligent and autonomous network operations. For each AI adoption level, the document also provides guidance on what is required across technology, people, skills and organisational culture. It further emphasises the importance of defining clear transformation targets and measuring business outcomes as operators progress along this journey.

Through this publication, NGMN shares guiding principles, architectural guidelines and strategic insights to help operators’ transformation and to navigate different levels of autonomy and AI adoption in cloud-native network environments.

“Agentic AI has the potential to fundamentally change how telecom networks are operated, but only if telecom operators build on the right foundations. AI adoption doesn’t happen in isolation; it depends on cloud-native maturity and a clear path to integrate autonomy without sacrificing reliability or control. That’s exactly what NGMN’s framework delivers: practical guidance to help operators embrace AI-driven operations with confidence,” said Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks.

The publication highlights how cloud-native maturity forms the foundation for AI-driven operations. While early stages focus on controlled experimentation and AI-assisted workflows, more advanced stages enable increasingly autonomous network management through closed-loop automation and intelligent orchestration. By aligning cloud-native maturity with AI readiness, operators can adopt AI technologies in a phased and responsible manner while balancing innovation with operational stability.

“Cloud-native adoption provides the essential foundation for integrating advanced AI into telecom operations,” said Bernard Bureau, NGMN Board Member and VP Wireless Technology & Services at TELUS. “By mapping cloud-native maturity levels to AI adoption stages, NGMN offers operators a practical framework to gradually introduce AI-enabled automation — from early experimentation to increasingly autonomous network operations.”

The publication also emphasises that the transition towards AI-driven operating models is not solely a technological shift. Successful adoption requires organisational transformation across people, processes and culture, including new skillsets, responsible AI governance and redesigned operational workflows. AI-enabled tools can support tasks such as network troubleshooting, capacity planning, and predictive operations, enabling more efficient and resilient network management.

“As Agentic AI-based technologies evolve rapidly, NGMN provides operators practical guidance on how to lever them on the transition to Agentic AI-based network operations, in a responsible and scalable way,” said Anita Döhler, CEO of the NGMN Alliance. “By outlining 5 specific stages, this publication provides a roadmap for mobile network operators to evolve their cloud-native platforms towards Agentic AI-enabled operating models, whilst setting clear objectives and measuring business outcomes.”

The full publication “Cloud Native Next Chapter – Agentic AI-based Operating Models” is available for download here.

Collaboration is key to driving the industry’s most important topics such as NGMN’s strategic pillars: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks, and 6G. NGMN therefore invites all parties across the entire value chain to join the Alliance in this important endeavour.

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Network Evolution – The Path to 6G & Sustainable AI

Juliya Naumova — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:05:40 +0000

FutureNet World is the premier event where telecom network automation, AI-driven operations, and autonomous networks take centre stage, bringing together over one thousand telco professionals, CSP leaders, and technology innovators who will explore the future of intelligent networks. On day 2 of the event, NGMN leads a dedicated track on Network Evolution, covering 6G & AI, Network Simplification and Agentic AI-based operating models:

FutureNet World 2026

📅 21–22 April 2026
📍 InterContinental London – The O2, London, UK
🔗 https://futurenetworld.net/events/futurenet-world-2026/

NGMN Track: Network Evolution

📅 22 April (Day 2)
🧭 Track C: The Path to 6G & Sustainable AI
⏰ 11:20–13:00

Agenda

Network Evolution – The Path to 6G & Sustainable AI

NGMN Speakers:
Laurent Leboucher · Andrea Calvi · Konstantinos Chalkiotis · Anita Döhler

Guest Speaker:
Itsuma Tanaka, DOCOMO Euro-Labs

Moderators:
Philip Laidler, STL Partner
Ray Le Maistre, TelecomTV

Session Highlights:

Fireside Chat with the Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board
Presentation: AI Surge and its Implications for 6G
Presentation: Network Simplification and Sustainable Networks for the Future
CxO Panel: The Future Network Operator

Join us to discuss NGMN key priorities:

Operator-driven guidance toward 6G standardisation
Simplification of networks and operations
Agentic AI-based operations and cloud-native evolution
Sustainable network design

🎟️ Get your discounted pass with code:

FNWNGMN25

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NGMN’s AI-driven approach to network simplification

Juliya Naumova — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:46:39 +0000

As mobile networks grow increasingly complex with each new generation, NGMN Alliance is providing the frameworks to help operators manage their operational challenges while reducing costs and improving efficiency.

Bernard Bureau, NGMN Board Director and VP, Wireless Technology & Services, TELUS, outlined NGMN’s upcoming ‘Cloud Native Next Chapter’ publication on agentic AI-based operating models to James Pearce, Editor at TelecomTV.

During the interview, Bernard discussed the strategic importance of network simplification and how AI can be used as the foundation for end-to-end automation across planning, deployment and daily operations.

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NGMN’s AI and 6G priorities for the mobile industry

Juliya Naumova — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:41:32 +0000

During an interview with TelecomTV, Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board, Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, spoke about the importance of NGMN Alliance’s work.

Laurent detailed the main themes of NGMN’s Press and Industry Briefing at #MWC26, including frameworks for network simplification, guidance on cloud-native and AI-based operating models and the Alliance’s recommendations for sustainable networks.

The impact of AI on network traffic and 6G standardisation was also discussed, as well as why flexibility and interoperability would be crucial in the years ahead.

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AI uncertainty drives MNOs call for 6G flexibility

Juliya Naumova — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:38:03 +0000

The rapid advancement of AI is accelerating new services and capabilities across the mobile ecosystem, placing fresh demands on future networks as 6G standardisation begins. At the same time, the pace and diversity of AI-driven use cases reinforce the need for flexibility in how future network standards are defined.

In its latest publication, AI Surge and its Implications for 6G, the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) outlines an operator-driven view on how AI-related requirements should be addressed in the evolution towards 6G. The publication consolidates mobile network operators’ perspectives on how AI may impact 6G standardisation and provides guidance to support ongoing 6G studies within 3GPP. It examines three key dimensions: the impact of AI-driven traffic on networks, network capabilities required to support AI-based services, and the role of AI as an enabler for future network architecture evolution.

“As 6G standardisation enters a critical phase, the rapid growth of AI and AI agents presents both opportunities and challenges for mobile network operators,” said Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks. “Given the variety of future AI use cases and applications, it is essential that 6G standards enable adaptability without forcing disruptive architectural changes. Flexibility will be critical to accommodate evolving AI use cases across devices, networks and regions.”

The publication emphasises that, while AI will play a central role in future networks, 6G should not be treated as a clean-slate redesign. Instead, NGMN advocates an evolutionary approach that builds on existing 5G architectures, ensuring interoperability, operational simplicity and long-term investment protection.

“The rapid evolution of large-scale AI models is driving a shift towards an increasingly AI-native environment,” said Takki Yu, NGMN Board Director and VP Head of Network Tech Office at SK Telecom. “To support this transformation, networks will need to progressively introduce AI-enabled capabilities such as intent-driven programmability, autonomous operation and dynamic compute distribution across edge and central domains. By aligning early on key standardisation priorities, the industry can ensure that 6G evolves in a flexible, sustainable and value-driven manner.”

To guide this evolution, NGMN outlines key 6G objectives and architectural design principles that balance innovation with operational and business realities. These include flexibility, sustainability, trustworthiness, cloud-native design, automation, smooth migration from existing networks, and a disaggregated, multi-vendor ecosystem.

“The proliferation of AI use cases, particularly those with autonomous, task-driven capabilities, is rapidly reshaping how networks are built and operated,” said Anita Döhler, CEO of the NGMN Alliance. “As the industry accelerates toward the next era of connectivity, NGMN is sharpening its focus on future network evolution emphasising flexibility to accommodate AI-driven evolution for 6G.”

NGMN will further present and discuss its operator-led guidance during its annual Press & Industry Briefing at MWC Barcelona 2026, taking place on Tuesday, 03 March 2026, from 02:00 –03:00 pm CET at the Orange booth.

The publication can be downloaded here.

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NGMN proposes new framework for simplifying 5G networks

Juliya Naumova — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 11:38:12 +0000

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) today announced new guidance designed to help Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) simplify 5G network operations, to reduce total cost of ownership, cut operational complexity, and achieve sustainability goals, ultimately enabling more reliable, efficient and innovative services for the benefit of customers.

In its latest publication, ‘Framework for Network Simplification – An Operator View’, NGMN outlines a high‑level framework that can be used as a reference by MNOs in their journey towards 5G network simplification.

The scope ranges from advanced-stage operators that have already deployed a cloud native 5G core with extensive 5G roll out in the RAN, to early-stage operators with networks that are primarily LTE based and looking to roll out 5G NSA.

“As mobile networks evolve, MNOs face both growing complexity and new opportunities. To minimise operational costs, enhance efficiency, and unlock new services over 5G, network simplification must be a core pillar of network evolution strategies — across both architecture and operations”, stated Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, and added, “NGMN’s latest guidance provides operators with a clear framework to understand where and how simplification can be achieved, and to assess its targeted benefits against domain-specific goals and constraints, enabling informed deployment choices aligned with individual business and regulatory environments.”

The publication proposes a three-step approach, while examining the key technological and non-technological focus areas relevant for MNOs to evolve towards a simpler, more efficient network, and the challenges they face in realising these benefits.

The first step identifies the key trends in technology evolution that MNOs must harness to introduce simplification in their networks. It identifies Cloud Native, Agentic and Generative AI, the exposure of federated network services and evolution in optical fibre technology as key technological trends driving network simplification. It further identifies the adoption of agile ways of working as a key non-technology enabler that will help MNOs deliver new services at pace.

The next step is for MNOs to get insight into the challenges they will face in adopting identified enablers for network simplification. The publication identifies the challenges that NGMN MNOs are facing in radio, core and transport domains.

As a third step, NGMN advises that MNOs should prioritise adoption of technology enablers and the domains where they will be applied depending on their context and state of network evolution. The publication identifies three common MNO archetypes based on their 5G-network deployment maturity and presents how each may evaluate the technological enablers and identify the ones which deliver the most benefit via prioritisation.

As a follow up to this publication, NGMN will adopt the Network Simplification targets in the Cloud Native, Network Automation and 6G Projects.

“As mobile networks become ever more complex, MNOs need to constantly strive to introduce simplification in how they create, deploy, expose and manage their differentiated service offerings for their customers,” said Anita Döhler, CEO, NGMN Alliance. “By bringing together the insights from leading global operators, we are providing practical guidance to help MNOs navigate technological and organisational changes on the road to simplified, future-ready networks.”

The publication can be downloaded here.

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NGMN Press & Industry Briefing 2026

Juliya Naumova — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:31:34 +0000

NGMN Press & Industry Briefing 2026

MWC Barcelona, Tuesday, 03 March, 02:00pm

Join NGMN Alliance’s Press & Industry Briefing for exclusive insights into our ongoing projects and future work shaping the next era of mobile connectivity, followed by a Q&A that gives you the chance to put your questions directly to the industry’s leading voices.

NGMN Alliance will hold its annual Press & Industry Briefing on Orange’s stage (Hall 3, #3K10), where it will share its latest guidance and outline both ongoing and upcoming work. The session will explore the key challenges facing MNOs, the transformational technologies enablers shaping the next phase of network evolution, and best practices for successful operator transformation.

Attendees will hear updates across NGMN’s priority areas, including:

6G
6G and AI
Cloud Native
Network Simplification
Green Future Networks

Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Group CTO and EVP Networks at Orange, will share his and the Alliance’s vision for 6G, building on the perspective introduced at last year’s briefing.

He will also be joined by NGMN CEO Anita Döhler and Board Members from across the global operator community.

Stay tuned for more information!

NGMN Press & Industry Briefing

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NGMN recommends revision and further development of energy metering standards for greener RAN transport networks

Juliya Naumova — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:51:11 +0000

NGMN recommends revision and further development of energy metering standards for greener RAN transport networks

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) today published new operator-driven guidance calling for the creation and harmonisation of energy metering standards across 5G RAN transport networks. The publication emphasises that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) urgently need accurate, standardised methods to measure energy consumption and to improve energy efficiency across front-, mid-, and backhaul networks — a critical step in reducing operational costs and meeting sustainability targets.

In its latest deliverable, Green Future Networks: Metering in RAN Transport Networks, NGMN highlights that energy consumption and efficiency remain insufficiently addressed due to a wide landscape of telecom Standard Development Organisations (SDOs) and further standardisation bodies working on energy metering standards.

NGMN stresses that this fragmented landscape is a major structural barrier to enable comparable, function-specific energy measurements across transport networks. With the global trend towards All-IP networks, the Alliance therefore recommends stronger collaboration and harmonisation between all relevant SDOs to provide a coherent view of standardisation, arching from the physical layer to the network or even transport layer (OSI & TCP/IP model) including upcoming virtualisation of transport functions.

The RAN (Radio Access Network) transport network plays a pivotal role in transmitting data between radio towers and the core network, enabling devices like smartphones to communicate with the internet and each other. Since transport equipment is widely used across multiple industries, NGMN emphasises that bringing SDOs together is essential to align definitions, data models and interfaces — a prerequisite for efficient energy observability and management.

“From both cost and carbon footprint perspectives, energy consumption is one of our industry’s biggest challenges,” said Laurent Leboucher, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO & EVP Networks. “As we move further towards virtualised and cloud-native architectures using shared compute, we need industry-wide standards to measure energy use consistently and transparently. NGMN’s recommendations towards standards in this area are a key first step,” he added.

Building on NGMN’s 2024 publication Metering in Virtualised RAN Infrastructure, the new publication concludes that further standardisation is needed, particularly in defining harmonised data models and key performance indicators that allow energy efficiency to be derived at device, network function and 5G slice level. It also emphasises the need for aligned APIs across SDOs to enable operators to expose and manage energy efficiency metrics consistently.

“Metering is essential for monitoring energy consumption and efficiency — both fundamental indicators of network optimisation,” said Arash Ashouriha, NGMN Board Member and SVP Group Technology, Deutsche Telekom. “This publication, led by Deutsche Telekom in close collaboration with our NGMN Alliance partners, identifies key standards, explores metering in virtualised or cloud-native transport networks and provides recommendations towards future standardisation, with the aim of ensuring MNOs can accurately measure energy consumption. We are encouraged by the ongoing efforts within several SDOs that are beginning to address these recommendations.”

The publication also outlines a comprehensive view of the standards landscape covering microwave, fibre, optical networking, packet transport and virtualised functions. It highlights the importance of mapping energy consumption to individual functions, services and slices, especially in virtualised, cloud-native and disaggregated environments — a crucial capability for operators aiming to optimise energy use across heterogeneous transport networks.

Together with NGMN’s earlier metering publications there is now an end-to-end view across all RAN domains, describing the state of metering, the remaining challenges and next steps required to enable meaningful energy efficiency optimisation and carbon reduction.

“Green Future Networks is a key strategic programme of the NGMN Alliance,” said Anita Doehler, CEO of the NGMN Alliance. “Since 2021, this programme has united global operators, vendors and academia to develop strategic guidance on crucial sustainability topics of the industry. We are proud of our members’ commitment to reducing climate impact and shaping future network technologies,” she added.

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