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.

The publication outlines the NGMN perspective on how AI-related requirements should be addressed in the evolution towards 6G. It consolidates mobile network operators’ views 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, the network capabilities required to support AI-based services, and the role of AI as an enabler for future network architecture evolution.

The publication gives 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. It 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.  

This publication calls for the creation and harmonisation of energy metering standards across 5G RAN transport networks. It 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 this deliverable 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.  

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) can more easily adopt energy management strategies that lower costs, cut emissions, and unlock new revenue streams thanks to industry-first guidance from the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN). 

The new guidance outlines how MNOs can benefit from deploying local renewables and batteries at cell sites for their own energy generation – becoming virtual power plants – and sell energy back to energy companies to help better manage operational costs and navigate limited energy resources.  

The procurement, testing and deployment of base station antennas – a critical component in the delivery of mobile communications – will be simpler for operators and suppliers thanks to new guidance for the creation of a ‘common language’ to describe the technology.   

For the first time, the mobile industry has been provided with a single document that sets shared rules for describing passive, active and hybrid base station systems, thanks to the latest release of the NGMN Alliance’s ‘Recommendations for Base Station Antennas’ publication. This represents an important step forward as the industry moves towards hybrid antenna systems, which combine active and passive technologies to deliver mobile communications solutions, such as 5G, in a more versatile and efficient way.  

This publication consolidates key messages from NGMN as an operator view perspective, ensuring alignment, readiness, and a strong presence covering major 3GPP milestones. It serves as a foundation for engaging with the broader industry, driving collaboration, innovation, and strategic direction in the evolving 6G landscape by considering benefits of end-customers.

NGMN believes that the continuing evolution of the mobile industry, and the underlying technologies, need to be beneficial to both end users and operators, creating value through new services, supporting a healthy ecosystem, and fulfilling the needs for a society that is increasingly relying on ICT. 6G standards must be globally harmonised. It is expected to be built upon the features and capabilities introduced with 5G, alongside new capabilities to deliver new services and value.

The publication, “Green Future Networks: Environmental Sustainability and Reporting”, offers practical recommendations for addressing Scope 3 emissions – those generated across the broader value chain – which represent approximately 90% of total emissions for mobile network operators (MNOs). 

NGMN advocates for a shift toward using primary (unit-based) emissions factors rather than traditional financial (price-based) ones to enhance reporting accuracy. The guidance also emphasises the need for greater collaboration and industry-wide alignment of calculation methods. 

This publication provides comprehensive guidelines and requirements, specific to enabling technologies for highly autonomous networks. It focuses on a generalized ML (machine learning) model development and operation, elaborating the MLOps (machine learning operations) process, requirements, architecture, and end-to-end deployment for Level 4+ autonomous network AI (artificial intelligence) applications. In this context it examines the existing and relevant management standards applicable to AI applications and provides standardisation recommendations.

Consensus, time and a focus on continuous improvement will be key elements for guiding the evolution of mobile networks towards 6G and beyond, building on the solid foundation of 5G. The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) revealed this today while publishing a proposed framework to guide the evolution of network architecture towards 6G.

The “Network Architecture Evolution towards 6G” publication builds on NGMN’s “6G Position Statement – An Operator View”, published in 2023. It advises that the future 6G network architecture should address 5G gaps, support new scenarios and requirements, adapt to RAN changes, and embrace emerging technology trends. NGMN emphasises the importance of allocating sufficient time in the standardisation process to ensure industry-wide collaboration, enabling a smooth and continuous evolution of mobile networks towards 6G and beyond.