Telenor, Ericsson pioneer agentic AI to optimise mobile networks

Telenor and Ericsson have unveiled a proof of concept for an agentic AI system designed to optimise Radio Access Network (RAN) capacity and power consumption.

The system leverages agentic AI, a software type that autonomously performs tasks by designing its own workflows. This “agency” allows the AI to make decisions, solve complex problems, and interact with external environments beyond its initial training data.

Vegard Tingstad, Head of Mobile Access at Telenor Norway, said: “This is a truly exciting innovation in our field, which has been made possible by training AI agents on real world data in a simulated environment, following Telenor’s live RAN parameters.”

Simulated results indicate a potential 4% reduction in energy usage for radio units, a significant improvement on top of Telenor’s existing power-saving features.

Rita Mokbel, Head of Global Customer Unit Telenor at Ericsson, commented: “The agentic AI system has the potential to revolutionise the world of network management, augmenting or replacing existing manual processes with automated processes to improve network performance and reduce costs.

The partnership extends beyond energy efficiency, encompassing RAN automation and optimisation, 5G positioning, private networks, and explainable AI in mobile networks.

A key focus is the utilisation of rApps – RAN automation applications – which operate on the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform, Ericsson’s open network management and automation platform. This is supported by a suite of Ericsson technologies, solutions, and services designed to automate, enhance quality, and simplify the RAN.

Cathal Kennedy, Acting EVP and Group CTO of Telenor, explained: “The most exciting aspect of this partnership is that it enables us to accelerate our own innovations by harnessing collective intelligence and broader partner ecosystems to bring successful innovations faster to market. rApps and Ericsson’s open network management and automation platform are important assets facilitating it.”

Both companies share a commitment to advancing autonomous network capabilities and fostering broader ecosystem innovation, maximising the impact of advanced technologies like AI in mobile networks.

“We plan to leverage our innovation partnership with Ericsson to co-create energy efficient, trustworthy, and resilient networks. In doing so, we move closer to realising our AI-first telco vision in Telenor,” Kennedy added.

The collaboration aims to deliver several key outcomes, including unique AI research insights within the telecom domain, testing and deployment of AI solutions in live test networks, and the validation of use cases and business models that accelerate open innovation and drive growth in AI-native telecoms.

Erik Ekudden, SVP and CTO of Ericsson, concludes: “Collaboration within the open ecosystem is vital to advancing network capabilities and achieving sustainable operations. Telenor’s participation in the rApp Directory initiative reflects our shared commitment to driving innovation and delivering meaningful societal impact.”

(Photo by Pietro Jeng)

See also: Ericsson and SoftBank expand AI-RAN collaboration

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Tags: 5G, ai, artificial intelligence, automation, connectivity, ericsson, mobile, Networks, radio access network, RAN, sustainability, telecoms, telenor