Autonomous networks: Navigating the vendor maze

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Summary

5G, cloud native network functions, and more sophisticated digital services are increasing the complexity of telecom network operations. Manual network management is no longer sustainable. Autonomous networks are not just a future vision but a critical imperative for operators seeking a competitive edge. As the market evolves, some crucial questions are emerging: who are the leaders in delivering truly autonomous network capabilities, how do their strengths compare, and how do their approaches differ?

The urgency of autonomous networks and the vendor selection challenge

The market for autonomous network solutions is evolving rapidly, with a diverse landscape of vendors whose capabilities vary significantly. Choosing the right technology partners is crucial, and understanding the individual strengths of each provider can be overwhelming. Claims of “AI powered” and “autonomous” are abundant but how can CSPs cut through the hype and identify solutions with real and differentiated autonomous network capabilities?

A core set of enablers for Level 4 autonomy are:

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) to detect anomalies, predict failures, and dynamically optimize resource allocation at scale. This enables proactive network management and AI-driven self-healing that minimizes human intervention
• Intent-based operations that enable a shift from manual configuration (“how”) to defining desired network outcomes (“what”). Intent allows operators to specify high-level goals that are automatically translated and executed across network domains
• Digital twins ‒ real-time virtual replicas of the network that accurately predict network behavior allow optimizations to be tested in a safe environment. Digital twins of networks enable data-driven decision-making before changes are made to the live production network. This is particularly important for multi-domain orchestration.

To navigate the automation landscape, Omdia recently published the report, Advancing to Level 4 Autonomous Networks (see Further reading), which explores the state of autonomous networks, focusing on their evolution to Level 4 in the TM Forum’s Autonomous Networks model.

In real-world scenarios, communication service providers rarely choose to get the whole stack from a single vendor. More often, their solutions grow organically as an ecosystem of interconnected products and tools. Automating between them requires openness and standardization, which are just as important as the tool’s capabilities.

Vendor landscape

The report evaluated the network automation offerings of seven key telecom equipment vendors (Ciena/Blue Planet, Cisco, Ericsson, Huawei, Juniper, Nokia, and ZTE). Table 1 shows the scope of their offerings across the different telecom network domains.

Table 1: Telecom network automation coverage by domain

Summarizing Table 1, we observe that:

• Huawei, Nokia, and ZTE have the broadest offering of network automation solutions, covering all four network domains.
• Ericsson is a close contender, missing only in fixed access.
• Cisco and Juniper excel in transport (IP/optical). Juniper has an SMO offering for the RAN domain, although this is a nascent market. Cisco has a core network offering, but its market share is low in this domain. Neither Cisco nor Juniper is active in fixed-access networks.
• Ciena/Blue Planet is a strong player in transport (IP/optical) but lacks access (fixed and radio) and core network automation.

Appendix

Further reading

Advancing to Level 4 Autonomous Networks (February 2025)

Telco Network Automation Survey Report – 2024 (October 2024)

Transport Network Automation Market Overview (February 2024)

Telco Network and Service Automation Market Tracker Report – 2024 (July 2024)

TM Forum, “Autonomous networks: Level 4 industry blueprint - high-value scenarios” (retrieved February 14, 2025)

Authors

Christoforos Sarantopoulos, Senior Analyst, Service Provider Networks

James Crawshaw, Practice Leader

[email protected]