In today’s industry news roundup: Europe’s four major telcos – DT, @orange, @Telefónica and @vodafone – plan to jointly apply for a #mobile #satellite services #spectrum licence in Europe in a bid to support a sovereign direct-to-device (D2D) ecosystem in the region; now under new ownership, Telecom Italia appoints a new heads for its technology group and its enterprise service operations; Saudi Arabia’s STC unveils its plan to become an AI-native telco and introduce autonomous network operations by 2030; and much more: telecomtv.com/content/access… #telecom @stc

How can operators avoid becoming just a data pipe in the AI value chain? At the AI-Native Telco Forum 2026, Bejoy Pankajakshan of @Mavenir examined how operators can position themselves to capture more value from AI services, rather than simply providing the connectivity behind them. His presentation looked at four strategic AI plays, from integrating AI into existing network platforms to enabling new commercial models such as token-as-a-service and model-as-a-service. ▶️ Watch Bejoy Pankajakshan’s full presentation: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #AINativeTelcoForum #Telecoms #AINative #TelecomAI #AI

AI pilots only matter if they deliver business outcomes. Operators already have plenty of data, systems and proposed use cases. The challenge is connecting them into an end-to-end approach that delivers measurable results. Ari Banerjee, Chief Strategy Officer at @NetcrackerTech Technology, explains why AI needs to be treated as a business priority, not just an IT project. ▶️ Watch the full interview with Ari Banerjee: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #Telecoms #AINative #AgenticAI #TelecomAI #DigitalTransformation #AINativeTelcoForum

Telcos and their technology partners pressed ahead this week with efforts to develop their own sovereign AI #infrastructure, identify opportunities for autonomous network deployments, and bring agentic AI to bear across networks, enterprise services and SME markets. Here are the main developments from the seven days that ended on Friday 16 October… telecomtv.com/content/ai/the… #telecom #SovereignAI

What’s pushing operators towards agentic AI? Pressure to deliver business results. Ronen David, Head of Marketing, AI Solutions at @Amdocs, explains how shareholder expectations around reducing operational costs and driving revenue are combining with advances in AI to accelerate adoption. For operators, the question is increasingly how to turn new capabilities into measurable business value. ▶️ Watch the full conversation with Ronen David and his colleague Ron Porter: telecomtv.com/content/ai/amd… #Telecoms #AgenticAI #AINative #TelecomAI #AINativeTelcoForum

AI needs more than access to data. It needs the right guardrails. For AI to deliver on operator intent, it needs access to real data, business logic, governed tools and APIs, and the ability to observe what it does. Bob Dietrich, Director of Solutions Engineering at Wavelo, explains why these foundations matter as telcos move towards AI-native operations. ▶️ Watch the full discussion with Bob Dietrich and @AppledoreVision's Francis Haysom: telecomtv.com/content/ai/wav… #Telecoms #AINative #TelecomAI #AIOps

AI is changing how datacentres need to be designed. At the AI-Native Telco Forum 2026, Karl Havard of Era4 explained how the growing demand for AI infrastructure is driving the need for more power and liquid cooling, forcing a rethink of datacentre design. He also discussed how Era4 is addressing the energy challenge through its “trash-to-tokens” strategy, generating energy from waste management sites and former industrial land across 44 UK sites. ▶️ Watch Karl Havard’s full session: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #AINativeTelcoForum #Telecoms #AIInfrastructure #DataCentres #Sustainability

Could aviation-as-a-service be the next step for network connectivity? @orange’s Khalil El Borji, @SeamlessAA’s Jack Mandala, Cranfield University’s Weisi Guo and @IDEMIA_PS’s Will King discuss what the aviation industry needs from mobile networks – from connected aircraft and smart airports to APIs, autonomous drones and biometric passenger experiences. 👉 In this clip, Khalil El Borji explains why connectivity, location, quality-on-demand, identity, private networks and satellite capabilities need to move beyond silos and come together as a more integrated aviation-as-a-service model. ▶️ Explore the full discussion: telecomtv.com/content/gsma-o… #GSMAOpenGateway #NetworkAPIs #Connectivity #Aviation #SmartAirports

AI-ready data doesn’t mean transforming everything at once. Francis Haysom, Principal Analyst at @AppledoreVision, argues for an incremental approach to data modernisation, building on what operators already have rather than relying on large-scale transformation projects. The priority is to identify where real-time access and data distribution matter most, then learn and improve from there. ▶️ Watch the full discussion with Francis Haysom and Wavelo's Bob Dietrich: telecomtv.com/content/ai/wav… #Telecoms #AINative #TelecomAI #DataStrategy #AINativeTelcoForum

In today’s industry news roundup: @Verizon teams up with @ericsson for its latest pre-6G tests, which include outdoor-to-indoor #connectivity; Japan’s @SoftBank reveals more about its recent HAPS-enabled services trial; Globe’s #AI chief is taking early retirement to a new extreme; and much more: telecomtv.com/content/6g/wha… #telecom

Apax Partners has taken full ownership of Dutch telco Odido (formerly T-Mobile Netherlands) by acquiring the stake of co-investor Warburg Pincus: The #investment firms jointly acquired the telco in 2022 from @DeutscheTelekom and Tele2 in a deal that valued the operator at €5.1bn: telecomtv.com/content/access… #telecom #acquisitions @apax_partners @warburgpincus

AI projects alone won’t deliver the full benefits of AI. The underlying architecture matters too. At the AI-Native Telco Forum 2026, Joann O’Brien of @tmforumorg explained why operators need a composable, API-driven and event-driven architecture to capitalise fully on AI investment. Without this foundation, the scope of the benefits AI can deliver will remain limited. ▶️ Watch Joann O’Brien’s full session: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #AINativeTelcoForum #Telecoms #ComposableIT #OpenDigitalArchitecture #TelecomAI

Robust security is crucial. But as networks become more open, incorporate third-party software and multivendor environments, move towards cloud-based operations and embrace AI, the attack surface is expanding. Join Dmitrii Krovnin, security product manager @ericsson on Tuesday 27 October for a discussion on the importance on securing the platforms at the heart of network automation and operations Together with @ATT’s Amy Zwarico, @Swisscom’s Hans-Rudolf Steiger and Ericsson’s Hans-Rudolf Steiger, he’ll explore the latest security challenges for mobile networks, the role of service management orchestration (SMO) in enabling secure RAN automation, security in an open ecosystem, and how to secure increasingly autonomous networks. 👉 Learn more, register today: telecomtv.com/content/ericss… Featuring: ⭐ Amy Zwarico, Expert, Cybersecurity, AT&T ⭐ Dmitrii Krovnin, Security Product Manager, Ericsson ⭐ Hans-Rudolf Steiger, System & Security Architect, Automation and Observability, Swisscom ⭐ Scott Poretsky, M Sc, CISSP, CCSP, Director of Security Policy and Standards, Ericsson #NetworkSecurity #DigitalThreat #Telecoms #NetworkAutomation #NetworkOperations #RANautomation @EricssonNetwork

AI agents are already helping operators identify and fix network issues faster. At @NTT DOCOMO in Japan, AI agents monitor millions of network elements to track service quality, identify problems and help resolve them. The result? A 50% reduction in the time required to fix issues, according to Itsuma Tanaka. The President & CEO of DOCOMO Communications Laboratories Europe also discusses how AI is being used to support network design, and the connection between becoming AI-native and preparing for 6G. ▶️ Watch Itsuma Tanaka’s full session: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #Telecoms #TelecomAI #AutonomousNetworks #AINative #6G #AINativeTelcoForum

What if connectivity could change how aviation operates? IDEMIA’s Will King, Seamless Air Alliance’s Jack Mandala, Orange’s Khalil El Borji and Cranfield University’s Weisi Guo discuss what the aviation industry needs from mobile networks – from connected aircraft and smart airports to APIs, autonomous drones and biometric passenger experiences. 👉 In this clip, Will King argues that the opportunity goes beyond simply replacing cables, with “Aviation-as-a-Service” opening up possibilities across sensors, data, biometrics, digital identity, baggage, security, drones and logistics. ▶️ Explore the full discussion: telecomtv.com/content/gsma-o… @GSMA Open Gateway #Connectivity #Aviation #MobileNetworks #AutonomousDrones @IDEMIA_PS

👉 Basma Driss, Domain Lead AI & Automation Technology Vendor Management at @deutschetelekom, explains why operators need to move towards a model built on partnership and collaboration, bringing different players together to deliver on their AI ambitions. ▶️ Watch the full interview: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #Telecoms #AINative #AutonomousNetworks #TelecomAI

As network automation scales, how can operators protect their infrastructure? Join experts from @ATT, @Swisscom and @ericsson on 27 October for a practical discussion on securing the intelligent network, with insights into the emerging risks around service management and orchestration (SMO), open ecosystems and increasingly autonomous networks. 👉 Register now: telecomtv.com/content/ericss… #Security #RANAutomation #MobileNetworks #software #IntelligentNetwork #Telecoms @EricssonNetwork

In today’s industry news roundup: #Smartphone sales dip by a record 22% compared to last year, marking the highest decline recorded in any quarter, according to @IDC; A1, Magenta and Drei team up with the @GSMA to launch identity APIs in Austria; Jio Platforms releases its IPO prospectus, with the Indian firm expected to raise up to $3.2bn from the issuance of new shares; and much more: telecomtv.com/content/access… #telecom

Where will AI create new monetisation opportunities for telcos? As AI becomes part of autonomous networks, products and services, operators have new opportunities to enhance existing offerings and develop entirely new services. 👉 Ahmed Hafez, SVP Network Strategy and Data & AI in Networks at @deutschetelekom, discusses how AI could also make services easier for customers to understand, configure and use — changing how operators serve their customers. ▶️ Watch Ahmed Hafez’s full session: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #Telecoms #TelecomAI #AutonomousNetworks #AINative #AI

AI infrastructure is about more than how many GPUs are deployed. At the AI-Native Telco Forum 2026, Prashant Agarwal of @intel discussed the shift towards production AI, where inference at scale becomes a key priority for telcos. The focus is on matching the right workload to the right compute in the right place, using a mix of CPUs, GPUs and accelerators to deliver AI services economically and efficiently. ▶️ Watch Prashant Agarwal’s full session: telecomtv.com/content/the-ai… #AINativeTelcoForum #Telecoms #AIInfrastructure #TelcoCloud #TelecomAI @Intel5GNetworks