Autonomous Networks Leadership Forum spotlights Level 4 shift from cost-cutting to revenue growth
- Autonomous Networks are shifting from cost-cutting to revenue growth as operators look to monetize network quality, resilience and customer experience
- New report flags 75% of operators plan to increase AN investment by 2026; 81% aim to reach Level 4 or above by 2030
- 40 ANLAV validations awarded to 17 companies recognize operators making measurable progress toward Level 4 autonomy in production
TM Forum’s Autonomous Networks Leadership Forum at DTW Ignite 2026 brought senior Communication Service Provider (CSP) and technology executives together around a clear signal: Level 4 autonomous networks are moving from roadmap to deployment — and from a cost-efficiency agenda to a commercial growth strategy — as operators look to monetize network quality, resilience and customer experience.
In the opening session, TM Forum launched the Scaling to AN Level 4 to unlock network value report, which points to a new commercial phase for autonomous networks: using intelligence in the network to create differentiated services, guaranteed experiences and assured outcomes. Based on a survey of 80 operators worldwide, the report finds that 20% expect to reach Level 4 or above by 2027, while 81% are targeting Level 4 or above by 2030. The findings underline the race to 2030, as operators move from isolated automation gains toward scalable, commercial autonomous network models.
Delegates heard from leading global CSPs including China Mobile, Telefonica, Orange, Telstra and Telenor on topics such as “Achieving industry-scale AN deployments” and “Unlocking the next phase of intelligent network operations.” Sessions focused on the practical barriers to scale, including AI-driven automation beyond pilots, closed-loop operations in live networks, agent-centric architectures, integration models and value measurement frameworks.
China Mobile Communication Co. Ltd, who operate the world largest telecom network, co-hosted the AN Leadership Forum and shared practical experience of Level 4 autonomy in deployment. Dr. Li Huidi, Executive Vice President, opened the forum with a perspective grounded in implementation, operational change and the shift from automation pilots to production.
"AN is evolving from automation to autonomous decision-making. From reducing human involvement to unlocking human creativity. From improving efficiency to creating value," said Dr. Li. "Telecom networks once transformed the way people connect with one another. Today, AI is transforming the way networks operate themselves." China Mobile is committed to working with TM Forum and ecosystem partners to deepen AI and network innovation, and accelerate the evolution of AN toward a higher level of autonomy.
Celebrating validated progress through ANLAV
The AN Leadership Forum concluded with the award of 40 new Autonomous Network Level Assessment Validation (ANLAV) certificates to 17 CSPs, recognizing measurable progress in autonomous network maturity. The validations underline the role of assessment in helping operators measure capability, identify gaps and accelerate credible progress towards Level 4 autonomy.
“Level 4 is where autonomous networks stop being a future ambition and become an industry execution challenge. The organizations receiving ANLAV certification are proving what progress looks like in practice — and what it takes to scale it. The work now is to build trusted AI, common standards and measurable value into the foundations of the autonomous enterprise,” said George Glass, CTO, TM Forum.
Certificates were presented to: AIS, China Mobile Communications Corporation, China Telecommunications Corporation, Chunghwa Telcom Company LTD, Entel Peru S.A., Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, LG UPLUS, MasOrange, NBNCo Ltd, PT Telekomunikasi Selular, Rakuten Mobile, Inc., SoftBank Corp, Telefonica Brasil S.A., T-Mobile USA, Vodafone Turkey, and Zain Kuwait.
Supporting network suppliers included Ericsson, Huawei, IBM, Makman Technology Consulting, and ZTE. These organizations join a global cohort on the journey to the AI-native telco and almost one hundred ANLAV certificates awarded since the program launched at DTW Ignite 2025.
TM Forum’s Autonomous Networks Mission helps operators deploy advanced network autonomy through collaborative execution, standards-based frameworks including Open Digital Architecture (ODA), and production-ready use cases proven in live networks. ANLAV provides a recognized industry taxonomy for measuring autonomous network maturity across domains, recognizing achievements at Level 2 (partial autonomy), Level 3 (conditional autonomy) and Level 4 (high autonomy).
Join the AN Leadership Forum in Texas
The AN Leadership Forum series will continue at Innovate Americas, October 6-7 in Texas, where CSP and ecosystem senior executives will continue the journey to Level 4 autonomous networks.
Early bird registration for Innovate Americas ends 7 July. Secure your pass, today.
About TM Forum
TM Forum is an alliance of over 800 organizations spanning the global connectivity ecosystem, including the world’s top ten Communication Service Providers (CSPs), top three hyperscalers and Network Equipment Providers (NEPs), vendors, consultancies and system integrators, large and small.
We provide a place for our Members to collaborate, innovate, and deliver lasting change. Together, we are building a sustainable future for the industry in connectivity and beyond.
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