Editor’s note: The telecommunications sector continues to evolve rapidly, driven by advancements in 5G, the emergence of 5G Advanced, the growing adoption of Open RAN and the integration of AI into network operations. Given the high volume of industry developments, RCR news brief highlights some of the key announcements shaping the future of global connectivity, infrastructure and innovation.
In brief – why this matters
–CelcomDigi and Ericsson will co-develop AI-driven autonomous networks in Malaysia to improve 5G service assurance and customer experience using Ericsson’s AI Intent-Based Operations (IBO).
–Operator AI investments are projected to reach $86 billion by 2029, driven by the shift toward zero-touch operations and agentic AI.
–e& UAE’s spectrum tests on 6 GHz and 600 MHz achieved 10 Gbps speeds, supporting both dense urban coverage and rural reach.
–India’s BSNL secures new 5G spectrum following the allocation by the country’s Department of Telecom (DoT).
CelcomDigi, Ericsson enhance customer experience through AI-driven autonomous network
Malaysian telco CelcomDigi and Ericsson signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on advancing autonomous network operations in Malaysia. This initiative aims to utilize AI-driven network analytics to optimize CelcomDigi’s network.
CelcomDigi and Ericsson will jointly explore the development of advanced, intent-driven autonomous networks, leveraging AI and automation to deliver differentiated connectivity services.
Key components of the collaboration include: AI-driven automation, 5G service assurance and enhanced customer experience
Ericsson will provide its AI Intent-Based Operations (IBO) to accelerate the pace of developing the autonomous network operations.
Operator AI investment to exceed $86b by 2029, Juniper Research finds
A new study from Juniper Research has found operators will increase their annual investment in the AI field to $22 billion by 2029; rising from $13 billion this year.
The report predicts this substantial increase of 62% will be chiefly driven by operators’ targets of achieving zero-touch operations within their cellular networks. Zero-touch operations significantly minimize or eliminate human intervention in network operations.
Juniper Research identified agentic AI as an emerging technology, enabling operators to achieve zero-touch operations. Agentic AI systems autonomously make decisions based on defined parameters and execute network functions autonomously. Juniper Research believes that implementing agentic AI in the radio access network (RAN) will be the area that provides the greatest ROI for operators.
e& UAE to boost 5G with 6 GHz, 600 MHz testing
Middle East carrier e& UAE said it has carried out a test of the 6 GHz and 600 MHz spectrum bands, recently allocated for mobile services by the United Arab Emirates’ Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
The telco said that it achieved speeds of up to 10 Gbps with the 6GHz frequencies complemented by an aggregation with other FR1 TDD bands using a commercial-grade customer premises equipment (CPE).
The telco noted that the 6 GHz band’s 350 megahertz bandwidth supports high-capacity urban connectivity, while the frequencies in the 600 MHz band ensures extensive coverage and deep indoor penetration. These advancements will accelerate smart city initiatives, industrial automation and nationwide digital transformation, according to e&
DoT allocates 5G spectrum to BSNL in India
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has allocated 5G spectrum to state-run operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). With this new government decision, BSNL now has access to 700MHz and 3.3 GHz spectrum.
With this development, BSNL is said to have begun 5G trials in select locations such as New Delhi, ahead of a wider rollout. Some of these towers are expected to become operational by June 2025. In January, BSNL had received interest from three companies for deploying its 5G Standalone (SA) network in New Delhi, covering 1,876 sites across the national capital.
BSNL also plans to establish 100,000 4G sites nationwide during 2025, many of which will later transition to 5G as part of a phased rollout.
Rival operators Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm currently offer 5G services across India, while Vodafone Idea has recently begun rolling out its 5G network in select cities like Mumbai.
