Futurenet World is a top-notch experience. Not only slick production, but thoughtful curation of speakers and content. Zeroing in on Network Automation Futurenet World has zeroed in on network automation as its central theme, which still gives a lot of room for an interesting program. That focus frees up the program from extraneous discussions on billing, CRM, data modelling, wavelengths, optical fibre production, “broadband”, policy and regulation, all of which have their place, but usually at much duller events. In the opening panel session, Enrique Blanco explained that automation isn’t so much about any one thing – as about everything. Telefonica is building what it calls a “new operating model” for telecom, and an OSS that is “fully different” from what has gone before. And this isn’t just talk. Telefonica has a clear program over the next few years for large-scale implementation of its open, software- and AI-driven network principles, most notably in Open RAN. Telecom’s Enterprise Challenge The idea of network as a platform enabling innovation (by others) was a recurring theme. This is as much a cultural challenge as a technical one. Lester Thomas (Vodafone) and Kim Larsen (T-Mobile) referenced programs aimed at fostering and enabling new third-party […]