hardware and software to support best-of-breed solutions. Open RAN decouples hardware from software and standardizes interfaces, empowering operators to run network functions on general-purpose cloud hardware. This increases scalability and reduces total cost of ownership. It also fosters innovation by welcoming a broader set of players into the telecom ecosystem — from hyperscalers to startups.

In an open architecture, collaboration and security-by-design become essential. Solving the industry’s biggest challenges will require joint efforts across technology providers, developers, governments, and academia.

Programmable Networks: Unlocking New Value

Networks must evolve from data transport infrastructure into platforms for innovation. Programmability empowers networks to dynamically adapt to application-specific needs — whether that’s minimizing latency for real-time gaming, prioritizing emergency communications, or slicing bandwidth for enterprise use cases.

Programmable networks empower mobile operators to steer network behavior to achieve desired business outcomes, enable differentiated connectivity at scale, and progress towards autonomous networks. By exposing network capabilities to developers, operators can unlock a new wave of context-aware, performance-sensitive applications. In this model, the network evolves from static infrastructure into a dynamic innovation platform.

Programmability is not only a technical evolution but a business enabler — creating new revenue streams, accelerating innovation, and delivering differentiated connectivity that evolves in sync with customer needs.

Designing for Sustainability

As global data usage continues to soar, so does the energy footprint of digital infrastructure.

Sustainability must be embedded in every layer of network design:

• Sustainability in the center of network planning
• Expand and modernize the existing network while scaling up 5G
• Use AI/ML and automation for intelligent operations to boost energy savings and secure user experience

When properly implemented, 5G networks deliver significantly more data per joule than past generations and dynamically scale energy use based on demand. 5G uses less signaling and delivers the same data at higher speeds, while being up to 10 times more energy efficient per gigabyte than 4G. As we look ahead to 6G, sustainability is not just a consideration—it’s a core principle and a central design goal of IMT-2030, the framework established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to guide 6G development. IMT-2030 aims to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through digital transformation by embedding environmental priorities—such as energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and circular economy—alongside societal goals like digital inclusion into the fabric of 6G technologies.

Bridging the Digital Divide 

Despite the ubiquity of mobile technology, digital inequality remains. Rural and underserved communities in both developed and emerging markets still lack access to reliable, high-speed connectivity — creating real barriers in education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

The next wave of network transformation offers a chance to close these gaps. AI-enabled planning, cloud-native deployment, and cost-efficient architectures can help extend coverage faster and more affordably.

Technology alone won’t solve the problem. Bridging the digital divide requires public-private partnerships, policy innovation, and inclusive design. Equity must be an intentional outcome of transformation — not a coincidental one.

Future networks must drive progress, inclusion, and accelerate innovation. The journey ahead is not just about transforming networks. This is not just about transforming infrastructure. It’s about transforming what networks make possible for everyone.