Telecoms chart the path to autonomous networks

Telecom networks are the backbone of today’s highly connected world, powering digital interactions across business and society. These critical systems face mounting complexity—from intricate 5G architectures to increasingly stringent SLAs, stretching network teams beyond their limits. At the same time, communications service providers (CSPs) face mounting pressures to contain costs, deliver “Zero-X” customer experiences, and outpace digital-native competitors.
Tomorrow’s telecom leaders won’t win on higher headcount. They will prevail by enabling autonomous networks built on declarative architectures that configure, optimize, and heal themselves via closed-loop control with minimal human intervention. The transformation to smarter networks promises operational efficiency, cost savings, and the agility to rapidly deploy next-generation digital services.
Autonomous networks deliver beyond efficiency—they enable the agility needed for next-gen digital services.
We surveyed 200 global telecom executives about their organizations’ evolution to autonomous networks using TM Forum’s autonomous network maturity levels (Levels 0 through 5). Key findings include:
- Only 6% of executives report Level 4 autonomous networks today. 22% expect to reach Level 4 in three years. Early movers are pulling ahead by investing more aggressively in their networks and expecting higher returns.
- Network autonomy is more than an operational concern. It’s a strategic business imperative—essential for enabling new service models and delivering enhanced customer experiences. By 2028, executives expect autonomous network investments to deliver 22% ROI.
- 57% of executives agree their organization's maturity in cloud and AI plays a decisive role in accelerating their transition to advanced autonomous networks. While CSPs are committed to cloud, AI capabilities lag as they wrestle with data silos and quality issues.
Download the data story for more details. Recommendations designed to help you accelerate the transition to autonomous networks are included. A full report with additional data and analysis is slated for later this year.
Meet the authors
Aaron Boasman-Patel, Vice President Innovation, TM ForumRahul Kumar, Senior Partner and Vice President, IBM Consulting Global Industry Leader for Telecom and Media, IBM Industry Academy Member
Eoin Coughlan, Global CTO, Industry Engineer, TME, IBM
Rakhee Chachra, Global Telecommunications Leader, IBM Institute for Business Value
Originally published 13 June 2025