vidThink 2025 February Update

Our apologies for the delay in sending this month’s newsletter a week later than usual. With Mobile World Congress 2025 in Barcelona last week (Mar 3-6), we felt it made sense to hold off and grab the latest news from the show.

MWC 2025 = MWC 2024++

Whilst the show didn’t disappoint on the reported number of attendees -109,000 (up from 101,000 in 2024), there wasn’t a dramatic change from 2024. It was a step-wise advancement from last year across similar themes: AI/GenAI, 5G Monetization, 5G SA, 5G Advanced, Network APIs, Network Slicing, Private Wireless, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) with direct-to-device (D2D), and, of course, folding phones (three-way now).

There was less discussion of 6G with carriers focused on monetizing what they have. Public/hybrid/private cloud discussions continued with AWS and Google Cloud leading the charge (GCP has moved to an open booth on Hall 2’s main thoroughfare and AWS continued to occupy Hall 1’s upper concourse). Meanwhile, AI applications expanded across all telco domains, particularly to the RAN — there was no hiding from AI-RAN!

Regardless of whether you were present in the sea of people in BCN, you should check out our MWC Barcelona 2025 Showcase on NextGenInfra.io. We feature exclusive videos from startups like Arrcus to established companies like Dell, IBM, Nokia, and VeloCloud from Broadcom. We also have silicon providers like Marvell, cloud software companies like Snowflake, and one of our favorite analysts, Peter Jarich, head of GSMA Intelligence. We’re not done processing and uploading, so stay tuned for more.

BTW, if you haven’t yet grabbed your copy of our 2025 Data Center Networking Report, covering the impact of AI and cloud workloads on data center, don’t miss your chance today. With a comprehensive survey of connectivity technologies from die-to-die to xPU-to-xPU (including GPUs and AI accelerators) to server-to-server, to datacenter-to-datacenter, it’s a comprehensive look at one of the hottest areas of infrastructure growth today.

Here’s what the rest of our newsletter has in store for you:

Roy’s Travelogue — “On the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again”
Latest Reports — Data Center Networking for AI and Cloud Workloads
Recent Articles— Insights from MEF’s GNE 2024 plus 2025 look ahead
NextGenInfra — MWC 2025, Data Center Networking, SASE and SD-WAN
February News Roundup — You guessed it! 5G, AI-RAN + Open RAN, more 5G
Other Content — AvidThink in the News, Webinars, Meet Us Live!

Roy’s Travelogue

In the lead-up to MWC, our interviews on AI-RAN with Dr. Ryuji Wakikawa, Head of Research Institute of Advanced Technology, SoftBank Corp., and Dr. Alex Choi, Principal Fellow, SoftBank Corp and Chair of the AI-RAN Alliance, presaged a huge pivot to AI for the RAN. MWC 2025 was filled with AI <fill in your favorite preposition> RAN: AI for RAN, AI in RAN, AI with RAN, though I’m waiting for AI under RAN, AI over RAN, AI during RAN, AI within RAN, AI beyond RAN, AI despite RAN. Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, and NVIDIA (surprise!), along with startups like Aira Technologies and others, highlighted the value of AI <preposition> RAN. If you want more details, check out the SoftBank webinar on this topic, which I recently hosted on Fierce Network.

MWC 2025 felt less crowded despite the attendance numbers, and press members, taxi drivers, and other attendees remarked as such. Perhaps there was better crowd control, or maybe the student program on Thursday helped drive up overall attendance numbers. I’m not complaining — getting through the crowd in the walkways was easier and we already had more meetings (between our media partner, Jim Carroll, and I) than we could accommodate in 4+ days (including Sunday). On top of the meetings, I had fun moderating two panels for discussion with Rakuten’s first Real Open RAN licensing program partners — Cisco, Airspan, and Tech Mahindra, followed by a private vendor presentation on GenAI for Telcos to carriers, and hosting a GSMA panel on Sports and Entertainment.

For me, the best part of MWC is seeing friends and acquaintances, even if it’s for 25 minutes, and having long sit-down dinners with other analysts in the community. I do pay for it the next morning when I have to wake up for breakfast meetings.

In terms of key takeaways, we touched on some of the MWC themes in the introduction to the newsletter. Here are a few other observations from MWC that we’ll be tracking closely through the year:

AI-RAN: I see the value in using traditional AI for RAN optimization, configuration, management, and orchestration, but using GPUs for AI-RAN and co-hosting non-mobile workloads on RAN infrastructure might be early. Yago Tenorio, CTO of Verizon, agrees, though he remains open to future possibilities. I likewise do. I did figure out a latency-critical workload for multi-modal edge-based inferencing at night for those idle RAN GPUs, though…it’s one of the two use cases that dominate many new technologies (including video CDs, Laserdisc, video streaming, and live chatting). Enough said…
Telco APIs: Ericsson + telco JV Aduna was given a prominent spot in the Ericsson booth open area. There’s plenty of interest but the API use cases are still limited to fraud and identity verification, plus a little bit of quality-on-demand.
Network Slicing: Much talked about use cases include first responder slices, live broadcasting, and the related influencer live streaming (apparently there are many more influencer wanna-bes in the world to drive spending) paying a premium price for improved QoD. Many years in, it’s still not a commercial reality.
GenAI/AI Factories: Interesting concept but telcos looking to monetize GPU-as-a-Service need to ensure they have the expertise to run what is essentially a cloud service (and telcos have failed in the past – remember Verizon Terremark).
GenAI/AIOps: I’m seeing increasingly concrete examples of GenAi used for troubleshooting, operational optimization for the network domain and expect this to continue to gain ground.
Private Wireless: The sentiment on the ground is that it’s turning around and multiple players (ISVs, carriers, etc) are seeing renewed uptake on this. As early believers, we’re keeping our fingers crossed.
Public/Hybrid Cloud Adoption: Hyperscalers like AWS continue to chalk up more wins and demonstrate the viability of public cloud-hosted services. The AWS Outposts announcement for Outposts with L1 accelerator options for O-DU indicates a willingness to specialize infrastructure that only mobile operators will use — a sign of commitment to the market.

Before I flood the newsletter with more content, I’d figure I’ll stop here and if you’re interested in hearing more, drop us a note at [email protected]. Up next for me are MPLS World Congress in Paris and KubeCon EU in London. If i missed you this time, hope to catch you at those shows. Until then, stay well!

— Roy for the AvidThink Team

2025 February News Roundup

6G

NGMN Releases Framework for 6G Network Evolution
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) published “Network Architecture Evolution toward 6G,” highlighting key areas like autonomous network management and AI-native designs. It identifies critical challenges of current 5G–network complexity, legacy integration, and energy efficiency–that 6G must address for a smoother transition.

WBA Urges Closer Integration of Wi-Fi, Cellular, NTN, and IoT in 6G
At Mobile World Congress 2025, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) emphasized the need for a unified architecture in 6G, facilitating seamless integration of Wi-Fi, private cellular, satellite (NTN), and IoT LPWANs. Members supporting this vision include AT&T, Boingo Wireless, Boldyn Networks, BT, Charter, and Cisco.

5G

Orange France Launches Enterprise 5G SA Network Slices
Orange France introduced premium network slicing on its 5G standalone (SA) network, offering SMEs dedicated bandwidth at $82/month for 350GB data, enhanced security, low latency, and VoNR. It operates in the 3.5 GHz band across 11,330 sites and was extensively deployed during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

T-Mobile to Lease 600 MHz Spectrum from Grain Management
T-Mobile is leasing 26 licenses in the 600 MHz band from Grain Management for one year in markets like Raleigh and Portland, in a deal valued at approximately $672.2 million. Grain faced FCC deadlines prompting this short-term lease.

GSMA Projects Significant Revenue Potential for 5G SA
The GSMA predicts 5G standalone (SA) will generate 70% of enterprise revenues, totaling around $127 billion by 2030. Approximately 60 operators globally offered 5G SA services as of late 2024, led by Asia-Pacific and Europe, with global 5G connections surpassing 2 billion.

Indian Regulator Recommends mmWave Spectrum Auction for 5G
India’s TRAI recommended auctioning 3,000 MHz of mmWave spectrum (37–37.5 GHz) across 23 regions with 20-year licenses. The auction timeline is unclear, but TRAI emphasizes high-capacity, low-latency use cases for 5G.

UScellular Deploys Samsung mmWave Equipment
UScellular is deploying Samsung’s integrated 5G mmWave equipment (28 GHz, 39 GHz) in mid-Atlantic markets. Previously, UScellular tested gear from Tarana Wireless, Ericsson, and Qualcomm. T-Mobile’s acquisition of UScellular’s wireless operations is expected mid-year.

U Mobile Tests Huawei 5G-Advanced on Malaysia’s Penang Bridge
U Mobile demonstrated 5G-Advanced on Malaysia’s Penang Bridge, achieving average download speeds of 597 Mbps with Huawei’s Meta active antennas. The trial indicated potential for new use cases including road safety and surveillance.

Ookla Report Shows T-Mobile Leads in Rural 5G Coverage
Ookla found T-Mobile leading AT&T and Verizon in rural and urban 5G coverage, aligning with T-Mobile’s post-Sprint merger rural expansion. T-Mobile initially utilized 600 MHz low-band and added 2.5 GHz mid-band spectrum post-acquisition.

Italy’s Eolo Picks Mavenir for 5G SA mmWave Network
Italian operator Eolo selected Mavenir’s 5G SA core for Europe’s first standalone mmWave network targeting fiber-deprived areas. The network will also incorporate 6Wind user plane functions and Nokia’s AirScale/Shikra mmWave radios.

Malaysia’s DNB Deploys Ericsson’s 5G-Advanced Technology
Malaysia’s Digital Nasional Berhad upgraded its Ericsson-built network to 5G Advanced, enhancing efficiency, security, and IoT capabilities through RedCap. Malaysia had 17.4 million 5G connections by end of 2024 (40% market share).

Vodafone Expands 5G Rural Coverage in Spain
Vodafone is deploying 5G to 1,000 additional municipalities across Spain in the 700 MHz band, targeting 90% national coverage. The project addresses rural connectivity and improves indoor coverage, complementing Vodafone’s existing NSA deployment from 2019.

Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark to Step Down, Replaced by Intel’s Justin Hotard
Nokia’s CEO Pekka Lundmark is departing March 31, succeeded by Justin Hotard from Intel’s Data Center & AI group, signaling Nokia’s deeper commitment to data center technologies, following a pending $2.3 billion acquisition of Infinera.

Open RAN

Ericsson Unveils New Open RAN-Compatible Products
Ericsson introduced 130 open and programmable radio products, including the Air 3266 TDD massive MIMO radio (400W) and RAN Connect fronthaul solutions, designed to support future-proof operator networks.

SoftBank Demonstrates Progress with AI-Driven RAN
SoftBank showcased AI-RAN progress, using Nvidia Grace CPU Superchip for centralized and distributed RAN deployments with Fujitsu. Outdoor test deployments of C-RAN and D-RAN architectures begin April 2025.

Nokia Establishes AI-RAN Development Center in Dallas
Nokia launched an AI-RAN center in Dallas for testing AI-enhanced RAN solutions. Initial efforts focus on improving network performance, creating new use cases, and validating AI-RAN reference architectures.

AT&T Confirms $14B RAN Upgrade on Track with Ericsson
AT&T confirmed its five-year, $14 billion RAN upgrade–transitioning Nokia radios to Ericsson–remains on schedule. AT&T also explores open RAN-based SMO alternatives with the Telecom Infra Project.

Rakuten Symphony’s Real Open RAN program gets first three partners

Rakuten Symphony has signed its first three agreements related to its Real Open RAN Licensing Program with Cisco Systems, Airspan Networks and Tech Mahindra. The three partners aim to target private wireless use cases.

AI

Verizon Launches AI Digital Assistant for SMBs
Verizon introduced an SMS-based generative AI assistant tailored for SMBs, designed to streamline customer interactions and potentially integrate payment processing. The assistant leverages Verizon’s AI Connect Platform.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Partners with Nokia, Nvidia for AI-RAN
Indonesia’s Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison will deploy AI-RAN infrastructure using Nokia’s Cloud RAN and Nvidia’s AI Aerial platform. Initial deployments focus on AI inferencing workloads, followed by RAN integration.

Cloud

Red Hat Signs Multiple Operator Deals for OpenShift Platform
Red Hat secured several key deals for its OpenShift Platform Plus, notably with T-Mobile for 5G app automation and SoftBank for AI-RAN implementations. Additional deployments include StarHub’s hybrid multi-cloud solution, Safaricom’s M-PESA system, and KDDI’s open RAN network–all leveraging OpenShift’s hybrid-cloud capabilities.

AWS Launches Telco-Optimized Outposts Hardware
AWS introduced a new Outposts version optimized for telco workloads like AI and 5G core functions (RAN CU and DU). The hardware allows on-premises operation of AWS infrastructure, services, APIs, and CI/CD processes. Telefonica, Orange, and Du Network will begin field evaluations later in 2024.

HPE CEO Confident Juniper Acquisition Will Proceed
Despite the DOJ’s lawsuit to block HPE’s acquisition of Juniper, CEO Antonio Neri remains confident ahead of the July 9 trial. HPE argues the merger would strengthen alternatives to Huawei and support U.S. national security, having produced 1.7 million supporting documents for the case.

Generative AI Drives Global Cloud Market to $330B in 2024
Driven largely by generative AI, the global cloud market reached $330 billion in 2024, up $100 billion from 2022, with AWS ($107.6B), Microsoft ($104.8B), and Google Cloud ($43.3B) as top providers. GenAI accounted for roughly half of total market growth since ChatGPT’s 2022 release.

Private Wireless

Vodafone Secures Private 5G Network Deal in UK
Vodafone will deploy a private 5G standalone network at Harwell Science and Innovation Park, serving organizations like Siemens and the European Space Agency. The deployment aligns with UK government objectives to enhance national wireless connectivity, though contract details weren’t disclosed.

AI

Nvidia Survey Finds 97% of Telcos Actively Using AI
An Nvidia survey shows 97% of telecom professionals report active deployment or planned implementation of AI, with 80% considering AI crucial to future success. Two-thirds plan to increase AI infrastructure investment, citing opportunities to optimize legacy systems and customer experience.

SD-WAN/SASE

Broadcom Launches VeloSky for Multi-Network Connectivity
Broadcom introduced VeloSky, an automated platform integrating fiber, cellular, and satellite connectivity for telcos to offer unified services to enterprises. Sanjay Uppal highlighted the significance of new AI-driven network applications as analogous to cloud’s transformative impact, emphasizing VeloSky’s potential to enhance SD-WAN capabilities.