TDC NET and Ericsson achieves industry first certification from TM Forum of Level 4 Autonomy

Ericsson is today announcing that it has achieved the first verification, globally, for Level 4 autonomy of operations in a specific scenario, according to TM Forum standards.

Ericsson’s Predictive Cell Energy Management (PCEM) solution was assessed for its performance within a Radio Access Network (RAN) Energy Efficiency Optimization scenario in a live communication service provider (CSP) network environment, gaining full marks in the assessment. This is the first validation of Level 4 Autonomy in the “High Value Scenarios” using the new TM Forum ANLAV assessment service, and showcases the results possible with AI-based automation for improving sustainability in communications networks.

TM Forum defines Level 4 as a cross-domain environment driven by intent, where the system enables decision-making based on predictive analysis or active closed-loop management of service-driven and customer experience-driven networks via AI modeling and continuous learning.

Bradley Mead, Head of Ericsson Managed Network Services says: “Achieving verification of Level 4 autonomy marks not only a significant achievement for Ericsson, but for the industry at large as we build the foundation of full network autonomy. Introducing high levels of automation is at the heart of growth and transformation for telecoms, delivering not only operational efficiency and excellence, but providing a way to future-proof networks and deliver the service experience the enterprise and individual subscribers need and deserve. By working collaboratively, with TM Forum guidelines to ensure a shared understanding of the route to autonomy, we look forward to working further with our industry partners and customers to continue developing operations, solutions, technology and ways of working to achieve autonomy.”

The scenario assessed for this achievement was to automate the optimization of RAN for experience and energy efficiency in a live CSP network. In this case, using Intent, set by the business (letting the system know the desired outcome), the system was able to dynamically, based on different traffic/performance profiles of sites or clusters, maximize energy savings without negatively impacting customer experience. The solution reduced the energy consumed to transmit 1 GB of data by approximately 5 percent across the part of the network in scope of the project, equaling around 800MWh savings and with a reduction of approximately 135 tons of CO2e for 2024. Its autonomy level was assessed through the new TM Forum ANLAV framework which marks the solution against five areas of cognitive ability: Intent, Awareness, Analysis, Decision and Execution. The Ericsson solution achieved a Highly Autonomous Level 4 rating in this assessment.

Ericsson’s wider software portfolio is designed to support CSP’s on their strategic transformations as they seek to enable differentiated connectivity at scale, with autonomous networks as the bedrock of new and innovative services. Ericsson’s Managed Network Services business has also achieved significant progress towards Level 4 automation in managing network throughput and RAN slicing service performance with a live customer deployment and has secured significant CSP contracts to deliver managed services with level 4 intent-based operations as a key deliverable.