CSPs' Approaches to AI and Advanced RAN Automation: Survey Results and Analysis

"CSPs view cost reduction, spectrum optimisation, quality-of-service improvement and new service enablement as the most important drivers for investing in AI in the RAN."

This report is based on a survey of 36 mobile or converged communications service providers (CSPs) that was conducted in 3Q 2023. Based on the key findings from this survey, the report provides insights into CSPs' motivations to adopt RAN AI, and to address the shortcomings of previous approaches to RAN automation. It includes unique data on the use cases that CSPs will prioritise as they seek to increase their levels of RAN automation, from an average of less than 20% of processes in 2023, to a targeted average of about 70% by 2027. It also examines the challenges that CSPs will need to address before they deploy RAN AI at scale, and the type of vendors they expect to work with.

Key questions answered in this report:

• How quickly will CSPs adopt RAN AI and how do their projects relate to use of self-organising network (SON) systems?

• What are the main benefits that CSPs will target for RAN AI, and what are the key triggers to invest? What are the main conditions that need to be achieved before CSPs will deploy RAN AI at scale?

• What type of vendors and partners do CSPs expect to include in their RAN AI projects and supply chains?

• What are the most important use cases that CSPs plan to deploy using RAN AI in the short to medium term?