Autonomy is automation that has gained trust; the trust of the network, the trust of the subscribers and the trust of the mobile operators.
As VodafoneThree integrates two major mobile networks in the UK, expands 5G capabilities and builds toward new enterprise revenue streams, the operator’s transformation program offers a clear view of where telecom is headed: toward more dynamic services, more complex operating models and a deeper reliance on automation.
Speaking at DTW Ignite in Copenhagen, VodafoneThree’s Valeria Baiamonte, Director of Network Strategy and Transformation, described a transformation that is already producing measurable customer impact. “We just embarked and it’s been the first year, and we’ve already delivered…some major transformation to our customers,” she said. That includes enabling radio sites with multi-operator core network capabilities to broadcast both Three and Vodafone signals, improving 4G and 5G coverage. She also pointed to congestion relief for 7 million customers and a significant uplift in 5G traffic.
But the program is not only about coverage and capacity. VodafoneThree is also moving to launch differentiated services for consumers and enterprises, including Speed Boost, fixed wireless access (FWA) products and 5G slicing for enterprise customers. The strategic through-line is that network transformation has to translate into customer-facing innovation.
That is where automation becomes central. “Automation is not just to reduce the cost; it’s actually to deliver the correct differentiated service to the customers,” Baiamonte said. “It becomes a central part of the journey of the service and the proposition that we’re building.”
For P.I. Works CTO Djakhongir Siradjev, VodafoneThree is an instructive example because of its technical complexity. Three’s network was originally standalone, Vodafone had existing MO-RAN network sharing arrangements with Virgin Media O2, and now multi-operator core network (MOCN) capabilities add another layer. “This may be actually the only network that has this level of complexity, but what is an edge case for majority of the operators today is something that we’ve been building our software for over the past few decades” he said.
P.I. Works’ SMO and automation platform tackles not only those real-world complexities, including multi-vendor networks, shared infrastructure, changing spectrum strategies and cross-domain orchestration; but also is the freedom and peace of mind that the operators gain to proceed comfortably with further strategic transformation actions In this context, automation is less about abstract efficiency and more about giving operators the agility to adapt services and operations as requirements evolve.
Siradjev also framed the industry’s move from automation to autonomy as fundamentally a question of trust. “Autonomy is an automation that has gained the trust — the trust of, first of all, the network, the trust of subscribers, and the trust, obviously, the teams of the mobile operator,” he said. Operators will not take a “leap of faith” directly to fully autonomous networks. Rather, they will move through specific, trusted use cases, then expand the scope over time.
That same trust model applies to enterprise services such as network slicing. Dynamic instantiation is necessary, but not sufficient. Operators also need admission control and assurance to determine whether the radio network can actually deliver what has been sold. As Siradjev put it, “Dynamic slice assurance is one of the key factors for mobile operators to be able to provide the right service to their enterprise customers.”
For VodafoneThree, success will ultimately be judged by customer outcomes, not just rollout metrics. “The overall business success is measured against our customers. They come first,” Baiamonte said.
The broader lesson is that differentiated 5G services require both new network capabilities and the operational systems that can assure, adapt and automate those capabilities at scale. For operators navigating consolidation, shared infrastructure and enterprise growth, VodafoneThree’s journey shows why automation is becoming a foundation for service innovation.
