At the recent rApp DevCon 2025 hosted by Ericsson, Gavin Spain, Group Owner of Wireless Network Strategy at Telstra, delivered a keynote that set out an ambitious and compelling vision for the future of RAN autonomy. As operators around the globe seek to simplify operations and reduce cost in increasingly complex networks, Telstra’s strategy places autonomy at the heart of network transformation.
Telstra has set clear targets: level 3 RAN autonomy within three years, and level 4 by 2030, as defined by TM Forum standards. Achieving this will demand deep changes across technology, process, systems, and tools. But more than just a transformation project, Gavin Spain framed autonomy as a strategic necessity to meet rising expectations and scale networks efficiently. For Telstra, autonomy is not about buzzwords but about delivering adaptability, optimisation and self-healing capabilities across its vast and varied network landscape.
With tens of thousands of 4G and 5G sites, spanning dense cities to remote regions, Telstra faces a highly diverse RAN environment. Rather than seeing this as a burden, Telstra views variability as an opportunity. Automation at the cell level enables a granularity of control not possible through manual approaches. Autonomy can unlock previously inaccessible value from the existing infrastructure and allow dynamic, performance-driven decisions at scale.
Central to this transformation is Telstra’s four-year agreement with Ericsson, a cornerstone investment of 800 million Australian dollars. This will upgrade the RAN with Open RAN-ready hardware, integrate 5G Advanced software, and crucially, adopt Ericsson’s Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) to power rApps and enable intelligent, programmable networks.
Telstra’s early focus is on two operational journeys: streamlining the planning, design and deployment of network infrastructure, and improving performance management and optimisation. This includes energy efficiency use cases, where Telstra is applying machine learning to find the right balance between performance and consumption. The long-term vision extends well beyond 5G. As future generations like 5G Advanced and 6G arrive, the complexity and costs will only grow. Programmability and intelligence must evolve with them.
Gavin Spain also highlighted the key architectural elements required to make this vision a reality. These include open and standardised interfaces to encourage portability and innovation, conflict resolution frameworks to manage competing app intents, integration of AI/ML pipelines to support closed-loop optimisation, seamless support for both traditional and virtualised RAN, and certification frameworks to ensure rApp quality and reusability.
Beyond the technology, the keynote emphasised economics. Operating mobile networks is increasingly expensive, while revenues per user remain flat or in decline. This puts pressure on operators to lower TCO and improve efficiency. For developers, this presents an opportunity. Even small improvements, such as reducing energy consumption by 1% or minimising truck rolls, can translate into significant cost savings. rApps that can deliver this type of value are well-positioned to scale across the global ecosystem.
Gavin encouraged developers to understand operator challenges, build with purpose, and iterate rapidly. He highlighted that the value of AI is not just in rApps themselves, but also in how developers can use AI tools to speed up development and testing. With the network domain evolving rapidly, speed and bold ambition will be essential.
The call to action was clear: no single player can deliver autonomy alone. Operators, vendors, standards bodies, and developers must collaborate closely. Operators like Telstra will contribute use cases and domain expertise. Vendors like Ericsson will provide platforms. Standards bodies ensure interoperability. And developers will bring the innovation and execution speed required to translate vision into reality.
Telstra has already begun migrating legacy Self Organising Network functions to EAIP. Initial use cases include configuration automation, anomaly detection, and intent-based optimisation. These are the first steps on a much longer journey, one that aims to reshape how networks are designed, deployed, and operated for the next decade and beyond.
Telstra’s message to the ecosystem is simple: collaborate, move fast, and focus on real-world value. With the foundations being laid today, the path to RAN autonomy is no longer just a concept but a concrete roadmap for intelligent, adaptive and customer-centric networks of the future.
The video of Gavin Spain’s keynote at rApp DevCon 2025 is embedded below. It is well worth watching for a deeper understanding of Telstra’s strategy and the broader opportunities for developers and partners across the ecosystem.
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- Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Metrocells to help Telstra Increase Density for Greater Capacity and Speed
- Operator Watch Blog: Telstra Conducts 50 Tests on 5G mmWave and Small Cells to Measure EME
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