Mobile network programmability has been a hotly debated topic in recent years. Ericsson’s acquisition of Vonage for $6.2 billion in 2022 was eye-opening, as were the impairment charges and writeoff that followed. Looking back at the transaction, it may have simply been a market timing misfire, considering Nokia’s launch of its own Network as Code (NaC) platform one year ago. Today, these two major cellular infrastructure providers continue to believe in the value of exposing APIs and facilitating higher degrees of programmability. AT&T’s announcement with Ericsson in late 2023 to embrace open radio access network platforms was a watershed moment by all measures, and it points to the further potential that programmability might have for the mobile telecommunications industry.
In this piece, I will discuss my perspective on the value of mobile network programmability, along with the open standards-based industry efforts designed to accelerate its acceptance and deployment, the monetization opportunities for participants, and why I believe that competition will ultimately breed innovation.
The Value of Programmability
Mobile network programmability can deliver value in three major ways. First, it allows mobile network operators to build and fine-tune more resilient, adaptive, and highly performant networks. Along with this, it facilitates rapid service delivery thanks to its software-defined nature and the ability for applications to tap into 5G’s significant enhancements compared to 4G LTE—ultra-low latency, high throughput, massive device and sensor support, enhanced encryption, and so on.
Second, programmability could finally unlock something that has eluded operators despite their significant investments in next-generation infrastructure and licensed spectrum: monetization beyond mere network access. The GSMA estimates that between 2023 and 2030, mobile operator capital expenditures will reach an astonishing $1.5 trillion. OTT application providers have historically been the beneficiaries of these investments, but mobile network programmability creates “mailbox” money opportunities for operators that choose to embrace it through the exposure of incremental network functions. From my perspective, this could be a boon for operators through the creation of new profit pools, new revenue streams, and increased shareholder value.
Third, programmability accelerates the innovation process for application development, providing multiple parties with the opportunity to reap the rewards. By providing a holistic platform (rather than simply publishing API libraries and providing SDKs), operators can empower developers to unlock the full potential of 5G, 6G, and beyond. This will bring new and disruptive services to market that validate infrastructure investments. Most large mobile network operators also make significant investments in proof-of-concept labs, and programmability can also supercharge these investments, leading to new revenue-sharing models for any operators that choose to invest in startups.
With all of that said, mobile network programmability has been slow from an adoption standpoint. From my perspective, programmability represents a sea change for the telecommunications industry, and old habits are often hard to break. However, momentum for programmability continues to build, buoyed by the open source community, the GSMA, and joint operator and infrastructure proof-of-concept lab investigations. Let’s examine each of these areas in more detail.
It Takes a Village
I’ve often espoused the virtues of open systems, especially after spending considerable time with the Linux Foundation Networking leadership team to understand its mission to foster innovation through open-source collaboration. Linux Foundation Networking continues to lead the charge across the enterprise and communication service provider industry segments, incubating working groups that focus on discrete applications and use cases.
In support of mobile network programmability, the Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP) is a foundational example. ONAP is designed to provide orchestration, management, and automation of network and edge computing services, as well as complete lifecycle management for 5G and next-generation mobile networks. Automation is a fundamental element that enables programmability; given its broad group of participating organizations, including AT&T, Ericsson, Nokia, and many others, ONAP provides a platform that is fostering innovation with strong ties to programmability.
As a governing body for the mobile communications industry, the GSMA is also playing an important role in fostering mobile network programmability. I first wrote about its Open Gateway initiative at Mobile World Congress 2023, and since then it has matured significantly. Today, Open Gateway offers a robust framework of common APIs that aim to provide universal access to mobile networks through a meshed ecosystem for developers. It is a highly innovative approach, one that is supported by another Linux Foundation global API harmonization initiative, the CAMARA Project. I like Open Gateway’s flexibility to support aggregator initiatives such as Ericsson Vonage and Nokia NaC as well as direct collaboration opportunities.
The GSMA has also created its Operator Platform with the intent of making it easier for developers to innovate using a consolidated toolset. The initial focus is on use cases at the network edge, with plans to expand the scope to include broader connectivity capabilities, network slicing, and Internet Protocol-based communications. In June 2024, Nokia was the first to address this framework with the introduction of its Network Exposure Platform. NEP is designed to simplify and scale the process of mobile network programmability and accelerate developer innovation. NEP complements Nokia’s NaC platform, which includes a developer portal providing a consolidated set of resources for developers.
Mobile network operators and cellular infrastructure providers have a long history of working together to foster developer innovation. Excellent examples of these collaborations include AT&T’s Foundry, now folded into its global Labs group; T-Mobile’s Experience Centers and its participation in the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners; and Verizon’s Innovation Labs. There are many other examples of operator Iabs around the world, but I have spent time at these specific incubation centers. I’ve come away from each one impressed with the myriad of innovative 5G use cases and applications that materialize.
In short, I believe that mobile network programmability can enhance these efforts dramatically for those operators that embrace it. The adage that “It takes a village” certainly applies when it comes to the evolution of an industry as set in its ways as telecommunications. Mobile network programmability is poised to be a catalyst for change, given the broad and expansive ecosystem efforts underway.
Will Mobile Network Programmability Ultimately Succeed?
The trillion-dollar question, as measured in future infrastructure spend, is whether mobile network programmability will succeed, given its slow adoption. I believe that it will, and one of the big reasons is competition.
One could argue that Ericsson was first to market with its “Imagine Possible” vision for mobile network programmability and its acquisition of Vonage. In my mind, the company may have been too early in its assessment of market readiness—but the competitive gauntlet was thrown down. Nokia has since entered the space with a compelling mobile network programmability platform complemented by its GSMA-inspired toolset, intelligent network slice steering capabilities, and leadership in enterprise cellular private networks. Since launching NaC a year ago, Nokia has established quite a bit of momentum, with more than 20 partners on board, including many of the world’s leading CSPs (e.g., BT, Telefonica, and DT Germany) as well as partners such as Infobip and Google. These partners are enabling access to a wider range of developers that are in turn driving demand for and usage of network APIs through Nokia’s platform.
Having the open-source community, the GSMA, and two of the leading cellular infrastructure providers betting big on programmability is a good thing. It has led to a newfound development rhythm—one that I believe will lead to programmability’s ultimate success.
