SK Telecom Unveils Global Standard-Based Strategy for Autonomous Networks at DTW Ignite 2024

At the DTW Ignite 2024 forum held in Copenhagen, Denmark, SK Telecom announced its official roadmap for developing autonomous networks based on international industry standards. This major telecommunications gathering is hosted by the TM Forum, a global association comprising approximately 240 service providers and software vendors. During the event, the South Korean telecommunications leader detailed how it plans to transition toward a network environment where artificial intelligence manages operations with minimal human interference.

SK Telecom explained that moving away from proprietary, fragmented systems is essential for future growth. In the past, different equipment manufacturers and service providers used isolated methods that hindered integration and scalability. To overcome these barriers, the company is adopting TM Forum standards to ensure that data and processes across the industry speak a common language. This standardization is viewed as a fundamental requirement for AI to function effectively across diverse infrastructures.

To achieve its vision, the company has identified four primary areas of focus: restructuring operational workflows, creating a comprehensive data ontology, transitioning to next-generation Operations Support Systems (OSS), and standardizing AI agents. The data ontology acts as a digital map that helps computers understand the complex relationships between different data points. Furthermore, SK Telecom intends to work with global partners such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) to improve network flexibility and create solutions capable of controlling equipment from multiple vendors.

The carrier’s internal digital transformation efforts are already well underway. Its staff currently manages over 1,000 self-developed autonomous platforms and AI agents. A key example of this innovation is "Spider," an intelligent control system that monitors core network hardware, detects potential issues, and suggests automated fixes. This unified system has replaced various separate monitoring tools, leading to increased stability and operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, SK Telecom is aiming to reach Level 4 autonomous networking as defined by the TM Forum. At this stage, systems can make independent decisions and understand complex scenarios without relying on human oversight. By pursuing this goal, the company expects to revolutionize the telecommunications industry’s paradigm while providing customers with more reliable and intelligent connectivity services.

---

Read original at SK Telecom Newsroom.