NGMN FORUM
06 – 07 May 2025 – Paris, France
Category: Press Release
Orange Group CTO elected as new Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board
Barcelona, 03 March 2025 – The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has appointed Laurent Leboucher, Orange Group CTO and Executive Vice President Networks, as the new Chairman of the Board for a two-year term.
Leboucher succeeds Arash Ashouriha, SVP Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom, who concludes his successful four-year tenure. Under Ashouriha’s leadership, NGMN navigated the COVID pandemic, a strategic re-focus, rebranding, and issued over 50 influential industry guidelines, industry guidelines, including NGMN’s 6G Position Statement, Cloud Native Manifesto, a roadmap to Green Future Networks, and the operating models for disaggregated networks as his key contributions.
“We look forward to continue working with Laurent on our focus topics disaggregation, sustainability and advancing beyond 5G,” said Anita Döhler, CEO of NGMN Alliance. “His extensive industry expertise and leadership will be instrumental in guiding the Alliance’s work as we focus on sustainable, incremental network evolution towards 6G, also considering automation and AI.”
“I am honoured to take on this role and excited to support NGMN in uniting operators, vendors, academia and the wider ecosystem to shape the future of mobile networks,” said Leboucher. “The next two years are pivotal as we work towards network simplification and a smooth transition beyond 5G, towards 6G. With 6G standardisation work starting this year, NGMN will play a vital role in providing the industry with the necessary requirements to drive global alignment. The risk of ecosystem fragmentation makes global standards and industry cooperation more important than ever. NGMN is uniquely positioned to bring the industry landscape together and help shaping a unified, future-ready network architecture,” Leboucher continued.
Döhler added, “We thank Arash for his outstanding leadership and dedication. His strategic vision and guidance have been invaluable to the Alliance, and we are pleased he will continue contributing to NGMN’s success as Board Member.”
Leboucher, an NGMN Board Member since 2021, brings decades of invaluable experience in software systems and network architecture. His leadership marks a pivotal chapter for NGMN, as the alliance continues to shape the future of mobile communications. Under his guidance, NGMN will strengthen its role as a beacon for the industry, delivering impactful recommendations from its diverse global membership — driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and steering the ecosystem toward a more connected, sustainable future.
Press & Industry Briefing @ MWC2025
You can learn more about NGMN’s latest vision for the mobile telecommunications industry from Anita, Arash, Laurent and further Board Members during NGMN’s Press & Industry Briefing at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Join the session from 12:00 – 1:00 pm on 05 March 2025 at the Vodafone Amphitheatre, Hall 3, 3E11.
If you would like to arrange an exclusive interview with NGMN’s leadership on the latest announcements at MWC, please contact ngmn@proactive-pr.com.
Picture: Arash Ashouriha (left) of Deutsche Telekom passes the torch of NGMN Alliance Chairmanship to Laurent Leboucher (right) of Orange
NGMN outlines principles for the continuous evolution towards 6G and beyond
Consensus, time and a focus on continuous improvement will be key elements for guiding the evolution of mobile networks towards 6G and beyond, building on the solid foundation of 5G. The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) revealed this today while publishing a proposed framework to guide the evolution of network architecture towards 6G.
The “Network Architecture Evolution towards 6G” publication builds on NGMN’s “6G Position Statement – An Operator View”, published in 2023. It advises that the future 6G network architecture should address 5G gaps, support new scenarios and requirements, adapt to RAN changes, and embrace emerging technology trends. NGMN emphasises the importance of allocating sufficient time in the standardisation process to ensure industry-wide collaboration, enabling a smooth and continuous evolution of mobile networks towards 6G and beyond.
“NGMN envisions the future network architecture as a service-based platform that evolves to efficiently meet the growing demands of users, applications and industries, while leveraging the ongoing advancements of 5G,” said Arash Ashouriha, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and SVP Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom. “To ensure the next generation of mobile networks unleashes its full potential, it is important that clear architectural design and implementation principles are set at an early stage, promoting cooperation, minimising unnecessary complexity, and ensuring alignment with long-term objectives,” continued NGMN’s Chairman.
The 6G network architecture design principles aim to address the limitations of 5G while ensuring support for new scenarios and requirements. MNOs participating in the study highlighted network complexity, challenges in integrating with legacy systems, and energy efficiency as key concerns with existing 5G networks that should not be repeated in 6G development. Autonomous network management and AI-native design were identified as key drivers for architectural change.
Among the 13 principles established by NGMN, the evolving network architecture should enable innovation, support on-demand deployment of new features, and ensure backward compatibility with existing core connectivity services, reflecting a philosophy of continuous improvement and incorporate ‘quantum-safe’ infrastructure to enhance security, privacy, and resilience.
MNOs involved in the development of these principles also suggested that a new 6G air interface should provide tangible improvements over 5G-Advanced in key areas, including increased spectrum efficiency, ISAC, and dense low-cost device connectivity.
Following the publication of this framework, NGMN will lead further initiatives and publish recommendations and requirements on key areas of network architecture evolution. These include developing migration strategies, ensuring seamless coexistence with existing 5G networks, and exploring new capabilities that 6G must support. These efforts will guide the continuous evolution of network architecture towards a scalable, innovative, efficient, and sustainable framework, ensuring a seamless transition that empowers a truly connected and intelligent society.
“The future of mobile networks lies in their ability to evolve continuously, much like software, to meet the changing needs of users and industries. By focusing more on gradual improvements and leveraging the strengths of 5G and beyond, we can ensure a sustainable flow of innovative features, keeping our customers delighted,” emphasised Laurent Leboucher, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and Group CTO and Executive VP Networks at Orange.
NGMN unveils operating models to accelerate adoption of disaggregated networks
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has today released four concise publications detailing essential operating models for disaggregated networks.
These models aim to provide clear guidance to industry stakeholders and foster the adoption of disaggregated network architectures, which will provide mobile network operators (MNOs) with greater flexibility when managing and deploying of network infrastructure. The outlined operating models include:
- Single Vendor Led
- Systems Integrator (SI) Led
- Operator Platform
- Operator Platform commercially offered to others.
“Disaggregation – the process of modularising, softwarising and running network functions on cloud native infrastructure – is revolutionising the telecommunications industry, said Arash Ashouriha, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and SVP Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom. “This transition fundamentally changes how operators work internally and collaborate with the broader supplier ecosystem. With these publications, NGMN is taking the lead by offering practical, actionable guidance on the key operating models available today and helping operators navigate this shift effectively,” he added.
“Software-based, cloud native network architectures are set to dominate the industry, empowering operators with greater flexibility and agility to manage networks, innovate new services, and address evolving customer needs,” said Bernard Bureau, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and VP of Network and Architecture Strategy, at Chief Technology Office at TELUS. “At TELUS, we are proud to have worked with NGMN to provide deeper insights into the available options and the organisational transformations needed to fully realise the potential of disaggregated networking,” he added.
The publications build on NGMN’s Cloud Native Manifesto (September 2023), which outlined seven key principles for accelerating the transition to cloud native networking. While the Alliance is prohibited under competition law from endorsing or recommending any specific operating model, these publications offer decision-makers a comprehensive understanding of the organisational changes required to implement each scenario. They also provide a balanced assessment of the advantages and challenges associated with each approach. The goal is to highlight the wide range of options available to the industry and the long-term considerations for adopting each model effectively.
The publications, along with a brief overview document, are available for download here.
The publication was developed with input from across the industry, with NGMN’s membership comprising operators, vendors, and research institutions. This collaboration enables NGMN to offer strong guidance on key industry issues, driving progress on today’s most important topics, including NGMN’s Strategic Focus Topics: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks, and 6G. NGMN encourages all stakeholders across the value chain to join the Alliance in this endeavour.
NGMN releases “Radio Performance Assessment Framework” to guide next-generation RAN development
Düsseldorf, Germany, 03 December 2024 — The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has released its latest publication, the “Radio Performance Assessment Framework,” providing the mobile communications industry with a comprehensive methodology to evaluate the value of new Radio Access Network (RAN) solutions.
Building on the 2023 MNO Position Statement, which emphasised that any new RAN must deliver tangible additional benefits—such as enabling new user-driven use cases or improving operational efficiencies like energy consumption—this framework offers clear and actionable guidance for assessing RAN innovations.
“This NGMN publication provides strong guidance towards ensuring that future RAN developments are in line with the expectations of operators on performance and efficiency,” said Luke Ibbetson, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and Head of Group R&D, Vodafone. “Our Radio Performance Assessment Framework establishes a robust foundation for fair benchmarking and sets a new standard for delivering measurable value in the era beyond 5G Advanced.”
Key Components of the Framework
The Radio Performance Assessment Framework, primarily targeted for providing guidance to 3GPP, also provides general guidance to the broader ecosystem. Its goal is to enable fair benchmarking of vendor offerings and to ensure that new RAN solutions surpass the capabilities of 5G Advanced.
The framework is built on three key pillars:
1. Alignment with ITU-R IMT 2020 Metrics:
- Radio performance metrics such as spectral efficiency, Total Radiated Sensitivity (TRS), Total Radiated Power (TRP), and energy consumption should align with ITU-R IMT 2020 specifications in 3GPP standards.
2. Benchmarking Against 3GPP Release-18:
- All new RAN solutions must demonstrate clear performance improvements when benchmarked against 3GPP Rel-18 specifications.
3. Integration of 5G A Rollout Learnings:
- The framework incorporates lessons learned from the deployment and operation of 5G Standalone (SA) networks, ensuring practical and informed assessment criteria.
“This framework is a vital tool for fostering a collaborative and standards-based approach to advancing the RAN ecosystem,” said Konstantinos Chalkiotis, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and VP Access Technologies & Spectrum, Deutsche Telekom. “It enables the industry to focus on creating real value for users while addressing critical challenges such as energy efficiency, other operational efficiencies and scalability.”
The Radio Performance Assessment Framework is the latest in a series of NGMN initiatives to provide leadership and guidance on key industry topics. It reflects NGMN’s ongoing commitment to its Strategic Focus Topics, including Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks, and 6G development.
The publication is available for download here.
The publication was developed with input from across the industry, with NGMN’s membership comprising operators, vendors, and research institutions. This collaboration enables NGMN to offer strong guidance on key industry issues, driving progress on today’s most important topics, including NGMN’s Strategic Focus Topics: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks, and 6G. NGMN invites all stakeholders across the value chain to join the Alliance in this endeavour.
Further information and all NGMN publications can be found on the website at ngmn.org.
The outline of a framework for autonomous networks based on AI
NGMN outlines framework for autonomous networks
based on AI
The mobile communications industry has been provided with new guidance on the building blocks needed for autonomous networks that encompass Artificial Intelligence (AI) thanks to the publication of NGMN’s ‘Automation and Autonomous system Architecture Framework – Phase 2’, released today.
The latest updates provide guidance and direction on the use cases, requirements, and architectural principles to embrace interoperable, multi-vendor and standards-based autonomous networks that will help to manage the increasing complexity of the evolving 5G Advanced ecosystem.
“AI has huge potential to revolutionise the way we plan, build, operate and maintain networks, the services we offer and our ability to respond rapidly to customer needs,” said Arash Ashouriha, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and SVP Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom. “This publication provides a further foundation for the mobile industry to move forward together by developing and embracing a standards-based approach to autonomous networks.”
This framework outlines architectural considerations for enhancing operational capabilities through AI and Machine Learning (ML), enabling operational capabilities beyond typical human response times amid growing networking complexities, while guiding standards development organisations in delivering a more customised, user-centric experience.
“With the ever-increasing complexity of networks and the move towards disaggregated and cloud-based architectures, it is more fundamental than ever that we manage that complexity by introducing AI at all levels of our networks and operations,” said Michael Irizarry, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, UScellular. “UScellular is proud to have led this activity working alongside our partners at NGMN. We strongly encourage the industry to adopt this guidance when developing the industry standards that are necessary to ensure autonomous networks can be delivered through open and interoperable standards.”
The autonomous system architecture framework is intended to serve as guidance in the development of inter-operable and market enabling specifications, for the continuing advancement of an automated and self-adaptive 5G ecosystem of heterogeneous access, virtualisation, forward-looking service enablers and emerging usage scenarios.
Topics covered in the publication include:
- Management of complexity
- Network, service and device evolution
- Autonomous System Management and Orchestration and the role of Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Co-operative technologies and processes
- Use cases
- Security and privacy
- Role of industry standards
The publication can be downloaded from here
The publication was developed with input from across the industry, with NGMN’s membership comprising operators, vendors, and research institutions. This collaboration enables NGMN to offer strong guidance on key industry issues, driving progress on today’s most important topics, including NGMN’s Strategic Focus Topics: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks, and 6G. NGMN encourages all stakeholders across the value chain to join the Alliance in this endeavour.
Further information and all NGMN publications can be found on the website at ngmn.org.
About NGMN Alliance
The NGMN Alliance (NGMN) is a forum founded by world-leading Mobile Network Operators and open to all Partners in the mobile industry. Its goal is to ensure that next generation network infrastructure, service platforms and devices will meet the requirements of operators and ultimately will satisfy end user demand and expectations. The vision of NGMN is to provide impactful industry guidance to achieve innovative, sustainable and affordable mobile telecommunication services for the end user with a particular focus on Mastering the Route to Disaggregation / Operating Disaggregated Networks, Green Future Networks and 6G, whilst continuing to support 5G’s full implementation.
NGMN seeks to incorporate the views of all interested stakeholders in the telecommunications industry and is open to three categories of participants/NGMN Partners: Mobile Network Operators (Members), vendors, software companies and other industry players (Contributors), as well as research institutes (Advisors). NGMN invites all parties across the entire value chain to join the Alliance in these important endeavours.
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New guidance on reducing energy consumption in mobile networks
Dusseldorf Germany, 02 July 2024. Today, the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) published “Green Future Networks: A Roadmap to Energy Efficient Networks,” offering new guidance and recommendations on reducing energy consumption in mobile networks. This comprehensive roadmap aims to enhance energy-saving methods for MNOs and the wider industry. This latest NGMN publication outlines 16 […]
New Recommendations for Measuring Energy Consumption in Virtualized Networks
Dusseldorf Germany, 04 April 2024.
Today’s publication by the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN), titled ‘Green Future Networks: Metering in Virtualised RAN Infrastructure,’ offers key recommendations to the industry regarding the measurement of energy consumption in virtualised RAN networks. The publication was jointly developed by the NGMN membership, including Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), vendors and research institutes.
“Addressing the challenge of managing and minimising energy consumption is paramount within our industry,” remarked Arash Ashouriha, Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and SVP Group Technology at Deutsche Telekom. “Through this publication, the NGMN Alliance delivers vital recommendations for industry standards, facilitating more precise and real-time estimations of energy consumed by virtualised or cloud-native network functions.”
“Sustainability is a considerable concern for MNOs and their customers,” emphasised Laurent Leboucher, Member of the NGMN Alliance Board and Group CTO at Orange. “Accurate measurement of energy usage in our networks and associated carbon emissions is essential. This publication marks a crucial stride towards fostering greater transparency in energy consumption within virtualised infrastructure.”
This latest NGMN publication highlights the necessity of enhancing current 3GPP Virtual Network Function (VNF) / Cloud Network Function (CNF) energy consumption estimation frameworks for more precise measurement of energy consumption by VNF/CNF on shared IT/Cloud infrastructure. The publication offers several recommendations to Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) to accelerate the development of enhanced frameworks.
Additionally, the publication underscores the potential of utilizing Redfish® by DMTF (Distributed Management Task Force) along with open-source tools like Kepler (Kubernetes-based Efficient Power Level Exporter) and Prometheus. This combination enables MNOs to perform network-wide, real-time, and accurate estimations of IT-infrastructure performance and power consumption. These estimations are regarded as accurate enough to be effectively considered as ‘measurements’.
The publication emphasises that operating models will influence MNOs’ ability to manage the performance and energy consumption of vRAN functions. It suggests that APIs between Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) and MNOs may need to replace standardised FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, and Security) interfaces if not exposed by the CSP.
“Bringing together the industry to tackle our shared challenges, unlocking opportunities and providing crucial guidance to the industry is NGMN’s core mission,” stated Anita Doehler, CEO at NGMN Alliance. “This publication further advances the industry’s capacity to deploy disaggregated, virtualized and cloud-native architectures, all while effectively managing energy consumption and environmental impact.”
The publication can be downloaded from here.
The collaboration between NGMN’s partners helps drive the most important subjects in the industry today, including NGMN’s Strategic Focus Topics: Mastering the Route to Disaggregation, Green Future Networks and 6G. NGMN invites all parties across the entire value chain to join the Alliance in this important endeavour.
Further information and all NGMN publications can be found on the website at ngmn.org.
About NGMN Alliance
The NGMN Alliance (NGMN) is a forum founded by world-leading Mobile Network Operators and open to all Partners in the mobile industry. Its goal is to ensure that next generation network infrastructure, service platforms and devices will meet the requirements of operators and ultimately will satisfy end user demand and expectations. The vision of NGMN is to provide impactful industry guidance to achieve innovative, sustainable and affordable mobile telecommunication services for the end user with a particular focus on Mastering the Route to Disaggregation / Operating Disaggregated Networks, Green Future Networks and 6G, whilst continuing to support 5G’s full implementation.
NGMN seeks to incorporate the views of all interested stakeholders in the telecommunications industry and is open to three categories of participants/NGMN Partners: Mobile Network Operators (Members), vendors, software companies and other industry players (Contributors), as well as research institutes (Advisors). NGMN invites all parties across the entire value chain to join the Alliance in these important endeavours.