Telefónica – Autonomous networks case study

Telefónica – Autonomous networks case study

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Welcome to this series analysing network autonomy efforts by leading telcos worldwide. In this second edition, we put the spotlight on a leading multinational operator in the journey toward autonomous networks.

Description

Format: PDF file
Pages: 15
Author: David Martin
Publication date: December 2025

Welcome to this series analysing network autonomy efforts by leading telcos worldwide. In this second edition, we put the spotlight on a leading multinational operator in the journey toward autonomous networks.

In the spotlight: Telefónica

Telefónica is one of the world’s largest operators. It is the incumbent operator in Spain and has consolidated or joint-owned subsidiaries operating mobile and fixed networks in Germany, the UK and nine Latin American countries. It earned group revenues of EUR41 billion in 2024, when it had 390 million customers. The aggregate autonomous network (AN) targets and metrics it has publicised relate to its operations in Brazil, Germany and Spain.

ANs are a major strategic priority for Telefónica. Overall, in our view, Telefónica’s AN ambitions correspond to an infraco business model: focused on connectivity, but evolving the network into a platform that can autonomously adapt to support innovative connectivity and AI use cases.

Telefónica’s Autonomous Network Journey (ANJ) can be viewed as unifying and relying on four key transformation goals at the operator. It expresses these in terms of: 1) the Network (technology evolution, including open architectures, cloudification and softwarisation); 2) the Brain (becoming a data-driven organisation; systematic automation); 3) the Heart (process transformation); and 4) People (ways of working, culture, DevOps and breaking down silos). The company clearly views these goals as imperative to ensure its survival and prosperity as a multinational Tier 1 operator: cost-efficient; sustainable; innovative; advancing digitisation and AI adoption across its markets; and able to capitalise on emerging growth opportunities.

Telefónica systematically audits the progress of its ANJ program, measured against the TM Forum’s framework, on a quarterly basis. It measures this in relation to each major network domain, all operational processes and five main KPIs: deployment (including launching of virtual as well as physical network elements); operations and maintenance (O&M); optimisation and configuration; planning; and testing. The scores discussed below are an aggregate of its major markets – Brazil, Germany and Spain – as at 1Q 2025. In these markets, AN projects are prioritised based on the differences in each country’s network and the processes offering the greatest likely gains. Learnings and methods are then shared across the group.

Our insight covers the following key points:

  • Telefónica is one of the world’s largest operators.
  • ANs are a major strategic priority for Telefónica.
  • Telefónica’s Autonomous Network Journey (ANJ) can be viewed as unifying and relying on four key transformation goals at the operator.
  • Telefónica systematically audits the progress of its ANJ program, measured against the TM Forum’s framework, on a quarterly basis.

Technologies and industry terms referenced include: AI, automation, autonomous network, BluePlanet, case study, Ciena, energy efficiency, fault management, network autonomy, operational efficiency, sustainability, Telco, TM Forum, vendor