Nokia to showcase agentic AI network slicing; Ericsson partners with Ookla to measure 5G network slicing performance

Executive Summary:

Today, Nokia announced a strategic collaboration with Amazon (AWS), Du, and Orange to debut an industry-first agentic AI-driven network slicing [1.] capability on a 5G SA core network. Du and Orange will deploy this new technology which uses Nokia’s 5G AirScale base stations, MantaRay SMO and Agentic AI modules in tandem with Amazon’s Bedrock Artificial Intelligence platform. Autonomous AI agents are used to ingest and process real-time telemetry—including geospatial data, event triggers, and traffic patterns—the framework enables adaptive network slicing. This architecture allows communications service providers (CSPs) to dynamically orchestrate resources in response to fluctuating demand, such as prioritizing mission-critical throughput for first responders during emergency incidents.

Note 1. There are no ITU standards for network slicing or the 5G SA Core network required to implement that capability. 3GPP specifications define end-to-end network slicing architecture, covering slice management (TS 28.552, TS 28.554), service requirements, and security (NSSAA – Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization). The NSA and CISA have released specific, recognized guidance on designing, deploying, and maintaining secure 5G standalone (SA) network slices. ETSI publishes and adopts 3GPP technical specifications (specifically the 28-series) as European standards for network slicing management, including 5G RAN, core network, and NFV-MANO architecture. ETSI, as a 3GPP partner, ensures these specifications cover the lifecycle of network slices.

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The orchestration involves a multi-layer framework that integrates Autonomous AI Agents with 3GPP-specified network functions to transition from static to intent-based slicing. It is also supposed to help improve network performance during data traffic surges, emergencies or mass gatherings. Autonomous network slicing can apparently resolve suboptimal service quality and inefficient resource utilization by adapting to varying traffic conditions.

Technical Orchestration Workflow:

Data Ingestion & Inference: Agentic AI modules, hosted on Amazon Bedrock, ingest real-world contextual data (e.g., emergency alerts, traffic sensors, weather) alongside live network KPIs.
Intent-Based Policy Generation: The AI agents analyze this telemetry to determine the optimal network configuration required to meet specific Service Level Agreements (SLAs) or emergency “intents'”
NEF & SMO Integration: These high-level intents are translated into actionable policies and pushed to Nokia’s MantaRay SMO (Service Management and Orchestration).
Dynamic RAN/Core Adjustment: The Network Exposure Function (NEF) acts as the secure gateway, allowing the AI agents to interface with the 5G Core. It exposes network capabilities so the agents can dynamically adjust RAN policies and resource allocation across the 5G AirScale base stations.
Autonomous Feedback Loop: The system operates in an autonomous mode where agents continuously monitor the results of their adjustments, performing forensic analysis to refine slicing parameters in real-time.

Nokia will host live technical demonstrations of this AI network slicing capability at its 2026 Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona exhibit.

Network slicing lets network operators create virtual networks optimized for specific users or types of users. Image courtesy of William Malik, Trend Micro

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Quotes:

“This innovation marks a major milestone in the evolution of AI-native networks,” said Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer at Nokia. “By combining Nokia’s advanced network slicing capabilities with agentic AI, we are enabling operators to deliver premium, intent-based services that adapt dynamically to real-world conditions. Nokia is advancing connectivity by unlocking new value streams for telecommunication providers and supporting next-generation applications and differentiated services for enterprises, industries and consumers.”

Amir Rao, Global Director, GTM & Telco Solutions at AWS added: “Network slicing has long promised to unlock new revenue streams for operators, but manual configuration and static policies have prevented end customers from accessing on-demand provisioning. By integrating agentic AI capabilities through Amazon Bedrock with Nokia’s application, operators can now deliver intelligent, context-aware network slicing that responds dynamically to real-world conditions from traffic surges to emergency situations. This transforms network slicing from a technical capability into a true business enabler, allowing operators to monetize their 5G investments through differentiated, premium services that adapt automatically to customer needs. Agentic Network Slicing is the beginning of an era that will enable telecommunications providers to enable real-time intent-based service provisioning for end customers.”

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Competitive Network Slicing Solution:

Rival wireless equipment vendor Ericsson yesterday gave a preview of a network slicing related offering which it will be demonstrating at the 2026 MWC. Together with Ookla it has developed a specialized test version of its Speedtest app designed to measure and validate 5G network slicing performance. The tool enables the Speedtest app to identify and test specific network slices, which apparently demonstrates how Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for differentiated services can be verified in real-time by consumers and service providers.

Ericsson reported in its latest Mobility report that there were 65 commercial network slicing services worldwide providing so-called “differentiated connectivity” offerings. That’s out of a total of 118 network slicing cases discovered by Ericsson’s researchers. Yet in the UK, none of the three mobile network operators have launched a commercial 5G network slicing capability yet. According to Ofcom’s latest Connected Nations report, 5G SA is available across 83% of outside areas in the country and 5G SA accounts for nearly one-third of 5G traffic. However, 4G accounts for 72% of total monthly data traffic.

“Network slicing is no longer a future concept; it is a commercial reality. However, you cannot manage what you cannot measure,” said Tibor Rathonyi, Senior Advisor at Ookla. “Our work with Ericsson is a pivotal first step in providing the transparency needed to prove the value of these premium 5G services to both consumers and enterprises.”

Philipp Bichsel, Executive Vice President Mobile Network & Services at Swisscom, said: “Swisscom has retained the title as the country’s best-performing mobile network over many years by truly prioritizing the delivery of the best possible customer experience. This has meant embarking on a journey to fully exploit automation to enhance reliability and efficiency without compromising the service quality our customers expect. As we advance towards self-learning, autonomous networks, enabling Swisscom to build smarter and more adaptive network operations, we are leveraging the SMO framework as the foundation for this evolution. Within this framework, partner solutions such as Ericsson’s Intelligent Automation Platform and its ecosystem of rApps play an important role in helping us explore the potential of AI driven automation.”

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References:

https://www.telecoms.com/5g-6g/nokia-and-aws-show-off-agentic-ai-powered-5g-advanced-network-slicing

https://www.telecoms.com/5g-6g/ericsson-and-ookla-launch-network-slicing-measurement-tool

https://www.lightreading.com/5g/eurobites-network-slicing-enjoying-a-moment-finds-ericsson-report

https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/mobility-report/reports/november-2025

https://www.lightreading.com/5g/5g-network-slicing-not-ready-for-prime-time-in-uk

https://www.awardsolutions.com/portal/resources/network-slicing

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Integrating 5G Standalone (SA) and cloud-native tools into telecom networks has proven significantly more difficult than originally expected. Managing and orchestrating these slices involves several layered challenges:

1. Technical Complexity & Orchestration

-Operational Management: Current telco networks often rely on decades-old Operations & Maintenance (O&M) procedures that cannot keep pace with the dynamic, automated nature of 5G-Advanced slicing.
-End-to-End Coordination: Orchestrating a slice across different domains (Access, Transport, and Core) and multiple vendors remains a major hurdle, as there is currently no unified performance management technique.
-Scalability: Managing millions of physical and virtual components that must interact harmoniously while maintaining strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) like 1ms latency is a massive undertaking for existing orchestrators.

2. Security & Isolation Risks

-Slice Isolation Failures: The “cornerstone” of slicing is isolation; if it fails, an attacker could move laterally from a low-security slice (like a public IoT sensor) into a high-value slice (like critical infrastructure).
-Expanded Attack Surface: Each new slice introduces its own management interfaces and APIs, effectively adding “more doors to lock” for security teams.
-Cross-Slice DoS: Even with logical separation, slices still share physical hardware (CPU, memory, spectrum). A traffic flood in one slice can unintentionally “starve” neighboring slices of resources.

3. Organizational & Regulatory Barriers

-Net Neutrality: Regulators are still debating whether prioritizing specific slices (e.g., for premium gaming) constitutes illegal discrimination under net neutrality laws.
-Skills Shortage: There is a critical scarcity of “unicorn” experts who possess deep knowledge of both 5G network architecture and modern cybersecurity.
-Standardization Gaps: While the 3GPP has provided architectural specs, there are still no clear, industry-wide standards for the actual implementation and security management of these slices.

One thought on “Nokia to showcase agentic AI network slicing; Ericsson partners with Ookla to measure 5G network slicing performance”

Alan Weissberger says:

February 24, 2026 at 18:09

Integrating 5G Standalone (SA) and cloud-native tools into telecom networks has proven significantly more difficult than originally expected. Managing and orchestrating these slices involves several layered challenges:

1. Technical Complexity & Orchestration

-Operational Management: Current telco networks often rely on decades-old Operations & Maintenance (O&M) procedures that cannot keep pace with the dynamic, automated nature of 5G-Advanced slicing.
-End-to-End Coordination: Orchestrating a slice across different domains (Access, Transport, and Core) and multiple vendors remains a major hurdle, as there is currently no unified performance management technique.
-Scalability: Managing millions of physical and virtual components that must interact harmoniously while maintaining strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) like 1ms latency is a massive undertaking for existing orchestrators.

2. Security & Isolation Risks

-Slice Isolation Failures: The “cornerstone” of slicing is isolation; if it fails, an attacker could move laterally from a low-security slice (like a public IoT sensor) into a high-value slice (like critical infrastructure).
-Expanded Attack Surface: Each new slice introduces its own management interfaces and APIs, effectively adding “more doors to lock” for security teams.
-Cross-Slice DoS: Even with logical separation, slices still share physical hardware (CPU, memory, spectrum). A traffic flood in one slice can unintentionally “starve” neighboring slices of resources.

3. Organizational & Regulatory Barriers

-Net Neutrality: Regulators are still debating whether prioritizing specific slices (e.g., for premium gaming) constitutes illegal discrimination under net neutrality laws.
-Skills Shortage: There is a critical scarcity of “unicorn” experts who possess deep knowledge of both 5G network architecture and modern cybersecurity.
-Standardization Gaps: While the 3GPP has provided architectural specs, there are still no clear, industry-wide standards for the actual implementation and security management of these slices.

IEEE ComSoc Technology Blog