AI-RAN is moving from concept to reality, and today, we’re taking a look at both the promise and the questions surrounding its rise.
In an interview with RCR, Indosat CTO Desmond Cheung laid out one of the most ambitious AI-RAN strategies emerging in Asia. The Indonesian operator’s new AI Grid and AI-RAN Research Center aim to shift the country’s networks toward an AI-native architecture. Cheung describes a future where AI leads to advancements like network and traffic optimization and edge-driven applications, and where Indonesia develops homegrown innovation rather than importing it. It’s a bold attempt to scale AI into mainstream network operations.
But as enthusiasm builds, the industry is also asking harder questions. Another top story highlights the gap between the AI-RAN hype and today’s commercial reality. AI-RAN promises dramatic gains in efficiency, latency, and security — yet standards are still maturing, vendor solutions remain uneven, and most operators are experimenting rather than deploying at scale.
Essentially: AI-RAN’s momentum is real, but its path is uneven. Operators like Indosat are pushing ahead, while many continue to separate ambition from achievable near-term outcomes.
Catherine Sbeglia Nin
Managing Editor
RCR Wireless News
RCR Top Stories
Inside Indosat’s AI shift: Indosat CTO Desmond Cheung explains how the new AI Grid and AI-RAN Research Center will shift Indonesia’s networks to an AI-native model, bringing intelligence, new applications, and homegrown innovation to scale.
What is AI-RAN, and is it all just hype?: AI-RAN embeds AI into radio access networks to boost efficiency, ultra-low latency, edge processing, and security. But questions remain about hype vs. real commercial deployment.
Gen AI reality check: In an interview with Frost & Sullivan’s Soumyadeep Roy Chowdhury, we explore why gen AI isn’t magic — but how it could still transform telecom operations, boost ROI, and reshape decision-making.
AI-Powered Telecom Infrastructure
Supermicro, in collaboration with NVIDIA, delivers AI-powered infrastructure tailored for telcos, enhancing operational efficiency, network management, and customer experiences. Explore now
Beyond the Headlines
Cisco’s AI readiness warning: Cisco’s 2025 AI Readiness Index shows that few companies are fully prepped for AI. Those that are have seen far greater business impact, but many networks and data foundations lag behind ambition.
Ericsson talks up private 5G: Ericsson won’t be drawn on Nokia’s retreat, but it’s happy to talk about its own momentum in the private 5G market: rising deployments, surging traffic, and sales that are outrunning the early years of Wi-Fi.
Sponsored A clear path to U.S. 6G leadership?: Spectrum readiness is key to U.S. 6G leadership. The OBBB Act requires 800 MHz by 2034, but at least 600 MHz must be deployment-ready by 2029 to match global 6G momentum.
Wi-Fi 8 needs 6 GHz: As AI-heavy devices proliferate, Wi-Fi 8 introduces several features that require a wide, low-interference spectrum to function as intended, including Multi-AP Coordination, uplink enhancements, and low-latency roaming.
AI for smarter network planning: AI is reshaping network planning, shifting operators from reactive, historical modeling to real-time, predictive optimization. As 5G complexity surges, AI helps forecast issues and automate decisions.
What We're Reading
Airspan delivers Open RAN: Airspan Networks has delivered the industry’s first commercial Open RAN deployment funded by an NTIA grant, marking a milestone in open, interoperable 5G infrastructure and multivendor innovation.
Dual-mode Wi-Fi 6: Renesas has launched new RA6W1 and RA6W2 Wi-Fi 6 MCUs, adding dual-band and Bluetooth LE options for ultra-low-power IoT. Fully integrated modules with antennas, stacks, and pre-validated RF.
Vodafone, Spirent speed 5G voice: Vodafone and Spirent have rolled out automated 5G core voice testing, slashing software integration time from months to days and speeding multi-vendor updates for cloud-native 5G SA deployments.
Vietnam’s 5G rollout surges: Viettel has beaten its 2025 5G rollout schedule, deploying 20,000 new base stations more than three weeks early — a major acceleration for Vietnam’s state-run operator and its nationwide 5G ambitions.
Siemens, nVent build AI data stack: Siemens and nVent have unveiled a joint reference architecture built for Nvidia AI data workloads, combining industrial automation strength with high-performance GPU-optimized infrastructure.
SK Hynix eyes U.S. capital: Korea’s SK Hynix is weighing a U.S. ADR listing using treasury shares to broaden its investor base and help fund memory chip expansion as demand for AI-centric memory soars.
Upcoming Events
Join MWC Las Vegas, in partnership with CTIA, North America’s leading event for industrial-grade connectivity—where enterprises evolve through CIO-led insights on transformation using 5G-enabled and AI-powered technologies.
Industry Resources
Webinar, September 18th
The journey to a fully autonomous network – The evolution of network automation and how Amdocs is leading the way
