Autonomy unleashed: Scaling level-4 networks and achieving the Dark NOC

After seeing what full-scale Dark NOC operations can achieve, this perspective asks a more uncomfortable question: where does the rest of the industry really stand today? Drawing on live autonomous network deployments, join us as we explore the gap between ambition and execution, and what operators must prioritize next to move from pockets of automation to scaled Level-4 autonomy.

Moderator: George Glass, CTO, TM Forum

11:00 - 11:20
Case study: Turning autonomous network ambition into operational reality  (15 mins) 

• Lessons on what actually accelerates progress, and what creates friction 
• Why data readiness, operating models, and decision governance are now bigger blockers than technology 
• Identifying the hard trade-offs the industry needs to confront to move autonomy forward over the next 12–24 months 

Pallavi Mahajan, Chief Technology and AI Officer, Nokia
Gabriela Styf Sjöman, Managing Director, Research and Commercialisation, BT Group 

11:20 - 12:00
Open Exchange: Autonomous networks at scale: What should operators be prioritizing right now? (30 mins)
As more operators pursue Level-4 autonomy, consensus is still forming on how the industry should get there. Through this exchange, gain a clearer sense of where the industry is aligned, where it isn’t, where CSPs agree and disagree, and what practical steps operators should be taking next to move from ambition to execution. 

• Is the Dark NOC the right north star for all operators — or only some? 
• Where should investment be prioritised today: orchestration, assurance, AI/ML, or operating model change? 
• How far can TM Forum standards and Open APIs realistically accelerate autonomy at scale? 
• What skills, roles, and decision rights must change as human-in-the-loop dependency reduces? 
• How can operators avoid fragmentation as autonomy matures across domains and vendors? 

Panelists: 
Andrea Folgueiras, Global CTIO, Telefonica 
Colin Bannon, CTO Business, BT 
Cathal Kennedy, EVP & Group CTO, Telenor 
Sam Wang, General Manager of Huawei's ADN Solution, Huawei
Hans Neff, Deputy CTO European & American Regions, ZTE 

12:00
Closing remarks

Timings are provisional only and may be subject to change.