Ericsson Strengthens AI-Driven Network Automation Leadership with #1 Ranking from ABI Research

Ericsson Strengthens AI-Driven Network Automation Leadership with #1 Ranking from ABI Research

(IN BRIEF) Ericsson has been named the overall leader in ABI Research’s ranking of 5G RAN Automation Platform vendors, with its Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform securing the top position in both overall and implementation categories. The evaluation assessed innovation and commercial deployment across eight global vendors. EIAP has been adopted by CSPs including AT&T, Swisscom, Telstra and Vodafone, and is recognised for its open architecture, multi-vendor interoperability and extensive rApp ecosystem. With nearly 90 ecosystem members and approximately 90 rApps available, Ericsson continues to advance AI-powered automation, including the integration of Agentic AI to support higher levels of network autonomy. The recognition underscores Ericsson’s role in shaping AI-driven, open and autonomous 5G network operations.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 13-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Ericsson has been named the overall leader in ABI Research’s competitive ranking of 5G RAN Automation Platform vendors. The assessment evaluated eight global suppliers, scoring them across innovation and implementation categories before calculating an overall company ranking.

Ericsson secured the top position, with its Service Management and Orchestration platform – the Ericsson Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) – emerging as the leading solution in the RAN automation segment. In addition to achieving the highest overall score, EIAP was also ranked first in the implementation category, reflecting the scale and maturity of its commercial deployments.

ABI Research highlighted six live commercial references for EIAP across different phases of implementation. The platform has been selected by communication service providers (CSPs) across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, including AT&T, Swisscom, Telstra and Vodafone Group. The ranking also considered EIAP’s multi-vendor interoperability, integration capabilities, business model, geographic footprint and the breadth of its application ecosystem.

A central feature of EIAP is its open architecture, designed to accelerate innovation by enabling both pro-code and low-code development. The platform offers extensive developer support, including generative AI assistance, and is capable of managing purpose-built RAN systems, Cloud RAN deployments and third-party networks within a unified framework.

The report also recognised Ericsson’s rApp Directory and ecosystem, which now includes nearly 90 member companies, more than 20 of which are CSPs. Approximately 90 rApps have been made available through the ecosystem, with additional applications introduced through regular updates. Ericsson contributes more than 25 proprietary rApps, focused on enhancing automation, optimisation and operational efficiency.

ABI Research noted Ericsson’s efforts to integrate AI at scale within its RAN automation portfolio, including the combination of telecom domain expertise with public cloud Agentic AI capabilities. The integration of Agentic AI into rApps supports intent-based management and advances the industry’s progress toward higher levels of network autonomy, including Level 4 and Level 5 automation.

EIAP supports advanced AI-driven automation through consolidated data management, near-real-time data exposure, machine learning model execution and the introduction of GenAI-native capabilities. These features enable closed-loop automation and more intelligent network operations as CSPs pursue increased efficiency and commercial differentiation.

Anders Vestergren, Head of Solution Area Network Management at Ericsson, described the ranking as recognition of the company’s efforts to transform network engineering and operations through open ecosystems and AI-powered automation. Jean-Christophe Laneri, Head of SA Cognitive Network Solutions, highlighted the role of standardised interfaces such as R1 in enabling scalable deployment of AI-driven rApps across diverse telecom workflows.

Ericsson will present EIAP and its rApp ecosystem at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, showcasing demonstrations alongside partners and ecosystem members.

Media contact:
media.relations@ericsson.com

SOURCE: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson