Nokia claims operators can realize cost savings of at least 70% by removing humans from the process of forecasting network performance requirements and detecting issues before they occur.

“We expect this activity to accelerate in 2021 as telcos search for cost savings," MTN Consulting's Matt Walker said.

Patience is a rare virtue in technology, but that’s exactly what AT&T and other 5G proprietors are calling for.

The quartet of operators, which includes Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone, did not commit to any new timelines for broad open RAN deployments.

During the next six months, PwC expects 5G coverage to reach 80% of the U.S. population and 12% of wireless customers to own 5G-compatible devices.

“We now have enough evidence from early adopters to suggest that 5G is going to be a long slog, even after the COVID-19 pandemic is resolved,” MTN Consulting CEO

The multibillion dollar deals cement the Swedish and Finnish vendors as the exclusive RAN suppliers for T-Mobile

Nokia's shift to cloud infrastructure has been swift following the August appointment of its new CEO Pekka Lundmark.

“Everything you want is just outside of your comfort zone, so we need to be cognizant of that,” CTA's Tiffany Moore said.

A former SoftBank employee and current employee of Rakuten Mobile was arrested for allegedly stealing SoftBank's data and then sharing that information with Rakuten.

“The legacy of 5G depends 100% on the people who use it," Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said at CES.

Intel and Red Hat want to address challenges that operators and enterprises confront in 5G and help develop technology that is more flexible and automated at lower costs.

The cloud-based software added to Mavenir’s portfolio include platforms for webscale deployments, AI and analytics, multi-access edge computing, and digital enablement.

The analysts expect cloud computing to pervade 5G networks, including the core, radio access network, and edge, but frames this transition as a years-long effort.

“F5 and Volterra will introduce Edge 2.0, an open edge platform that will allow every service to run on any server, virtual or otherwise, inclusive of public clouds,” said

“The world’s crazy this year and there’s so much headwinds and tailwinds, but T-Mobile is persisting, we’re outgrowing everyone in this industry consistently,” CEO Mike Sievert said.

“I think it’s going to play out over a longer period of time than people currently anticipate,” Equinix CEO Charles Meyers said.

“I really do believe the hyperscalers are going to become the new telecom providers going forward," Mavenir's John Baker said.

ABI Research recently flipped its proverbial crystal ball upside down and refreshingly predicted a series of outcomes that will not occur in 2021.

Most operators experienced slight declines in revenue growth and flat profit margins, but much of their business was unaffected by the COVID-19 crisis.

The world’s leading cloud providers hastened their collective rise in mobile operator’s 5G networks and business models throughout 2020.

The year that unraveled and continues to highlight the best and worst in all of us ends with all three major U.S. carriers claiming nationwide 5G coverage.

Rural U.S. carriers most impacted by the “rip and replace” mandate have been lobbying for a government reimbursement to offset the costs of swapping out equipment considered insecure.

“The only way to get these radios to the market and open ecosystem is by doing our own development," Mavenir's John Baker said.