Vodafone and Ericsson trial network-native AI for real-time translation and noise-free calls

• Vodafone and Ericsson have successfully demonstrated two AI-powered voice services, real-time noise cancellation and language translation, running directly within the mobile network.
• The innovation combines Vodafone’s application server and AI platform with Ericsson’s AI gateway and core network technology, enabling advanced features on any mobile phone without needing specialized apps.
• The lab trial marks a key milestone in Vodafone and Ericsson’s joint "Core Network of the Future" program, established to develop and validate new technologies to evolve networks into intelligent platforms for new communication services.  

Vodafone Group and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) have successfully trialed two pioneering, network-native AI-powered voice services that will transform the experience of a standard mobile phone call. The trial demonstrated real-time noise cancellation for crystal-clear audio, and in-call language translation to break down communication barriers, all without requiring specialized apps or new phone hardware.

The achievement is a key milestone from the companies’ joint "Core Network of the Future" program, an initiative designed to explore how advanced AI capabilities can be embedded directly into a communications service provider’s network, turning it into an intelligent platform for innovation. Delivering these services from within the network, rather than through individual apps or devices, means they can reach any customer on any handset by default, giving Vodafone a scalable route to introduce new capabilities to consumer and enterprise customers over time.

The technical breakthrough was made possible by integrating Vodafone-developed application server and AI engines with Ericsson’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), using APIs to seamlessly bridge telecom and AI domains. This architecture allows the network to apply AI-driven intelligence to voice calls as they are processed. The two use cases demonstrated were:

• AI-based noise cancellation: This service intelligently identifies and removes background noise in real time, ensuring call clarity for users in loud environments like busy streets, public transport, or construction sites.
• AI-based real-time language translation: This service translates a conversation between two different languages live during the call, enabling seamless communication between people who do not share a common language.

Marco Zangani, Director of Network Strategy and Architecture, Vodafone, said: “AI is giving the mobile network back its voice. More than 50 years after the first mobile call, innovation is accelerating and shifting back into the network. Over the past few years, we have built the infrastructure, data capabilities and safeguards needed to unlock AI for our customers to converse more clearly.”

Nadine Allen, Head of UK and responsible for Vodafone Group at Ericsson, said: "This successful trial with Vodafone is a critical demonstration of how network-native AI can redefine the mobile experience. By integrating Vodafone's powerful AI capabilities with Ericsson's core network and media processing technologies, we are proving that sophisticated services like real-time translation and noise cancellation can be delivered seamlessly. This is a crucial step toward creating more intelligent, programmable networks that unlock new value for customers."

This successful trial reflects a wider industry shift already underway, as operators increasingly explore how to deliver AI-powered services natively through their networks. By moving intelligence from the device to the network, operators can accelerate innovation, ensure quality of service, and deliver new value to both consumers and enterprises.