Thai telco True boasts level 4 automation

• Telcos around the world are introducing automated network operations
• Industry organisation the TM Forum devised a scale to track autonomous network levels a few years ago
• Thailand’s True Corp. has achieved autonomous network (AN) level 4.0 validation, as high as any operator has currently achieved on the AN scale, for two of its processes
• The TM Forum has awarded dozens of Autonomous Network Level Assessment Validation (ANLAV) certificates network operators, including True

Thailand’s True Corp. has achieved TM Forum level 4.0 Autonomous Network Level Assessment Validation (ANLAV), the joint highest level currently achieved by any operator worldwide, for two processes, ‘service assurance for individual services’ and ‘RAN energy-efficiency optimisation’.

True boasts it is “the first and only operator in Thailand to register significant advances in these two high-value scenarios. This achievement reflects True’s commitment to developing an intelligent network that delivers an enhanced customer experience while supporting environmental sustainability,” the operator stated in this announcement. 

The move is notable as operators all over the world are working hard to introduce automated network operations in order to achieve greater efficiencies, be able to better deal with fast-changing network scenarios and to improve customer experience.  

To track the progress being made by telcos, industry body the TM Forum devised a scale of autonomous network levels that starts at level 0 (full manual operations with no automation) and goes up to level 5, (a fully autonomous network covering all scenarios, which would be the ultimate ‘zero-touch’ end-to-end automated network environment).  

Both of True Corp’s projects were evaluated by TM Forum as “complete case studies with operator-grade capabilities that service providers can actually implement, designed under policies that prioritise service quality and customer experience,” noted the operator. 

The ‘service assurance for individual services’ capabilities, developed by True in collaboration with Ericsson, represent “an AI-driven system capable of fully autonomous network management with maximum efficiency under current conditions. The intent-based operation (IBO) technology works like an ‘AI operations team’, managing network quality 24 hours a day,” noted True, adding that the system  analyses more than 80 key performance indicators (KPIs) to predict issues and optimise in advance before they impact network usage. You can read about Ericsson’s involvement in this separate announcement. 

True also received level 4.0 certification in the RAN energy-efficiency optimisation category for “an AI project that provides comprehensive base-station energy management. It intelligently manages energy by reducing consumption when there is no usage and automatically reactivating base stations immediately when demand appears. The system maintains signal quality at maximum efficiency while AI automatically increases or reduces power in line with user volume,” noted True. 

Khurrum Ashfaque, the operator’s chief network officer, stated: “Receiving both autonomous network level 4.0 certifications from TM Forum marks a significant milestone for True, reflecting our commitment to elevating our customers’ network experience to world-class standards while managing energy sustainably for the environment. We are moving toward becoming a world-class intelligent network service provider and advancing toward an autonomous network capable of managing itself with maximum efficiency by leveraging advanced artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver superior service quality to customers and continuously support Thailand’s digital infrastructure growth with cutting-edge technology.”

George Glass, CTO at the TM Forum, added: “I am delighted to congratulate True Corp. on being the first mobile operator in Thailand to achieve these two autonomous network level 4.0 validations from TM Forum. This achievement marks an important milestone for Thailand’s telecommunications industry and reflects a genuine commitment by True Corp. to using AI technology to enhance customer experience in both service assurance and environmentally sustainable energy management.”

The TM Forum also used the occasion of its Innovate Asia 2025 event in Bangkok to award 35 new Autonomous Network Level Assessment Validation (ANLAV) certificates to 21 network operators. 

The telcos in question are: AIS; China Mobile (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Henan); China Telecom (Anhui, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hubei, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang); China Unicom; DNB Malaysia; Globe Telecom; LG Uplus; MTN South Africa; Ooredoo Kuwait; stc; Softbank; and True. The operators were supported in their automation efforts by key vendor partners including Ericsson, Huawei, IBM and ZTE. 

A total of 48 ANLAV certificates have been awarded since the launch of the programme in June 2025.

The TM Forum’s Glass noted: “Progress is being made on industry’s ambition to harness the benefits of AN level 4 maturity, but there is still work to do. These companies are leading the way, proving that our roadmap – built on standardisation, collaboration and proven frameworks – delivers real results: Lower costs, greater resilience and new service innovation.”

In its announcement about the certificate awards, the forum noted: “These awards celebrate pioneering achievements in energy efficiency, operational excellence, new service delivery and cost reduction. Across Asia, individual operators are reporting saving thousands of person-years of work annually, improving service activation efficiency by more than 70%, boosting first-call resolution rates, and cutting network downtime by tens of thousands of hours each month by achieving higher levels of autonomy. These outcomes demonstrate how TM Forum’s collaborative roadmap is unlocking new value, driving transformation and setting the pace for the future of autonomous networks.”

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV