AI Native Telco Forum 2026

Attending AI Native Telco Forum 2026? Book a meeting with our solution experts at Rakuten Symphony.

MWC Sessions

Rakuten Symphony experts will appear

Moving from AI-enabled
to AI-native

AI is rapidly becoming central to telecom networks but most operators are still navigating the gap between experimentation and scaled deployment.

We believe Intelligent Growth is not just about adopting AI, it is about architectural transformation. Drawing on our experience operationalizing Rakuten Mobile, the world’s first fully cloud-native, AI-driven network, we are helping operators move from fragmented legacy systems to a unified, software-defined future.
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At the AI-Native Telco Forum, we will discuss what it takes to make AI deployable, scalable, and outcome-driven in telecom operations.

Our focus areas:

The OSS advantage

Transforming legacy operations into autonomous, self-healing, and software-driven systems.

The evolution path

With 6G being a key decision for operators, the AI-native foundation we build today is the essential prerequisite for the next generation of connectivity.

Operational scale

How to break down data silos to ensure AI is the core, not a peripheral layer.

TM Forum Catalyst Project

Hyperconnected Intelligent Network of Trust (HINT) for Supply Chain

We’re participating in the TM Forum Catalyst program, where service providers, technology suppliers, and global enterprises collaborate on proof-of-concept projects to solve shared industry challenges and accelerate innovation. This year, we’re part of the Hyperconnected Intelligent Network of Trust (HINT) for Supply Chain, working with champions and participants to explore new approaches to trust, intelligence, and coordination across the supply chain.

Meet our team of experts on the floor to explore the blueprint for success.

What we’ll be discussing

Ecosystem Architects

Forging the Future of Connectivity & Commerce

Monday, 2 March 2026

Two different perspectives, infinite opportunity. Rakuten and VEON join to share how telecom operators and their partners can create new digital ecosystems using existing strengths and assets. Mickey and Kaan will present replicable blueprints for unlocking new revenue growth and customer value in mature and emerging markets alike. As telecom grapples with stagnant ARPU, massive infrastructure investments and the emergence of digital-native competitors, this session reveals actionable insights for operators and industry stakeholders seeking value creation strategies beyond connectivity.

Mickey Mikitani

Group CEO,
Rakuten Group

Kaan Terzioğlu

Group CEO,  
VEON

STRATEGIC INTENT

Panel: AI leadership and accountability

Tuesday, 8th September, 14:00-14:45 CEST

Who owns the AI transformation at the top of the organisation and can they make a credible business case when they get there? Operators with the most impressive AI deployments often lack either the dedicated leadership to direct them or the financial frameworks to prove their worth at board level. Do dedicated C-suite AI roles translate into better strategic outcomes, and why do the most capable operators struggle to connect AI activity to financial accountability? What does it take to build a board-ready AI business case?

Abir Hossain

Vice President, Technology & Operations Development Elisa

Pascal Prot

CEO
Legos - Local Exchange Global Operation Services

Vivek Chadha

Global Head Strategic Growth
Rakuten Symphony

Keynote topic: Is there another way to evolve networks? Building 6G as an opportunity

Wednesday, 9th September, 09:15 – 10:15 CET

As AI models become increasingly accessible, sustainable competitive advantage depends less on algorithms and more on an organization’s ability to unify data, break down silos, and align teams around business outcomes. This session explores how AI-first organizations create the foundations for enterprise-wide transformation by connecting data, products, and customer experiences. Attendees will gain insights into how leading digital businesses use AI to enhance customer engagement, improve retention, accelerate innovation, and unlock new growth opportunities through strong leadership and organizational alignment.

Enrique Blanco

Strategic Advisor
Rakuten Symphony

Miguel Angel Alvarez Bernado

Chief Data & AI Officer
Orange Business

Sef Tuma

CTIO
BT International

Hesham Fahmy

CIO
Telus

EXECUTION EVIDENCE

Presentations and Q&A: The fully autonomous NOC

Wednesday, 9th September, 12:15 – 13:00 CEST

Delivering Level 4 autonomous network capabilities in live production environments demands more than technical ambition — it requires operational discipline at every layer. Closed-loop automation, AI-driven decisioning, and intent-based orchestration must work in concert to drive measurable impact across fault resolution, efficiency, and customer experience. Yet scaling autonomy across domains while keeping service reliability intact remains the defining challenge — and the organizations making real progress are the ones treating control and autonomy not as opposites, but as a continuum.

Gaurav Jain

Vice President AI and Data Products
Rakuten Symphony

Aaron Boasman-Patel

Vice President, Innovation
TM Forum

Sef Tuma

CTIO
BT International

Hesham Fahmy

CIO
Telus

Discover more at Rakuten Booth Theater Sessions

10:00 - 10:30 am

Building the Intelligent RAN: AI, Massive MIMO, Open RAN, and the Future of Autonomous Telecom Networks

Speakers:

Mark Reudink

VP, Products, Battelle

Faisal Ghazaleh

VP of Solutions – EMEA, Rakuten Symphony

11:00 - 11:30 am

Why is Growth So Hard? Redefining Success for Telcos to Unlock Real Revenue

Speakers:

Dawood Shahdad

SVP, Hybrid MNO, Boost Mobile

Sandeep Arora

Senior Vice President (APAC & MEA), Rakuten Symphony

Peter Jarich

Head of GSMA Intelligence

Wissam Haddad

Strategy-Business Development-operations, Accenture

12:00 - 12:30 pm

AI-RAN at Scale: Engineering the Intelligent, Open, and Autonomous Telecom Network

Speakers:

Frank Elter

Chief Scientist, Telenor

Mark Reudink

VP, Products, Battelle

Balmukund Prasad

Sr Dir, Solutions Architecture, Rakuten Symphony

Anand Chandrasekher

Founder, CEO, Aira Technologies

14:00 - 14:30 pm

Mapping AI Investment to Business Outcomes: What Metrics Matter Most

Speakers:

Faiq Khan

SVP Global Sales OSS BU, Rakuten Symphony