The Appledore Research Podcast

The latest episode of the "Talking Transformation" podcast brings together industry perspectives from Appledore Research and Radisys to discuss a critical turning point for telecommunications. As broadband shifts from a modern luxury to an essential utility, operators are challenged to reconcile "commodity" service status with the need for rapid, continuous innovation.The conversation features Hans-Jörg Kolbe and Robert Soukup from Radisys, who detail how their Connect Modular Broadband (CMB) solution is enabling operators to take back control of their technical destiny.For a free and independent research report go to: https://appledoreresearch.com/report/radisys-connect-modular-broadband/Key Highlights & Strategic Insights1. The "Design to Cost" RevolutionThe genesis of Radisys’ modern broadband approach stems from a radical "Design to Cost" initiative at Deutsche Telekom, heavily inspired by the automotive industry (specifically BMW). By "tearing apart" hardware and software to create total transparency, Radisys applied lean manufacturing principles to telecom, identifying cost drivers and rebuilding systems from a "clean slate" to achieve step-change improvements in efficiency.2. Architecture Built on Intent and AbstractionAt the heart of the CMB solution is the move away from rigid, proprietary "black boxes" toward a modular, software-defined architecture. * Abstraction* Intent-Based Networking3. Real-Time Agility with Subscriber Session SteeringThe podcast highlights the power of **Subscriber Session Steering (BBF WT474)**, which allows the network to detect a "first sign of life" from a device and dynamically program its path through the network on the fly. 4. Setting the Foundation for AIWhile AI is the industry’s "hot topic," the guests argue that AI is only effective when built on a clean foundation. Radisys views automation in three steps:* Programmability: Ensuring the network can actually react to AI-driven commands.* Normalized Data: Correlating high-quality telemetry data so AI agents have a semantic understanding of the network.* AI Orchestration: Deploying agents that provide meaningful recommendations based on real data rather than just statistical guesses.5. The "Open Radisys" PhilosophyIn a move toward true **technological sovereignty, Radisys champions an "Open" philosophy. Unlike traditional vendors, Radisys offers complete transparency, allowing operators to:* Inspect and contribute to the source code.* Join internal testing and development cycles.* Perform software builds on their own premises to ensure maximum security and trust.

Talking Transformation: Navigating the AI Revolution with OrangeIn this episode of Talking Transformation, Robert Curran sits down with Olivier Simon, Head of Data and AI Initiatives at Orange, to explore the front lines of telecom’s autonomous future. With over 300 million customers across 26 countries, Orange is a global leader driving the industry toward Level 4 autonomous networks—a state of closed-loop, self-healing automation.Key Discussion Highlights:Strategic AI Implementation: Simon outlines how Orange utilizes AI across the entire network lifecycle, from optimizing multi-billion euro investments in site placement to fine-tuning thousands of radio access network (RAN) parameters.Driving Real ROI: The conversation delves into the pragmatic approach of targeting "high-cost pockets." For a group like Orange, where field services exceed €2 billion annually, even a 4–5% efficiency gain through AI and computer vision results in tens of millions of euros in savings.The Power of Digital Twins: Discover how Orange is breaking down traditional data silos. By creating digital twins, they build a unified representation of complex, multi-domain networks to automate incident management and analyze service impact in real-time.The Shifting Telecom Ecosystem: The episode examines the evolving boundaries between traditional operators, vendors (like Nokia and Ericsson), and hyperscalers (Google, AWS, Microsoft). Simon highlights how the "rules of the game" are changing as data-native companies enter the network space.Agile Innovation in the Era of GenAI: With AI technology accelerating at an unprecedented pace, Orange has shifted from long-term project cycles to pragmatic six-month cycles. This allows them to stay current with breakthroughs like Generative AI, Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and AI agents.This episode offers insight on how this pioneering operator is balancing long-term visionary goals with immediate operational efficiency. Essential listening for industry professionals looking to understand the cultural and technical shifts required to move from traditional standardization to a fast-paced, IT-centric way of working.As the industry moves toward a "super intelligent" future, Simon provides a roadmap for staying relevant: be pragmatic, embrace open source, and prioritize short, impactful innovation cycles.

What do autonomous networks mean for the traditional big systems integration effort that has been such a feature of developing more automated, integrated telecom operations? Robert is joined by Appledore Principal Analysts Grant Lenahan and Shanthi Ravindran who discuss the topic and the findings from a newly released research report.

Buckle up! In this episode of Talking Transformation, Robert Curran hosts a discussion with the winners of the AWS-sponsored hackathon winners from Fyuz25, Stephen Dillon and Kevin Collins. They delve into the transformative impact of AI in telecom, highlighting their innovative agentic AI platform for network optimization. The conversation explores the challenges and opportunities in integrating AI into telecom operations, emphasizing the need for a shift in mindset and processes to fully harness AI's potential.KeywordsAI, telecom, network optimization, agentic AI, AWS, Fyuz HackathonTakeawaysAI is revolutionizing telecom operations.Agentic AI can optimize RAN networks efficiently.Stephen Dillon and Kevin Collins won the AWS/Fyuz Hackathon.AI integration requires a shift in mindset and processes.The hackathon project involved a nine-agent platform.Data efficiency is crucial in AI-driven telecom solutions.AI can significantly reduce network operation costs.Trust in AI systems is essential for widespread adoption.The project demonstrated the potential of digital twins.AI's role in telecom is expanding rapidly.

In this episode of Talking Transformation, Robert Curran discusses the evolution of autonomous networks in the telecom industry with Dr. Tomek Gersberg from Axiata. They explore Axiata's ambitious A3 transformation strategy, the challenges of implementing automation, the importance of data management, and the potential collaboration with hyperscalers. The conversation emphasizes the need for openness and interoperability in telecom, as well as the financial considerations that drive these transformations.

In this episode of Talking Transformation, Robert Curran and Francis Haysom discuss the evolving concept of digital twins in the telecom industry. They explore the historical context, current applications, and future potential of digital twins, particularly in relation to AI and network resilience. The conversation highlights the importance of real-time data and the role of digital twins in enhancing decision-making processes within telecom operations.

Robert, Patrick and Grant discuss the key themes and takeaways from conversations at the TM Forum's Innovate Americas event, September 2025.

Shanthi Ravindran provides reflections on the FutureNet World Asia event held in Singapore, September 2025.

Amidst all the excitement around AI, the experiences of Telstra are a reminder that getting the foundations right is the real key to successful transformation. Mark Sanders, Chief Architect and Head of Autonomous Networks and AI Enablement explains how architectural choices and principles have helped Telstra realize billions in savings, and set it up to be able to respond at scale to future customer demand for AI and other new services.