Telecoms.com Podcast Ericsson, AI and Nokia
Feb 2, 2026
Ibrahim Eldeftar, head of Cognitive Software & Services at Ericsson, brings deep radio and network automation expertise. He explains r‑apps and the RIC and why they matter. He explores how AI scales autonomous networks, programmable networks and developer ecosystems. The conversation closes with thoughts on 5G Advanced, early 6G themes and industry implications.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
R-Apps Provide Higher-Level Radio Control
- R-apps run on a centralized non-real RIC and control radio decisions at timescales above one second.
- They provide helicopter-view automation across cells to improve mobility, efficiency and user experience.
Lower Barriers To Grow R-App Ecosystem
- Use SMO/RIC programmability to expose northbound APIs and enable third-party R-app innovation.
- Build SDKs and low-code tools to lower developer entry barriers and grow the ecosystem.
SMO Enables Scalable, Open AI Automation
- The SMO layer standardizes north/south interfaces to scale AI and enable multi-vendor automation.
- That openness is what separates modern SMO autonomous networks from legacy SON solutions.