• Telcos are leading the way in GenAI adoption
• KT develops AI-enabled voice phishing-detection system
• Ericsson’s RedCap, private 5G tech is put to the test

In today’s industry news roundup: The telco sector is ahead of the game in terms of generative AI (GenAI) adoption, according to a new study from SAS; South Korean telco KT is using AI to identify phishing phone calls; Ericsson’s 5G RedCap tech is being put through its paces in the Czech Republic, while its private mobile network solution is being tested in the Netherlands and Spain; and much more!

The telco industry is leading the way in generative AI (GenAI) adoption, according to a recent study of 1,600 GenAI strategy and data analytics decision-makers from around the world by Coleman Parkes Research on behalf of data analytics and AI software vendor SAS. According to the research, 70% of telcos are currently using GenAI and “have either fully implemented it or are running tests ahead of implementation into regular processes across departments, including marketing, sales and IT.” (One example, of course, is Orange, which recently outlined its adoption of GenAI.) The telco sector is ranked ahead of other industries in GenAI adoption, where an average of 54% of companies have fully or partially implemented the technology. The next highest adopters are retailers (66%), followed by banking and insurance firms (60%). The study also found that open-source large language models (LLM) are the most common approach to adopting LLMs among telcos, and that network operators “also plan to lead the way in terms of investment, with 89% expecting to invest in GenAI in the next financial year – the joint highest along with the insurance industry,” noted SAS. Mari Nilsson Björkman, telecom industry lead at SAS Northern Europe, stated: “It's not surprising to see the telco industry take the lead in the use and implementation of GenAI. Our research reveals that senior decision-makers not only recognise the significant advantages from using the technology but also appreciate its transformative potential, given that nearly one in three plan to adopt it across the entire enterprise. By leveraging GenAI, they see opportunities to enhance customer engagement through personalised interactions, improve predictive analytics for more informed decision-making, and strengthen their competitive positioning in a rapidly evolving market. However, they also recognise the critical importance of addressing associated risks. As the industry continues to innovate, it will be essential for telcos to navigate these challenges effectively to maximise the benefits of GenAI. By prioritising data privacy and security, they can fully harness the power of GenAI to enhance operations and better serve their customers,” she added. Read more. 

South Korean operator KT Corp. has developed an AI-enabled voice phishing-detection system that can warn people when they appear to be receiving suspect voice calls. The system comprises the Voice Phishing Detection AI Agent, which “converts phone voices into text in real time and uses the AI ​​SLM (small language model) to quickly detect contexts related to financial fraud,” and the AI Voice Phishing Suspected Number Notification Service, which notifies the customer of the suspicious activity. According to KT, “while existing voice phishing detection methods were limited to searching for keywords or patterns, which resulted in somewhat low accuracy, this technology three-dimensionally checks various risk situations, such as IDs, passwords, and requests for money. In terms of personal information protection, it has the advantage of operating in an ‘on-device’ manner that does not send analysis data to the outside, thereby preventing concerns about information leakage.” 

Nokia has added six new applications to its enterprise operational technology (OT) compute platform MX Industrial Edge (MXIE) “to help enterprises improve worker safety [and] site security, enhance operational efficiency, and secure OT environments in manufacturing, mining, ports and chemical industries.” The new applications for MXIE, which is part of Nokia’s private wireless networks product portfolio, are offered as a service: Details of the apps, which offer various safety and productivity functions based on mixed reality, AI and connectivity solutions, can be found in this announcement. The move is part of Nokia’s push to position itself as a key provider of tech to companies looking to run their own private wireless networks to improve their operations: According to research and consulting firm Analysys Mason, enterprises using private LTE/4G and 5G networks are expected to spend $6bn by 2030 on industrial applications enabling new use cases and enhancing existing ones. In a related move, Nokia also unveiled new ruggedised industrial devices, including routers and tablets, to “improve worker safety while operating in potentially dangerous or high-security industrial environments, such as mines, ports, [and] chemical and oil and gas facilities.” 

Ericsson has teamed up with two network operators in the Czech Republic, CETIN and O2, as well as device manufacturers Gemtek and Four-faith for tests in Prague of 5G use cases using the reduced capability (RedCap) solutions. The promise of RedCap is that it enables more energy-efficient internet of things (IoT) connectivity. One demo in Prague involved a RedCap-capable router and camera connected to an O2 5G base station (deployed using Ericsson products). “The camera transmitted data over the 5G network using RedCap and displayed the results on a web dashboard. The results showed that the device also supported power-saving mode, which is one of the features that reduce battery usage and extend device longevity,” noted Ericsson in this announcement.

Still with Ericsson… The giant Swedish vendor has deployed its private 5G solution at Schiphol Airport, the world’s third-busiest airport in terms of international passenger numbers, “to investigate the use cases of a cutting-edge private 5G network. The partnership is aimed at driving Schiphol’s digital transformation to a future-ready airport with robust digital infrastructure that supports next-generation services,” noted the vendor in this press release. The airport, which is based just outside Amsterdam and has been awarded its own spectrum licence by the Dutch regulator specifically for its private network, will work with Ericsson “to explore innovative applications of 5G technology, such as IoT-based monitoring, real-time safety systems, and predictive maintenance solutions.” 

And in a related move, Ericsson has deployed a private 5G network at the Extreme Testbed of the services as networks research unit of CTTC (Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya), which is based on the outskirts of Barcelona. “This private 5G system constitutes a powerful platform for research, experimentation and validation of new use cases and architectures envisioned in the evolution from 5G to 6G,” noted the vendor in this announcement.

Having already awarded a 5G licence to Telecom Egypt, which operates under the brand WE, the country’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has now also issued 5G licences to Vodafone Egypt, Orange, and e& Egypt, raising $675m from the latest awards, reports Egypt Today. The move heralds the nationwide launch of 5G services, which the country’s authorities hope will help it achieve its Vision 2030 goals. 

– The staff, TelecomTV