Market Research on Autonomous Operations for Service Providers

This white paper presents the findings of a survey conducted by Heavy Reading in March 2025, focusing on the current state and future expectations of communications service providers (CSPs) regarding autonomous operations (AO). The report details responses from 107 global CSPs, outlining their progress in implementing AO and the emerging technologies that facilitate this transition, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and enhanced data management. It examines the challenges faced by CSPs, including cost and a shortage of skilled personnel, as well as their strategies for adopting large language models. The paper also highlights the distribution of respondents by service type and revenue, revealing that larger CSPs are generally further along in their AO maturity. Additionally, it discusses the anticipated developments in AO over the next 18 months, indicating a significant increase in participation in maturity level assessments among CSPs. The findings aim to provide insights into the evolving landscape of autonomous operations within the telecommunications sector.