Automation: The New RAN Imperative

Telecom networks are expanding at unprecedented speed. Each new generation—from 2G to 5G, and soon 6G—brings more sites, more data, and more complexity. Yet many operators still rely on manual or semi-manual processes to plan, optimize, and configure their networks. These legacy methods simply cannot keep pace with today’s demands. The industry has reached an inflection point where automation is no longer optional—it is imperative.

The Problem with Manual Methods

Manual network planning and optimization may have sufficed when networks were smaller and less dynamic. Today, however, mobile operators are expected to:

• Roll out thousands of new 5G sites in record time.
• Guarantee quality of experience for customers who demand high-definition streaming, gaming, and IoT connectivity.
• Continuously refarm and optimize spectrum to squeeze the most out of every MHz.
• Ensure full compliance with corporate, regulatory, and vendor requirements.

Doing all this through spreadsheets, siloed tools, or ad-hoc processes creates bottlenecks, delays, and inconsistencies. Worse, it drives up OPEX at a time when margins are under pressure.

Automation Across the RAN Lifecycle

Automation changes the game by embedding intelligence, speed, and repeatability into every stage of the RAN lifecycle. At Aircom, we enable this through a set of complementary platforms that work together.

1. Radio Planning Automation with ASSET Suite

In the design phase, automation reduces the time and effort required to generate accurate, future-proof plans. The ASSET Suite uses advanced algorithms, automated workflows, and geo-intelligence to deliver precise coverage and capacity designs. Engineers can:

• Quickly compare multiple rollout scenarios.
• Incorporate evolving technologies like 5G or Open RAN.
• Avoid costly over-design or under-provisioning.

The result: faster rollouts, reduced engineering effort, and higher confidence in network performance.

2. Radio Optimization Automation with Mentor + ASSET CX

Once the network is live, optimization must be continuous. Manual drive tests and troubleshooting are too slow and costly to keep up with subscriber expectations. Mentor addresses this with automation-driven solutions such as Virtual Drive Tests, automated problem detection, and digital-twin-based diagnostics.

At the same time, the ASSET CX app extends automation into the customer’s pocket. By collecting on-device experience data directly from subscribers, ASSET CX closes the loop between network KPIs and actual user experience. This provides operators with:

• Real-time visibility into service quality at street level.
• Faster identification of coverage gaps and experience hotspots.
• Automated insights that feed back into optimization and planning.

Together, Mentor and ASSET CX ensure that optimization is not only network-centric, but also experience-centric.

3. Network Build Automation with SmartCM

Configuration management has traditionally been one of the most error-prone and time-consuming parts of network build and expansion. SmartCM addresses this with a “zero-touch” approach to configuration audits, updates, and compliance checks.

Through automated governance and central orchestration, operators gain:

• Faster, error-free site integrations.
• Continuous alignment with business and regulatory rules.
• End-to-end visibility across multi-vendor, multi-technology environments.

This allows new sites and services to come online quickly and reliably, without the hidden costs of rework.

The Future is Automated

The RAN lifecycle is no longer linear — it is dynamic, interconnected, and continuous. Planning informs optimization, optimization guides configuration, and configuration feeds back into planning. Without automation, this cycle becomes too complex to manage.

Looking ahead, automation will only grow more pivotal. As operators prepare for network slicing, private 5G, and ultimately 6G, the ability to design, optimize, and build with speed and precision will define competitive advantage.

Aircom’s Automation Imperative

At Aircom, we see automation not just as a tool, but as the foundation of modern network management. With the ASSET Suite, Mentor, ASSET CX, and SmartCM, operators can transition from reactive, manual processes to a proactive, intelligent, and fully governed RAN lifecycle.

In short: manual approaches can’t keep up. The future belongs to those who embrace automation — today.