Year 2024 in Review with Atul Jain

An interview with Atul Jain, CEO, Aircom

As the year draws to a close, Atul Jain, the CEO of Aircom shares his 2024 review: how the company fared, what challenges it faced, and what the future looks like.

Thank you for joining us, Atul. As 2024 comes to a close, how would you describe the year for Aircom?

Atul Jain: This has been an exciting and challenging year for Aircom. The telecom industry has been undergoing rapid transformations, and we’ve worked hard to stay ahead of the curve. 2024 has been a year of adaptation, learning and innovation.

What were some of the biggest challenges Aircom faced this year?

Atul Jain: One of the significant challenges in 2024 was the ongoing pressure on telecom operators to balance innovation with cost efficiency. Many operators are navigating the complexities of 5G deployment, Open RAN integration, and sustainability goals. Our challenge was to ensure our solutions could address these evolving needs while maintaining a focus on scalability and cost-effectiveness.

Another challenge was talent acquisition. As the demand for expertise in cloud-native technologies and AI-driven solutions increased, attracting and retaining top talent became a critical focus area for us.

Can you elaborate more on the pressures operators are facing today?

Atul Jain: Absolutely. While operators have invested heavily in 5G infrastructure, translating this investment into revenue has been slower than anticipated. Consumer adoption of 5G services has been steady but not at the level required to offset the costs. Furthermore, enterprise applications, which were expected to drive significant growth, are still in early stages of adoption.

Reducing operational expenditures (OPEX) has also become a priority. Operators are under pressure to streamline operations, adopt automation, and find ways to do more with less. This is particularly crucial as they manage increasingly complex networks with limited resources. At Aircom, we’ve focused on providing solutions that help operators navigate these financial and operational challenges effectively.

What were some of the key wins for Aircom in 2024?

Atul Jain: Here is a sample of highlights that I would like to share:

• In partnership with Magenta in Austria, we evolved our Configuration Management solution towards RAN Orchestration, enabling a more dynamic and efficient approach to network management. This is strategic for Magenta to manage and monetize their 5G network. We plan to continue investing and innovating in this area in 2025.
• STC in Saudi Arabia chose us to modernize their Radio Planning ecosystem with our ASSET solution, improving their planning accuracy and operational efficiency.
• For MTN South Africa, we piloted our Advanced Propagation Model to deliver accurate predictions in a framework that tightly integrates with Asset Suite. This is a major milestone to achieve significant improvements in their network planning capabilities. It also provides MTN a gateway to enhance the radio propagation modeling tuned to their needs in partnership with Aircom.
• Beyond these, we’ve increased the focus on workflow automation for all of our products. For instance, we automated National Coverage reporting, allowing operators to generate actionable insights faster and more accurately. We also introduced Roll-out monitoring automation, which streamlines tracking and management of network deployment projects.

Another win for us was expanding our global footprint. We secured new partnerships in Southeast Asia and South America, where 5G adoption is gaining momentum. These partnerships have positioned us as a key player in emerging markets.

Looking ahead, where do you see Aircom focusing its investments in the future?

Atul Jain: Our primary focus areas for the future include:

• AI and Machine Learning: We’ll continue to enhance our AI-driven solutions to provide more predictive and prescriptive capabilities for network management and optimization.
• Automation: Developing tools and frameworks that help operators achieve their automation goals will remain a priority. This includes workflow automation, network planning automation, and optimization solutions.
• More APPS and API around our core products: As demand for tailored solutions grows across industries, we plan to invest in developing more applications and APIs that extend the capabilities of our core products, enabling customization and flexibility for our customers in manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and beyond.
• Talent Development: We’ll also be investing in building our team’s expertise, particularly in areas like cloud-native technologies and AI.

Any final thoughts as we wrap up?

Atul Jain: 2024 has been a year of transformation for both Aircom and the telecom industry as a whole. While challenges persist, I’m optimistic about the future. With the right focus and investments, we can continue to drive innovation and create meaningful impacts in the industry. I’d like to thank our team, partners, and customers for their trust and collaboration—we couldn’t have achieved these milestones without them.

Thank you, Atul, for sharing these insights. We look forward to seeing what 2025 holds for Aircom.