Driving Network Excellence in CALA

An Interview with Andreia Rezende Venturini, Sales Director CALA and Head of RAN Solutions for Americas Region at Aircom

In the fast-changing telecom landscape of the CALA region, operators face pressures from consolidation, modernization, and economic uncertainty. Aircom plays a critical role in helping them plan, optimize, and operate networks with confidence. We spoke with Andreia Venturini, Sales Director CALA and Head of RAN Solutions, about how Aircom supports operators in building efficient, future-ready networks.

Could you start by telling us a little about your career journey?

Andreia: I started as an R&D intern with focus on planning tools development and moved quickly into technical, project, pre-sales and sales roles across Latin America, North America, and Europe. Along the way, I built a strong foundation in both technology and business, which now helps me align Aircom’s solutions closely with customer needs.

What are some of the big challenges operators face in the CALA region today?

Andreia: The region is shaped by mergers, acquisitions, constant modernization pressures, regulator’s obligations, and high capital expenditure (CaPEX) to build out fiber, towers, small cells, data centers, and backhaul connectivity. Operational expenditure (OpEX) is also under pressure, especially the energy costs. Operators must deliver a reliable service while managing costs and navigating economic and political uncertainty.

In this environment, efficiency and resilience are non-negotiable, and that’s where Aircom supports them as an independent company.

How does Aircom help operators address these challenges?

Andreia: Aircom acts as an independent partner that strengthens planning, optimization, and operations. Our portfolio—SmartCM, Mentor, CogniSense, and the ASSET Suite—brings automation, governance, and flexibility across the entire RAN lifecycle.

Our platforms help around 30 operators in the CALA region with RAN planning, optimization, consolidation and integration. By supporting modernization and enabling spectrum reallocation, we have been helping operators maintain performance even during major transitions.

Automation and AI/ML are buzzwords in telecom today. How do they translate into real benefits?

Andreia: At Aircom, automation and AI/ML are practical tools that simplify operations and improve outcomes. SmartCM’s automated configuration audits, Mentor’s optimization features, and ASSET’s design intelligence all reduce manual effort, eliminate errors, and help operators make better investment decisions. The goal is not technology for its own sake—it’s making networks easier to run and more effective for customers.

What makes Aircom stand out in this space?

Andreia: Three things: integration, innovation, and independence. We deliver an integrated suite that covers planning through operations, embed automation and AI across solutions, and remain vendor-agnostic. That combination gives operators confidence that they can modernize, expand, or consolidate networks without being tied to a single vendor.

How do governmental rules and regulations affect the growth of telecom in CALA?

Andreia: Regulations play a huge role in how networks evolve here. The CALA region is so widespread that spectrum allocation, taxation, and licensing requirements vary significantly from one country to another, and sometimes even within the same market over time. Spectrum reorganization and network quality management become challenging. This creates uncertainty for operators who need to plan long-term investments.

At Aircom, we address this by ensuring our solutions are adaptable to different regulatory frameworks. For example, SmartCM helps enforce compliance automatically across multi-vendor networks, while our ASSET Suite ensures planning aligns with local spectrum rules. The ability to remain compliant while still optimizing performance is critical for operators to grow sustainably in the region, and it’s an area where we continue to provide strong support.

5G is often seen as the next big leap in telecom. How do you see its existence and adoption in CALA?

Andreia: 5G is already present in several CALA markets, but the pace of adoption varies widely. In some countries, the business case is still being tested, while in others, operators are pushing forward with commercial rollouts. What makes the transition challenging is the coexistence of multiple generations—2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G—within the same networks. This creates complexity in planning and operations.

Aircom helps operators navigate this by providing integrated, vendor-agnostic tools that support all technologies simultaneously. Whether it is spectrum refarming with Forte, advanced optimization through Mentor, or precise 5G planning with the ASSET Suite, our focus is on helping operators absorb 5G smoothly while maintaining performance and efficiency across legacy networks.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of Aircom in CALA?

Andreia: We see operators preparing for greater complexity in networks, and Aircom’s mission is to keep things manageable. With our integrated solutions and AI/ML-driven services, automation, governance, and advanced design, we help them with CaPEX and OpEX reduction, stay competitive and deliver high-quality experiences sustainably. That’s the impact we want to keep driving in the region.

Conclusion

Aircom continues to strengthen its position as a trusted partner to operators in CALA. By embedding automation, AI-driven insights, and vendor-neutral solutions across the RAN lifecycle, the company helps operators reduce costs, modernize with confidence, and deliver the reliable services their customers depend on.