Nokia Drives Simplification for Vodafone Qatar’s Network Operations

Global network technology leader Nokia is playing a pivotal role in driving simplification and enhanced capabilities for operators like Vodafone Qatar towards autonomous networks, an official has said.

Raghav Sahgal, president of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said operators worldwide are investing heavily in automation to achieve network simplification and management, bringing more reliability and reducing the complexity of these networks.

“The ultimate goal of autonomous networks is to create this end-to-end automation. This preparation is not just for 5G, but for the upcoming 'Gs' that come along, where you will have to run these networks much more autonomously,” Sahgal told Gulf Times in an exclusive interview.

He noted that automation is not merely a buzzword but a necessity for modern networks. “Cloud brings automation, and these networks are becoming complex; hence, automation has become one of the key topics,” he further pointed out.

Sahgal explained that while human intervention will always be present, the sheer volume of data generated by these networks “demands a more automated approach.”

He said, “Human augmentation will continue, but it’s essential to manage the growing complexity of networks and data effectively. By integrating concepts like AI and security, we can create an autonomous network fabric that requires less human intervention.”

Sahgal also noted that the transition to autonomous networks presents unique challenges: “As companies automate many human tasks, they have to make sure that in this process, everyone involved understands those tasks.”

He underscored the importance of responsible implementation, especially when integrating artificial intelligence (AI). “The primary hurdle in moving from a traditional to an autonomous network is how I can rely on tools and capabilities to be able to do that responsibly,” said Sahgal, who also reassured that “the current technologies are sufficient and continuously improving, leading to a push for automation while also augmenting human capabilities.”

According to Sahgal, Nokia’s partnership with Vodafone Qatar exemplifies this forward-thinking approach.

“Human augmentation will always be there, but these tools are also there to make sure that we as humans are dealing with so much complexity and so much data that we have the right tools of automation and artificial intelligence to help guide us in managing these networks better and better,” he emphasised.

Sahgal also lauded Vodafone Qatar's vision, affirming that “this is the right move as you get into and scale 5G. These are necessary steps that you have to take to be able to overcome the challenges of these modern networks and manage them.”

Nokia's “comprehensive end-to-end capability” is crucial in this transition, moving beyond just mobile networks, he pointed out. “For Nokia, 5G is not about just mobility, it's about the end-to-end capability of being able to provide all of the necessary technology, and that's our value proposition,” he emphasised.

He explained that a core component of this modernisation is Nokia's digital operations software, particularly in the realm of AI-driven assurance and 5G slicing automation.

“In the 5G era, delivering much higher performance and deterministic performance is paramount. Deterministic performance means if you want a certain amount of bandwidth and you want that guaranteed without fluctuation, you can deliver a slice of a network to that enterprise or the consumer,” Sahgal added.