The operator-led alliance argues that targeted simplification across radio, core and transport networks is becoming essential to manage cost, complexity and sustainability in 5G deployments
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) has published a new white paper outlining how mobile network operators should approach the simplification of their 5G networks, warning that rising architectural and operational complexity risks undermining efficiency, sustainability and service innovation.
The paper, Framework for Network Simplification – An Operator View, focuses on how operators can prioritise technologies and organisational changes depending on their stage of 5G deployment. Rather than prescribing a single blueprint, NGMN proposes a structured framework to help operators decide where simplification delivers the greatest benefit and where challenges are likely to outweigh near-term gains.
At the core of the recommendations is a three-step approach. Operators are first encouraged to map key technology enablers, such as cloud-native architectures, artificial intelligence and federated network services, to the network domains where they can reduce total cost of ownership and operational complexity. The second step is a realistic assessment of the challenges involved in adopting those enablers, including ecosystem maturity, legacy dependencies and organisational constraints. The final step is prioritisation, taking into account each operator’s network maturity, regulatory environment and commercial objectives.
Three models
The paper distinguishes between three broad operator archetypes: advanced 5G operators with cloud-native standalone cores, mid-stage operators rolling out 5G non-standalone while preparing for standalone, and early-stage operators still largely reliant on LTE and legacy technologies.
For advanced operators, NGMN argues that simplification efforts should focus less on radio hardware consolidation and more on service creation, cross-domain orchestration and AI-driven service assurance. These operators are also encouraged to accelerate fibre deployment in the transport network and improve data readiness for AI use cases in both the radio access network and the core.
Mid-stage operators, by contrast, are advised to prioritise data readiness and AI-assisted network planning to reduce the complexity of ongoing 5G roll-outs. For these operators, decommissioning 2G and 3G remains a secondary priority where voice services are still dependent on legacy networks, while organisational transformation towards agile working is seen as increasingly urgent.
Early-stage operators are encouraged to make foundational choices that avoid locking in future complexity. NGMN suggests that these operators consider skipping intermediate virtualised core architectures in favour of cloud-native dual 4G and 5G cores, while focusing on radio hardware consolidation, fibre adoption in transport and early organisational change.
Chairman of the NGMN Alliance Board and Orange Group CTO Laurent Leboucher said network simplification needed to be “a core pillar of network evolution strategies – across both architecture and operations”, adding that the framework was intended to help operators assess trade-offs in line with their own constraints and goals.
NGMN chief executive Anita Döhler said the guidance reflects growing concern among operators that complexity is increasing faster than their ability to manage it. “As mobile networks become ever more complex, MNOs need to constantly strive to introduce simplification in how they create, deploy, expose and manage their differentiated service offerings,” she said.
The alliance said it will now incorporate network simplification targets into its work on cloud-native networks, automation and 6G, and plans to gather implementation experience from its members to refine the framework further.
