Swedish telecom major, Ericsson has introduced a new Agentic rApp as-a-Service (rApp aaS) on Amazon Web Services (AWS), to make it easier for Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to pursue greater network autonomy.
The offering, available via AWS Marketplace, is designed to boost deployment of radio applications (rApps) by combining Agentic AI for reasoning and workflow coordination with generative AI-based natural language interfaces. Ericsson said the service is aimed at simplifying network optimization and reducing operational complexity as operators move toward Level 4 autonomous networks.
Agentic AI meets open RAN architecture
The new rApp aaS is hosted on AWS and connects to the Non-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC) within the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework via the R1 interface, the open and standardized interface defined by the O-RAN Alliance. By aligning with SMO open architecture principles, Ericsson is targeting CSPs building multi-vendor, cloud-native Open RAN environments.
A central feature of the launch is the integration of Agentic AI, which Ericsson describes as enabling reasoning and coordination of network optimization workflows. The solution also incorporates generative AI to provide a natural language interface, allowing operations teams to “talk” to the network by translating plain-language instructions into automated actions executed by the AI-powered system.
The as-a-service model is intended to provide scalability, flexibility and cost control, while eliminating the need for heavy upfront capital expenditure typically associated with on-premises infrastructure builds.
Field testing underway
Field trials are already in progress with several global CSPs. Vivo is the first operator to test the solution in a live environment, working jointly with Ericsson and AWS.
Elmo Matos, Director of Mobile Network Core and Deployment at Vivo, said: “Collaborating with Ericsson on this initiative allows us to test different applications of artificial intelligence aimed at enhancing network experience. With AWS support, we will explore the rApp aaS model and expand AI-driven functionalities, focusing on improving network capacity and automation on a national scale.”
Ericsson said the launch builds on its existing AI-driven optimization footprint, noting that its AI solutions currently process more than 100 million AI inferences daily across 11 million cells serving over 2 billion subscribers worldwide.
Cloud-native automation model
Fabio Cerone, Managing Director of the EMEA Telco business unit at AWS, framed the launch as a shift in how operators consume automation capabilities.
“Ericsson’s launch of Agentic rApp as a Service represents a major milestone in the telecom industry, combining Ericsson’s proven telecom leadership with AWS leading cloud and AI capabilities,” Cerone said. “This as-a-Service model transforms how communications service providers can consume network automation expertise on-demand through AWS.”
According to AWS, its global infrastructure footprint enables telecom providers to scale innovation while reducing operational complexity and avoiding the capital intensity of traditional infrastructure expansion.
Industry analysts view the move as differentiated in a crowded rApp market.
James Crawshaw, Practice Leader at Omdia, said: “While many in the market now claim to provide rApps, only a small number have demonstrated successful, production-level deployments with ORAN-compliant interfaces. And no other vendor offers a comparable rApp-as-a-Service solution. These two aspects create a real distinction, setting this new offering apart.”
Targeting Level 4 autonomy
Jean-Christophe Laneri, Head of Cognitive Network Solutions at Ericsson, described the launch as a key step in the company’s broader autonomous networks roadmap.
“Our Agentic rApp as a Service represents a significant milestone in our vision for autonomous networks. By harnessing Agentic AI and AWS capabilities, we reduce operational complexity and empower CSPs to focus on delivering enhanced network experiences,” Laneri said.
Ericsson argues that by combining its telecom domain expertise with AWS cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities, CSPs can adopt rApps with greater elasticity and operational agility. The broader ambition is to help operators progress toward Level 4 autonomy, where networks can make complex decisions and coordinate actions with minimal human intervention.
As operators globally look to balance cost control with increasing network complexity, the success of Ericsson’s Agentic rApp aaS will likely hinge on its ability to demonstrate measurable gains in optimization time, capacity expansion and user experience in production environments.
