Telefónica closed 2025 with 12 fully operational Level 4 use cases under its Autonomous Network Journey (ANJ) program, marking a significant step in its transition toward intent-driven, AI-enabled network operations. The initiative, launched in 2021, spans its core operating markets in Spain, Brazil, and Germany, aligning with the TM Forum’s Level 0–5 Autonomous Networks framework. Level 4 systems execute actions autonomously based on human-defined intent, incorporating self-configuration, self-optimization, and self-healing capabilities across domains.
The group measures autonomy maturity across Fixed Access, Mobile Access, Transport, IP, Core, and Telco Cloud, as well as key processes including planning, testing, deployment, and operations. A weighted maturity index consolidates progress across Telefónica España, O2 Germany, and Vivo. The 12 Level 4 deployments span capacity automation, AI-assisted planning, digital twins, software lifecycle automation, and multi-domain correlation for proactive fault detection. The company targets an average autonomy level of 3.75 by 2028 and Level 4 across its core markets by 2030, as outlined during its recent Capital Markets Day.
Andrea Folgueiras, Global CTIO at Telefónica, will outline the roadmap and use cases at Mobile World Congress on March 3 (Hall 3 – 3K31). “The move towards autonomous networks is a reality and a firm commitment for Telefónica,” the company stated, adding that the milestone reflects coordinated execution across operations in Spain, Brazil, and Germany.
• Autonomous creation of network capacity using Vivo’s AI platform (Fractal)
• Digital twin for transport network optimization (NetOptimizer) at O2 Germany
• Autonomous detection and resolution in Telefónica Spain’s IP network
• Autonomous detection and remediation in Vivo’s virtualized 5G Core
• Intelligent fiber deployment planning (Smart CAPEX) in Spain
• AI-driven transmission network planning at O2 Germany
• NetCheck automation for IP software changes in Spain
• Intelligent IP configuration automation (NetCheck) in Spain
• Autonomous client fiber capacity creation (Fractal II) in Brazil
• Virtual assistant for operations analytics and diagnostics at O2 Germany
• In-service 5G Core software upgrades at O2 Germany
• Multi-domain correlation for proactive 4G/5G anomaly detection at O2 Germany
🌐 Analysis: Telefónica’s expansion of Level 4 use cases positions it among operators operationalizing intent-based networking beyond lab environments. European incumbents such as Deutsche Telekom and Orange have also advanced automation roadmaps, but Telefónica’s standardized cross-country maturity index introduces measurable accountability. The emphasis on AI-driven planning and digital twins reflects broader industry momentum toward predictive operations, particularly as 5G standalone cores and fiber expansion increase operational complexity.
