Telecom Infra Project (TIP)

From rApp Portability to Agentic RAN: Building Open Network Automation | TIP X Zinkworks

Vishal Mathur hosts a TIP podcast with Abdel Bagegni and Michael Behan to discuss the shift toward rApp portability and agentic RAN within the Telecom Infra Project’s OpenRAN ecosystem. The conversation centers on how the RAN Intelligence and Automation (RIA) subgroup is defining vendor‑agnostic standards and test frameworks for non‑real‑time RICs. The RIA team has launched an SMO‑RIC assessment framework, selecting three initial use cases—geolocation, anomaly detection, and traffic steering—and publishing platform requirements and test plans for the broader industry. These efforts aim to enable commercial deployment of rApps within 12‑18 months, with a focus on AI‑driven automation. Zinkworks’ five‑pillar approach—build, train, validate, deploy, govern—illustrates a full‑lifecycle solution. Its partnership with Vodafone on the Rapid RIC platform promises to cut application launch time by 60‑70% and targets high‑impact use cases such as energy saving and root‑cause analysis. The company emphasizes SMO‑agnostic architecture to avoid software lock‑in. If successful, these initiatives will accelerate OpenRAN commercialization, lower operators’ OPEX, and create a reusable, interoperable ecosystem for intelligent RAN applications, reshaping network automation strategies worldwide.