Key Takeaways of DTW 2025
After taking a few weeks to digest what we saw at DTW 2025, I believe it’s worth pausing and reflecting. In an industry like telecom, where transformation is not optional but urgent, any wrong move can be costly. And DTW gave us plenty to think about.
The Ubiquity (and Vagueness) of Agentic AI
“Agentic” was one of the most overused terms during the event — though everyone seemed to define it differently. We saw promising demos of AI agents performing semi- or fully autonomous tasks, but let’s be honest: most were proofs of concept, not production-ready deployments.
We’re still very much in an exploratory phase, where understanding limits and risks (like drift or hallucinations) matters more than riding the next buzzword. At the end of the day, AI is still viewed as a set of enabling technologies — not a magic fix for deep structural problems. And that’s actually a healthy perspective.
The Road Toward Autonomous Networks
TM Forum continues pushing for autonomy, and to be fair, there has been real progress over the past year. Some operators are nearing Level 3 autonomy, and a few are starting to aim for Level 4. But the technical, cultural, and political gap is still massive.
Level 5 — full autonomy — remains more of a strategic North Star than an operational reality. And that’s fine. We don’t need to run blindly toward it; we need to build thoughtfully and with purpose.
The Hard Work Behind the Scenes
The most honest message at DTW? No matter how advanced the technology gets, none of it matters without the foundational work. Clean, reliable data. Open, API-based architectures. Real modernization of processes and operations. Without that, AI doesn’t scale.
We see it all the time: the projects that succeed are the ones built from the ground up, with strong data practices, interoperability, and true cross-functional integration. That’s what real transformation looks like — not just flashy demos.
Trust Isn’t Given — It’s Earned
In telecom, trusting AI doesn’t come easy. We operate critical infrastructure in highly regulated environments where decisions have real-world consequences. So when we talk about reliability and explainability, we’re not just ticking boxes — these are non-negotiables.
And it’s not just up to tech providers. Buyers need to demand “telco-grade” solutions that can withstand the pressure of real operations.
The Big Gap: Business Impact
Despite all the momentum frameworks like Open Gateway, concepts like VOF we still have a big debt to pay: we’re not providing clear enough tools for CTOs and business leaders to justify transformation investments. The opportunity is real, but the ROI narrative is still weak.
We need to stop talking about what could happen, and start showcasing what’s already working with real numbers, tangible outcomes, and repeatable use cases. Without that, the conversation remains theoretical.
In short,
DTW 2025 showed us both the excitement of what’s possible and the reality of how far we still have to go. AI and autonomous networks are promising, but success will depend on foundational work, cultural shifts, and — above all — our ability to connect technology to measurable business value.
By Marcos Sitz, Co-Founder and CSO at Iquall Networks
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcossitz/
