New Project to Make AI in Broadband a Reality

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new industry-led initiative is set to equip Broadband Service Providers (BSPs) with high-level guidance and a holistic vision of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be implemented in broadband networks.

The ‘AI in Broadband Networks’ project from Broadband Forum will outline a framework for BSPs to better develop their services-led broadband networks to align with AI trends, as well as identify real use cases and gaps. In the future, this should allow BSPs to offer intelligent solutions for improved network performance, reliability, and efficiency. Equipment manufacturers will also be provided with guidance on how to incorporate AI into their products.

“AI is already revolutionizing how data is processed and how decisions are made across various domains, from smart applications to autonomous networks. In broadband networks, AI can play a critical role in addressing challenges such as fault prediction, Quality of Service optimization, and dynamically managing network traffic,” said Tony Zeng, Standard Director of EU Optical Communication at Huawei France. “The Broadband Forum is enabling automated and data-driven networking and this project will help establish AI in the broadband network as the next key consideration, alongside the three traditional building blocks of AI: algorithms, computing power, and data.”

The project has been initially supported by CAICT, China Mobile, China Unicom, Huawei, and ZTE Corporation and the first phase of the project is set to be finalized by Spring 2026.

The work will detail how the likes of AI agents, such as metahuman for intelligent user support, can be deployed in broadband networks and enable natural human-computer interactions. It will advise how the network can support the quality requirements of AI enabled intelligent applications, such as AI training/inferencing. The report will also discuss how to leverage AI for autonomous networks, including identifying and addressing network faults, predictive maintenance, and energy consumption tuning.

“In the long-term, by embracing AI-driven approaches, BSPs can enjoy savings, see a faster time to new revenue, and deliver new applications and services to their customers,” said Hai Ding, Fixed Access Network and Home Networking Expert at China Unicom. “The new project aims to offer a strategic insight and provide guidance on the additional value that AI for broadband networks can create for the service provider.”

The work will be carried out in a phased approach. The first phase will summarize AI development trends for services-led broadband networks, identify the service requirements from BSPs, and outline the vision for future network development. A tentative second phase will include the study of AI-driven fixed access and in-premises network architecture and relevant network functions.

About the Broadband Forum

The Broadband Forum is an industry-driven global standards development organization helping operators, application providers, and vendors deliver better, services-led broadband.

As the industry-recognized center of competence, the Broadband Forum provides an accessible, efficient, and effective community where all broadband stakeholders can collaborate on, develop, and promote open standards and open software. This provides the basis for deployable solutions for the global broadband industry.

The Broadband Forum publishes interoperable standards and open software, has launched certification programs, and promotes industry education. These best practices and models can be adopted to help realize an effective broadband ecosystem that drives a thriving, services-led broadband industry based on global collaboration, open standards, and open source, maximizing value for all stakeholders.

For more information, visit https://www.broadband-forum.org/. For the latest updates, follow Broadband Forum on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.

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