Priorities for Telco Success

Key takeaways

• The telecommunications industry faces mounting pressure to move beyond legacy infrastructure while demonstrating return on 5G investments and controlling operational costs
• Modern telco success needs disaggregated architectures that move away from costly vendor lock-in and enable flexible, multi-vendor environments
• Open source technologies provide the foundation for interoperable network infrastructure, giving users greater control over their technology stacks
• Community-driven initiatives like the O-RAN Alliance and Project Sylva are creating shared standards and reference architectures that accelerate industry-wide transformation
• Strategic partnerships with open source leaders help telcos navigate modernization while maintaining security, compliance and operational excellence

The telecommunications industry is going through a critical moment. Legacy approaches that worked for decades now create friction, vertically integrated systems now slow innovation and proprietary solutions limit flexibility. Meanwhile, competitive pressure intensifies and customers demand more.

Forward-thinking operators are charting a different course. They’re embracing disaggregated architectures, open source foundations and collaborative industry initiatives that give them greater control over their technology stacks and business outcomes.

See what success looks like for them in this video:

Transformation priorities reshaping telecommunications

Telcos need to focus on several critical priorities that address both immediate operational challenges and long-term strategic positioning.

Breaking free from vertical integration

For years, telecommunications networks relied on vertically integrated solutions from single vendors. These proprietary systems delivered reliability but came with major drawbacks: expensive hardware, limited flexibility and total dependence on vendor roadmaps. When you had to upgrade or add capabilities, you were stuck with whatever your existing supplier offered.

The industry is shifting toward disaggregated architectures. By separating hardware from software and breaking network functions into modular components, users gain the freedom to pick best-of-breed solutions. This approach cuts capital expenses, speeds up innovation and puts control back in your hands.

Embracing open standards and interoperability

Disaggregation only works when different components can talk to each other. Open standards create the common language that makes multi-vendor environments possible. Instead of relying on proprietary interfaces, you can build networks using components from multiple suppliers that work together seamlessly.

This interoperability goes beyond individual network elements. Modern telco infrastructure needs to support all kinds of workloads across core networks, radio access networks and edge computing environments. Open standards ensure that containerized network functions, AI applications and traditional services can all run on shared infrastructure.

Prioritizing cloud native modernization

Traditional network architectures weren’t built for the speed and scale that modern services need. Cloud native approaches bring the flexibility and automation of cloud computing to telecommunications infrastructure. By containerizing network functions and using Kubernetes for orchestration, you can deploy services faster, scale on demand and manage distributed environments more efficiently.

Cloud native telco transformation isn’t just about technology. It’s a fundamental shift in how teams work, how services get delivered and how quickly you can respond to market opportunities.

Community initiatives driving industry progress

While individual operators work on their own modernization efforts, several collaborative initiatives are creating shared foundations that benefit everyone.

O-RAN Alliance and open radio access networks

The O-RAN Alliance brings together operators, vendors and research institutions to define open interfaces for radio access networks. By setting common standards for RAN components, O-RAN lets you mix and match equipment from different vendors instead of relying on single-supplier solutions.

This openness creates competition that drives innovation and cuts costs. You get flexibility in network design and deployment. New vendors can enter the market more easily, bringing fresh ideas and specialized solutions. The result is a more dynamic, innovative ecosystem that works better for everyone.

Project Sylva and shared telco cloud frameworks

Project Sylva takes a similar approach to cloud infrastructure. Led by major telecommunications operators and technology providers, Sylva creates a reference architecture for telco cloud platforms built entirely on open source components. Instead of each operator independently solving the same infrastructure challenges, Sylva gives everyone a validated starting point.

SUSE Telco Cloud serves as the commercially supported version of the Sylva stack, bringing enterprise-grade support and security to the open framework. This alignment means you benefit from community-driven innovation while maintaining the reliability and compliance needed for carrier-grade networks.

The partnership imperative for telco transformation

Successfully navigating the telco industry transformation requires more than good technology. It takes strategic partnerships with organizations that understand both the technical complexity and business realities of telecommunications.

Why partnerships matter now

The scope of telco modernization is huge. Organizations have to maintain existing services, deploy new infrastructure, retrain teams and launch innovative offerings all at the same time. Few organizations have all the expertise needed in-house. Strategic partners fill critical gaps in knowledge, resources and capabilities.

The right partners bring proven experience from similar transformations. They understand regulatory requirements, security standards and operational constraints specific to telecommunications. They offer not just technology but guidance on implementation, best practices for automation and ongoing support as your network evolves.

SUSE’s role in telco transformation

SUSE brings decades of open source expertise to telecommunications infrastructure. Our solutions give you the foundation that makes disaggregation, multi-vendor environments and cloud native operations possible.

SUSE Telco Cloud offers a carrier-grade platform built entirely on open source Linux and Kubernetes. Its rigorous validation and security hardening deliver the reliability telecommunications networks need. Support for zero-touch automation streamlines operations across distributed edge sites. Integration with energy-efficient architectures helps you meet sustainability goals while controlling costs.

When you work with SUSE, you get not just a vendor but a partner invested in the long-term success of open, interoperable telecommunications infrastructure. Orange, one of the world’s largest telecommunications operators serving 285 million customers globally, is a prominent example of such a strategic partnership. By adopting SUSE Telco Cloud, Orange manages 100% of cloud deployments with Kubernetes. This approach streamlines containerized application management and cuts time-to-market for new services, all while maintaining carrier-grade reliability across their entire network footprint.

Building the foundation for tomorrow

The telecommunications industry is at an important point in time. The decisions leaders make today about architecture, partnerships and strategic direction will shape their competitive positioning for years to come.

The path towards a modern, sustainable future combines proven open source technology with strategic industry collaboration. The transformation reshaping telecommunications today creates real opportunity for those ready to embrace it. With the right priorities, partnerships and technology foundation, you can move beyond the constraints of legacy infrastructure and build networks ready for whatever comes next.

Ready to explore how SUSE can support your telco transformation?

Learn more about SUSE Telco Cloud.