Thursday 14 May, 2026
The mobile ecosystem is at a pivotal moment. With the era of artificial intelligence (AI) creating transformative opportunities, our networks must evolve to realise this potential. To lead in this new landscape, the GSMA is committed to helping our members navigate this transition.
Mobile Network for Thriving AI is a flagship GSMA Foundry initiative, developed by Huawei Technologies and pioneering ecosystem partners.
This forward-looking project provides a blueprint for mobile operators to build the intelligent, high-performing networks required to accelerate the mass adoption of AI applications across consumer, home, and business environments.
Click below to watch the Mobile Network for Thriving Al: Connecting Intelligence, Shaping the Future webinar that took place on Thursday 4 December 2025.
Exclusive webinar now available on-demand
The webinar on Thursday 4 December shared practical insights from the leaders shaping the future of mobile AI. Together, they explained and shared the project’s findings through a dynamic panel session.
It was a jointly branded event with GSMA Foundry and Huawei, and you can watch it on-demand and discover:
- Practical Strategies: Hear practical strategies and lessons learned from operators at the forefront of deploying and monetising mobile AI-ready networks.
- Industry Pioneers: Learn from the real-world experiences of China Telecom, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Rokid, and the GSMA.
- Expert Insights: GSMA CTO Alex Sinclair sharde forward-looking insights and perspectives on industry trends and collaboration opportunities.
The project blueprint
From 5G to 5G-Advanced: A Blueprint for Network Evolution
Our project defines the evolutionary path required for mobile networks to fully support the demands of next-generation AI services. We have worked with industry leaders to identify key network requirements needed to power the future of intelligent, connected services:
Accelerating AI innovation
Essential network requirements for scaled development of new AI applications, from AI-powered smartphones to intelligent industrial cameras.
Multidimensional networks
The path from 5G to 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and how to deliver multidimensional experiences that AI demands. These include large uplink, low latency, and deep coverage. In pilot projects, this approach has led to a 10x increase in uplink capacity and a 50% reduction in latency.
Collaboration in action: Deployment results from industry pioneers
The Mobile Network for Thriving AI project provides tangible, commercial value by sharing the successes and lessons of operators already on this journey. Our detailed case studies provide the technical substantiation behind the blueprint. They showcase collaboration in action, and how innovative solutions can be put into practice:
China Telecom and Jiushi Group: Transforming Cultural Tourism
China Telecom created a seamless 5G-Advanced (5G-A) x AI network across land and water along Shanghai’s Huangpu River. Its purpose is to solve a major coverage and multilingual guidance challenge for cruise tourists. The network now provides peak downlink speeds of 3.1 Gbit/s and uplink speeds of 260 Mbit/s on cruise ships. It also powers the Personal AI Tour Guide and generates significant new revenue for the Jiushi Group.
Zain KSA: Building the Middle East’s First Mobile AI City
Zain KSA deployed the world’s first FDD 600MHz low-frequency NR network in the Middle East. This foundational project boosted network coverage by up to 30dB, increased uplink capacity 10x, and reduced latency by 50%. The network powers AI-driven services, including the Personal AI Tour Guide via Rokid AR glasses. It also supports Saudi Vision 2030 and provides a 30% reduction in energy costs through the GigaGreen 4T4R solution.
China Mobile Zhejiang: Building a 5G-A + AI Smart Cultural Tourism
China Mobile Zhejiang built a 5G-Advanced and AI smart cultural tourism system in Hangzhou. The project strengthened uplink performance using F/A SUL 5G-A and enabled AI agents and smart glasses. Visitors received multilingual guides, food recommendations, and smooth livestreaming. Uplink speeds exceeded 1 Gbps, satisfaction reached 92%, and the model now scales across Zhejiang.
