Open Network Index: 2026 results

Open networks redefine how telecoms networks are built and operated. They create a vendor-agnostic, cloud-based, AI-driven foundation for greater automation, innovation and strategic independence. Telecoms operators have been on a long journey to achieve this vision, and many have now begun to turn it into reality with tangible progress.

As the adoption of open networks in the telecoms industry grows, it is increasingly important to define and measure network openness to provide a clear benchmark for progress, foster ecosystem alignment and ensure that open networks fulfil their transformative potential.

Analysys Mason, in partnership with Dell, conducts an annual longitudinal study to understand operators’ strategies for open networks and measure their progress towards deployment. The results form our Open Network Index (ONI). This report is based on the results of the 2026 edition of the ONI, using data from a survey of 50 leading Tier 1 operators worldwide, conducted between March 2026 and May 2026. It assesses the progress and key changes in operators’ open network transformations since the ONI 2025 and ONI 2024.

Analysys Mason and Dell have also produced a Telco AI Readiness Index, which assesses operators’ adoption of AI from a technological and commercial perspective.