Last updated on March 31, 2025
I think SoftBank just dropped a game-changer with their announcement about Large Telecom Model (LTM), a generative AI foundation for the telecom industry. It feels like they’re the first ones to take the idea of big AI language models and tweak it for telecom networks. With NVIDIA backing them, it feels like they’re setting up to lead the pack, ready to roll out LTMs to do more than just help customers—like tweaking network setups and making operations smoother.
To me, SoftBank’s LTMs are like a roadmap for other telecom companies to follow—real, practical steps they can actually use.
Here’s what stood out to me from their announcement:
- SoftBank’s LTM is trained on vast network data and operational expertise, allowing for advanced inference in network design, management, and optimization. It initially demonstrated success by predicting base station configurations with over 90% accuracy, reducing network optimization time from days to minutes.
- SoftBank LTMs will primarily focus on optimizing base station configurations to enable advanced cellular network operations.
- Its seamless integration with both on-premises and cloud infrastructures ensures deployment flexibility, which is critical for global operators.
- A key aspect of LTM is SoftBank’s vision to fine-tune it for developing AI models tailored to specific processes and deploying them as intelligent agents. The ultimate objective is not only to automate and optimize operational tasks but also to enhance network performance by refining wireless device configurations.
Softbank is planning to sell this LTM idea, team up with more partners, and grow it out of Japan and Silicon Valley. There are other big players out there—like AT&T, SK Telecom, China Mobile, NTT DOCOMO, Vodafone UK, and Deutsche Telekom—who are already messing with AI in telecom. But SoftBank’s LTM feels different, like a fresh angle. I think these companies should take a hard look at this and maybe try something similar, teaming up with tech giants to make it happen.
What other telecoms can learn
To me, the LTM is like a cheat sheet/Blueprint for how AI can shake up telecom—making networks faster, smarter, and easier to run. Here’s what I think other operators should think about:
- Build their own AI models using their network data.
- Tweak those models for stuff like planning networks, boosting radio performance, or rolling out new services.
- Team up with AI or cloud pros (think NVIDIA, Google, or Microsoft) to speed things up and test ideas in simulations.
- Figure out how to make money from AI-powered network tricks.
- SoftBank’s basically saying, “Hey, here’s how we’re doing it,” and I think it’s worth paying attention to.
Link to Softbank LTM announcement paper: https://lnkd.in/dx4KJq3p
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