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Verizon Communications' success in using TM Forum's Open Digital Architecture has resulted in it achieving 'Running on ODA' status'
Dawn Bushaus
DTW Ignite: Verizon is up and Running on ODA
Verizon Communications has achieved Running on ODA accreditation, reducing service development timelines by up to six weeks and bringing new capabilities to market faster and with less rework. The operator’s accreditation was announced at DTW Ignite 2025 on Monday.
In simple terms, TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture (ODA) is a toolkit to plan, design, build and operate a cloud-native telco. It replaces traditional operational and business support systems (OSS/BSS) with simpler IT solutions that are easier and less costly to deploy, integrate and upgrade.
A primary goal of ODA is to “kill the RFP” and replace it with a model that focuses on experimentation through proofs of concept. The idea is to establish a market for Lego-like OSS/BSS components that CSPs can plug into their own operations environments and manage autonomously. To enable this, ODA is built on TM Forum’s fifth-generation Open APIs.
“Using TM Forum’s ODA framework ensures more than just compliance; it confirms that we’ve operationalized the industry’s blueprint for agility and innovation at scale,” says Sudharsan Srinivasan, Senior Vice President – Technology, Security, Governance & Infrastructure at Verizon. “It underlines our commitment to leading from the front, equipping our teams with future-proof tools and open architectures that accelerate smarter, faster service delivery for our customers.”
To gain Running on ODA accreditation, CSPs undergo an in-depth evaluation with TM Forum using the ODA Success Framework, a rigorous evaluation of six key areas: principles and rules, skills, Open APIs, components, agile governance, and process models. ODA provides tools for teams across a CSP’s business including product developers and managers in multiple business units; the IT architects and software engineers responsible for the applications that support products and services; and the IT operations teams responsible for running all the systems. Increasingly, as networks become more software-centric, CSPs’ network teams are also turning to ODA.
Indeed, a cornerstone of Verizon’s ODA success is how it has empowered its workforce. Through targeted upskilling aligned with TM Forum’s standards, Verizon has built internal capabilities to manage and evolve its ODA environment. This investment helps the company’s teams innovate at scale and adopt AI-ready practices.
By using its ODA-based “North Star Architecture” as the default blueprint, Verizon ensures consistent governance and eliminates duplication across vendor solutions. This helps the company accelerate technology integration and reduce operating costs. Verizon’s API-first design enables rapid onboarding of partners and services while reducing complexity across the IT stack.
“Verizon’s achievement is more than a milestone – it’s a marker of what’s possible when vision meets execution,” says TM Forum CEO Nik Willetts. “Running on ODA isn’t just about alignment with industry standards; it’s about unlocking the speed, agility and openness needed to thrive in a dynamic, AI-first market. As CSPs embrace composability, Verizon is showing what it means to lead, transforming architecture into a platform for innovation, growth, and exceptional customer experiences.”
Verizon joins AT&T, Axiata, BT Group, CityFibre, Deutsche Telekom, Entel Group, Jio, NTT Group, Orange, SES Astra, stc, Telefonica Germany, Telefónica Group, Telia, Telstra, TELUS and Vodafone in achieving Running on ODA accreditation. TM Forum estimates that more than 2 billion subscribers globally are now served by carriers that are Running on ODA.
