TM Forum and Jio open first innovation hub in Mumbai

TM Forum has opened its new Innovation Hub with an initial focus on accelerating generative AI (GenAI) and Open Digital Architecture (ODA) developments. Hosted by Jio in Mumbai, founding members are Accenture, Deutsche Telekom, Google Cloud, Orange, Reliance Jio, Telenor and Vodafone.

Among the early projects will be the development of TMF Guru: a GenAI/LLM conversational search-solution capability to simplify and improve how to find relevant material digitally. The project members are setting out to create an architecture blueprint that outlines how GenAI technology can be seamlessly integrated into the telco landscape, addressing challenges related to security, privacy, accuracy, performance and scalability.

A second focus area will be accelerating the development and adoption of TM Forum’s ODA. ODA underpins the creation of modular, componentized, and reusable cloud-native software to replace traditional BSS and OSS. Objectives include creating reference implementation(s) of the ODA Canvas and components, to help migration from legacy software to ODA-compliant, cloud-native components.

TM Forum expects the pilot phase of the Innovation Hub program to conclude in March 2024, with a third pilot project starting shortly after.

“The TM Forum Innovation Hub is about delivering real-world solutions that will change our industry and there is no better way than to lean on talent from across the industry to solve our existing challenges as well as finding better ways to overcome future obstacles,” said Akash Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Nik Willetts, CEO, TM Forum said: “Our vision is to bring together our industry’s best talent in a neutral, entrepreneurial environment to rapidly deliver breakthrough thinking and answers to the industry’s most pressing challenges. The first projects reflect two of the most important areas for rapid innovation: the responsible and effective use of generative AI and accelerating the pathways to an Open Digital Architecture to drive growth.”

Initial projects within the Innovation Hub will include:

• Proof of working code or concepts at scale in operational or shadow-operational environments
• Testing and iterating TM Forum standards, providing implementation experience to core standards development teams
• Accelerating the development of code assets (for example, Open Digital Architecture components and Open APIs) to be contributed towards TM Forum collaboration projects
• Industrializing concepts explored in the Catalyst program and sharing the learnings with the broader industry.

TM Forum members will be invited to apply to join an existing Innovation Hub project or propose a new one in 2024,

To be considered to join a project member companies will need to bring the distinct expertise the project requires, as well as meet the minimum dedicated resource commitment.

To keep updated on the work of the Innovation Hub program and its first cohort of companies, visit https://www.tmforum.org/tmf-innovation-hub/.