As 2026 nears, operator enthusiasm for open RAN is weakening even as many continue to pursue long-term plans.
GSMA Intelligence data shows that while openness remains central to telco network transformation strategies, open RAN itself is sliding toward the bottom of operator technology priorities. The gap between the promise of an open ecosystem and the realities of commercial deployment is widening, prompting operators and solution providers to reassess expectations.
Openness is not the same as open RAN
Telcos continue to prioritise openness across their networks, seeking greater flexibility and broader supplier participation. However, the latest GSMA Intelligence Network Transformation Survey indicates a clear distinction between general openness goals and the adoption of open RAN. Although operators expect openness from cloud providers, new vendors and future technologies such as 6G, open RAN ranks near the bottom among network investment priorities.
The same survey highlights the major practical shortcomings where open RAN has struggled to meet operator requirements.
Product competitiveness remains the biggest barrier
Seven in ten operators identify product competitiveness as a top factor limiting open RAN deployment. Concerns centre on energy efficiency, performance and security. These are core requirements for any RAN system, and operators widely agree that closed, integrated systems still outperform open RAN architectures.
Integrated solutions have the advantage of tightly coupled hardware and software, optimised over many years. Traditional RAN systems have matured through rigorous engineering cycles, allowing vendors to refine performance and reliability. In contrast, open RAN is a relatively new innovation and has not yet achieved equivalent optimisation levels across the ecosystem.
Ecosystem concerns: vendor stability and long-term support
Supplier stability is the second most cited deployment barrier, mentioned by 63 percent of surveyed operators. RAN investments extend across long cycles, and uncertainty around vendor viability poses serious operational and financial risks.
Slow market momentum, combined with public failures of high-profile open RAN vendors, has raised concerns about the durability of the supply chain. Although incumbent RAN vendors now offer open RAN compatible solutions, operators report that vendor replacement is not as simple as originally promised. Switching providers introduces costs, delays and new integration challenges, reducing one of open RAN’s early value propositions.
Costs matter, but less than performance and stability
Cost reduction was a core promise of open RAN. Reality has been more complex. The integration work required to assemble multi-vendor open systems often increases deployment expenses. While costs remain a top-three barrier, they were cited far less often than performance and supplier stability.
The arrival of more pre-integrated solutions is helping reduce some integration-related expenses, but not enough to reshape operator perceptions.
Stagnant momentum after six years
In 2019, 21 percent of operators reported being in early phases of deploying open networking technologies, including open RAN. Six years later, the equivalent figure for open RAN is only 22 percent. The modest increase underscores a lack of momentum, reflected in scaled back rollout plans, delayed commercial launches and unrealised analyst forecasts.
As operators approach 2026, open RAN continues to face significant challenges, particularly in performance and ecosystem stability. While many mobile operators remain committed to the technology for strategic or regulatory reasons, they must be prepared for trade-offs, especially when solutions fall short of traditional RAN in areas such as energy efficiency, security and overall performance.
Operators are encouraged to clearly communicate their performance priorities. Open RAN vendors need targeted direction on the specific areas requiring improvement, whether that involves standards compliance, management capabilities, spectrum efficiency, capacity or speeds. Without this clarity, ecosystem progress will remain uneven.
Finally, operators should not overlook trial results. Although unsatisfactory trials ranked as the least-cited barrier, this likely reflects limited deployment activity rather than strong outcomes. For those with actual trial experience, ignoring poor technical results could introduce long-term network risks.
Network infrastructure suppliers face increasing pressure to address operator concerns about open RAN performance. Vendors must proactively demonstrate where their open RAN solutions can match or exceed traditional RAN capabilities. Clear, evidence-based performance messaging is essential because silence reinforces operator doubts.
Suppliers also need to be transparent about the strengths and limitations of their solutions. Over-promising and under-delivering has already weakened confidence in open RAN, and rebuilding trust requires honesty about what works today and what still needs improvement.
Looking ahead, suppliers must assess how open networking concepts will evolve with 6G. Operators expect future networks to be more open, but that expectation goes beyond open RAN alone. Elements such as open APIs, operations and management frameworks and AI-driven automation will play a central role in 6G architectures. Vendors that align their strategies early will be better positioned as the next generation of network technologies takes shape.
The road ahead: performance must improve
As the industry moves toward 2026, open RAN continues to face its most significant challenges in system performance and ecosystem reliability. Operators who remain committed are seeking solutions that close the performance gap with traditional RAN while offering the flexibility and innovation originally promised.
The opportunity still exists, but success will depend on addressing core operator concerns:
Raising energy efficiency and overall performance
Strengthening security
Ensuring supplier longevity and stable product support
Delivering mature, cost-effective and fully integrated implementations
Until these issues are resolved, open RAN will remain a long-term aspiration rather than a near-term priority for most operators.
Baburajan Kizhakedath