Previews of what will be showcased in Barcelona between March 2 and 5, with special coverage by Convergencia, point to Agentic AI as the undisputed centerpiece. Vendors and operators are clearly aiming to demonstrate its practical applications, from network automation and Network Slicing to API adoption.

Nokia and Amazon Web Services (AWS) unveiled ahead of the event an advanced AI Agentic-powered 5G network slicing solution, and telcos du and Orange will stage a live demonstration at FIRA next week. With this tool, operators will be able to analyze data such as locations, events, traffic, incidents, and maps, and carry out adaptive network slicing to create Premium services.

Among its announcements in the week leading up to MWC, Telefónica reported a collaboration with Nokia to explore advanced Agentic AI methods aimed at accelerating network API adoption. Two emerging AI protocols will be tested: Agent-to-Agent Protocol (A2A) and Model Context Protocol (MCP). The former allows multiple AI agents to coordinate complex workflows through dynamic discovery, communication, and collaboration; the latter standardizes how AI systems access external tools and data.

rApp. Ericsson will showcase its agentic rApp as a Service (rApp aaS) solution, developed on AWS. It was designed to modernize the network optimization process and also introduces a natural language interface, powered by Generative AI, enabling operator teams to interact effectively with the network as they transition toward autonomous networks.

Vivo Brasil is the first operator to test the rApp aaS service, in collaboration with Ericsson and AWS. Elmo Matos, director of Mobile Network Core and Implementation at the South American company, said the initiative allows them to trial different AI applications aimed at improving the network experience.