Nokia and NTT DOCOMO Launch Autonomous 5G Optimization with MantaRay SON
Nokia has announced a strategic partnership with NTT DOCOMO to deploy MantaRay Software-Defined Optical Network (SON) across Japan, marking a significant step forward in autonomous 5G network management. This collaboration aims to revolutionize how operators manage multi-vendor environments, boosting network efficiency, improving customer experience, and reducing operational costs.
What is MantaRay SON and Why It Matters
MantaRay SON is Nokia’s autonomous network orchestration solution designed to simplify complex, multi-vendor 5G deployments. By leveraging AI-driven analytics, real-time telemetry, and policy-based automation, MantaRay SON can dynamically optimize transport networks, routing, and service provisioning without manual intervention. In a landscape where 5G architectures increasingly rely on diverse equipment from different vendors, an autonomous solution helps harmonize performance, reliability, and latency across the entire network.
Key Capabilities
- End-to-end automation: From policy creation to self-healing actions, reducing human toil in day-to-day operations.
- Multi-vendor harmony: Seamless coordination across different equipment and vendors, minimizing interoperability frictions.
- Enhanced reliability: Proactive fault detection and fast restoration to maintain high-quality user experiences.
- Operational efficiency: Lowered OPEX through streamlined maintenance, fewer truck rolls, and optimized resource usage.
Japan-Centric Benefits for 5G Services
For Japan, where 5G adoption scales rapidly and service expectations grow, MantaRay SON supports DOCOMO’s multi-vendor footprint by delivering consistent performance and rapid service assurance. The autonomous approach helps DOCOMO meet stringent service reliability targets while managing a dense RAN and core transport ecosystem. Operators can push more complex 5G use cases—such as ultra-low latency gaming, mission-critical communications, and enterprise-grade connectivity—without a corresponding spike in operational complexity.
Impact on Customer Experience
End users stand to benefit from smoother handovers, reduced connection drops, and more predictable throughput during peak usage periods. With automatic optimization of network paths and transport resources, customers experience lower latency and higher service consistency, even in crowded urban zones or during large events where traffic surges.
Strategic Partnership and Implementation
The collaboration between Nokia and NTT DOCOMO represents a forward-looking approach to 5G operations where autonomous networks play a central role. The deployment is designed to integrate with existing DOCOMO infrastructure while enabling scalable expansion as 5G SA (standalone) and future 6G considerations emerge. Nokia’s MantaRay solution aligns with DOCOMO’s vision of a resilient, intelligent network that can adapt to evolving service demands and rising data volumes.
Economic and Operational Implications
From an operational economics standpoint, MantaRay SON is expected to reduce OPEX by automating routine tasks, accelerating service activation, and improving fault recovery times. For a major operator with a large footprint, even modest efficiency gains translate into meaningful cost savings and faster time-to-market for new services. The autonomous platform also supports predictable maintenance windows and better utilization of network resources, contributing to a lower total cost of ownership over the solution lifecycle.
Looking Ahead
As 5G networks continue to expand and evolve, autonomous networks like MantaRay SON will be a cornerstone of how operators manage complexity while delivering high-quality user experiences. The Nokia–DOCOMO collaboration reinforces Japan’s leadership in adopting intelligent, vendor-agnostic automation to sustain performance and reliability in a rapidly changing telecommunications landscape.
