Tech Mahindra and Microsoft announced a collaboration on June 30, 2026, to demonstrate a Network Digital Twin solution designed to help communications service providers modernize their network operations and accelerate monetization of 5G capabilities. The integration combines Microsoft's cloud and AI services with Tech Mahindra's telecom expertise to move operators from reactive monitoring to autonomous, AI-driven decision-making across live network environments.
The solution targets medium and large-scale operators managing complex, multi-vendor networks. It addresses persistent challenges such as rising operational costs, limited visibility into service performance, and reactive operational models that hinder scalability. By unifying high-volume network telemetry into a real-time data estate, the platform lets operators run advanced simulation and predictive modeling that can directly improve service assurance and create new revenue opportunities.
"As telecom networks evolve to support increasingly sophisticated services and enterprise use cases, operators are under pressure to manage growing operational complexity while unlocking new sources of value from their infrastructure," said Amol Phadke, Chief Transformation Officer at Tech Mahindra. "Through our integration with Microsoft, we are combining digital twin technology, unified data intelligence, and agentic AI to help operators move toward autonomous network operations, improve service assurance, and create new opportunities for revenue growth through AI-driven network innovation."
From simulation to active decision-making
The platform integrates Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Digital Twin services, Microsoft Foundry, and Fabric IQ. It uses agentic AI frameworks to drive intelligent reasoning, autonomous decision-making, and closed-loop orchestration. This transforms digital twins from a passive visualization layer into an active platform that reasons, simulates, and acts on live network data in real time.
Alessandra Antonelli, Senior Global Director, Strategy at Microsoft, said, "Tech Mahindra's AI-powered 5G Network Digital Twins brings real-time intelligence to even the most complex network environments. By combining Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Foundry, and Microsoft Fabric with Tech Mahindra's deep telco expertise, operators can move from passive monitoring to active, intelligent decisioning, with agentic AI that reasons, simulates, and acts across live network environments in real time."
Monetizing 5G with network slicing and edge orchestration
The solution supports SLA-driven offerings such as network slicing and edge orchestration, with enhanced service assurance and risk prediction capabilities. Operators can use the platform to optimize infrastructure investments, improve asset utilization, and reduce operational overhead. The data-driven approach also strengthens governance and helps operators make better decisions across the network lifecycle, from planning to maintenance.
Why this matters for operations teams
For network operations professionals, the shift to AI-driven digital twins means moving from manual, reactive troubleshooting to automated, predictive workflows. The ability to simulate network changes before rolling them out, and to let agentic AI handle routine decisions, directly reduces mean time to repair and operational costs. This approach is part of the broader AI for Operations shift, where predictive analytics and automation are changing how networks are managed. Teams that build skills in these technologies-through resources like the AI Learning Path for Network Engineers-will be better positioned to manage the next generation of network infrastructure.
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