As a sales leader who has worked closely with communications service providers (CSPs), specifically AT&T, for the past 10 years, I attend many industry events, but Nokia’s Core User Group (CUG) stands apart. 

After 30 years in Espoo, the Core User Group outgrew its longtime home, a clear sign of how much the event has grown in scale and impact. For that reason, we held the event in  Lisbon this year to accommodate its continued growth, drawing attendees from over 80 CSPs. That momentum reflects just how essential these conversations have become to our customers’ success.

A global perspective

One of the most valuable aspects of CUG is the opportunity for customers to connect directly, not just with Nokia teams, but with their peers around the world. This isn’t a lecture-style conference; it’s a working forum where questions get answered, feedback gets heard, and shared challenges lead to new ideas.

From regional operators to global giants like AT&T, it was great to see CSPs come together to have real conversations about the future of core networks. We had the chance to sit down with decision-makers, hear their challenges firsthand, and bring back insights that will help shape how we support them moving forward.

A spotlight on cybersecurity

One of the topics that generated significant engagement this year was cybersecurity, and for good reason. As networks grow more complex and open to new services and APIs, the threat landscape grows just as fast. CUG gave us the opportunity to dive deep into these issues.

We explored how Nokia is helping operators build resiliency into their networks with automation and AI. There was strong interest in how autonomous networks is evolving to drive efficiency and serve as a force multiplier for security. 

Think-tanks that spark action

Something new we did this year was hold Think Tank sessions. These were smaller, interactive, customer-only groups that focused on specific topics, including security, automation, and monetization. Through these engaging sessions, customers aren’t just sitting back; they’re leaning in, challenging assumptions, and sharing experiences.

Getting our customers’ collective feedback on what we and the industry can do better was enlightening. It wasn’t just informative, it was catalytic.

Collaboration at the core

Of course, no network transformation happens in isolation. That’s why I was glad to see Nokia’s strong ecosystem partners, such as AMD, Google, AWS, Intel, and Red Hat, actively participating. Their presence underscored that building the future of networking is a team effort, and Nokia is committed to driving it forward through collaboration.

Top 3 takeaways from CUG Lisbon

There were several clear takeaways from the week that stood out to me:

• Automation is front and center. Customers shared how moving to cloud-native 5G Standalone is helping them scale faster, adapt quickly, and lay the foundation for automation at every layer. Across the board, there was strong momentum behind automation from provisioning to lifecycle management, driving energy efficiency, reducing complexity, and setting the stage for truly autonomous networks.
• AI is moving from concept to capability. There was excitement around how AI and ML are powering self-optimizing networks and enabling real-time adaptability. AI is also driving innovation across the core, from smarter slicing and edge intelligence to new monetization paths.
• Security is a built-in priority. It isn’t being treated as an afterthought. It’s being embedded across every layer from proactive threat detection to the design of more resilient, cloud-native cores. The message was clear: protecting the network while enabling agility isn’t a trade-off. It’s a requirement.

Looking ahead

Nokia’s Core User Group is more than an event; it’s a movement, and from where I sit, it’s only getting better.

This year’s experience reinforced just how important it is to bring the CSP community together. Whether you’re planning your transition to autonomous networks or just looking for inspiration on what’s next, CUG delivers the insights and access that drive real progress.

I’m already looking forward to the next one — and I know our customers are too.