How is Tech Mahindra Licensing AT&T Tools for 5G Testing?

Tech Mahindra has signed a licensing agreement with AT&T for its Automated Network Testing (ANT) and Open Tool platforms, bringing the US operator’s in-house testing technology to Communication Service Providers globally.

The applications target testing and certification across Long Term Evolution, 5G non-standalone and 5G standalone domains, with focussing on speed, automation and end-to-end orchestration.

Manish Mangal, President and Head of Americas Communication Business, Tech Mahindra, says: "Networks have become the invisible lifeline of our digital society, every innovation, every human connection, every leap forward depends on them.

"In an era of unprecedented technological change, maintaining network reliability requires testing at equally unprecedented speed and scale.

"Integrating these AT&T applications enables us to reimagine network reliability in the AI-native era, providing global telecom operators with a highly automated solution for end-to-end network testing and certification."

What the ANT and Open Tool add

Tech Mahindra will integrate ANT and Open Tool into its telecommunications portfolio so CSPs can run network health checks, connectivity tests and debugging with greater precision.

ANT combines a user interface, a test execution engine and an automated backend to streamline test execution and validation. Acting as an orchestrator, it integrates with multiple external industry traffic generation tools, allowing operators to coordinate complex scenarios across radio and core.

Open Tool complements this by simulating data and voice traffic. Developed by AT&T, it is used to certify and validate mobile packet core functionality and connectivity in both lab as well as live environments. Taken together, the tools are positioned to shorten certification cycles, raise test coverage and reduce manual effort in multi-vendor networks spanning LTE, 5G NSA and 5G SA.

Why it matters for operators

With 5G deployments pushing cloud-native architectures and continuous software delivery, testing at scale has become a gating factor for service quality. 

ANT’s orchestration and automation are designed to help teams standardise workflows, cut time-to-validate after upgrades and expose issues earlier in the release pipeline. Open Tool’s traffic generation supports realistic core-network assurance, which is critical as operators introduce slicing, VoNR and advanced data services.

For CSPs, the appeal lies in combining a proven operator-built toolkit with a systems integrator that can operationalise it across diverse environments. 

Tech Mahindra says the integration will help deliver robust and reliable networks for customers while simplifying day-to-day assurance tasks for engineering teams

AT&T’s licensing strategy

Kelly Marlar, Vice President and Managing Director of AT&T Intellectual Property, LLC, says: "This licensing agreement highlights AT&T's dedication to innovation and the value of our technology development. 

"Licensing relationships like the one with Tech Mahindra transform our investments into new growth opportunities for AT&T, our licensees and the industry.

"By working closely with trusted third parties, AT&T Intellectual Property helps accelerate innovation, drive new revenue streams and bring proven solutions to market faster. 

"This agreement is a strong example of how our technology licensing program is open for business and we look forward to collaborating with more companies to deliver value and advance the industry together."

Market reach and next steps

Under the deal, Tech Mahindra will offer the solution to wireless providers in global markets where AT&T does not operate. It  frames the licence aligning  with its strategy to enhance and scale customer service for telecom providers using advanced network technologies. 

Tech Mahindra cites a footprint of more than 250 customers across 90 countries, positioning it as a transformation partner for network engineering and customer experience simplification.

For telcos navigating multi-generation networks, the combination of ANT’s orchestration and Open Tool’s traffic simulation aims to provide a standardised approach to testing that can be applied from lab to production.

The agreement marks a further step in the ongoing collaboration between AT&T and Tech Mahindra, signalling a route for operator-developed software to be productised and deployed at scale through integrator channels.