The Role of New Interoperability Protocols in Agentic AI
In the telecom industry, where multi-vendor ecosystems are the norm, creating a successful agentic AI system requires seamless interoperability to allow operators to build an agentic ecosystem, not just a collection of isolated agents.
Even with the right platform and modular agents in place, a lack of interoperability can present a major challenge for telecom operators implementing an agentic AI system. Different vendors’ agents and tools often speak different “languages,” which could lead to difficulty communicating.
However, emerging protocols like Model Context Protocol (MCP) and Agent-to-Agent (A2A) help establish a foundation for open, interoperable and scalable multi-agent ecosystems.
- MCP provides a standardized way for AI agents to connect to tools, databases and APIs regardless of the underlying LLM or vendor.
- A2A enables agents from different origins to collaborate, share context and coordinate actions. For example, a customer service agent could call a network diagnostic agent from another vendor to verify a service issue in real time.
These protocols are game-changers when it comes to overcoming potential roadblocks. To move from isolated pilots to scaled deployments, telecom operators will also need to address several practical hurdles:
- Integration Complexity: Use platforms with MCP or pre-built connectors to BSS/OSS to reduce integration friction.
- Data Access and Quality: Invest in data governance and real-time data pipelines – agents are only as good as the information they can access.
- Change Management: Train staff to work alongside AI agents and to trust their outputs while maintaining human oversight.
- Continuous Optimization: Deploy monitoring frameworks that track both performance metrics and business KPIs, feeding learnings back into the agents’ improvement cycles.
By focusing on the right foundational platform, starting with modular agents and embracing interoperability standards like MCP and A2A, telecom operators can move beyond scattered pilots to a connected, value-driven agentic ecosystem. The end game is more than just faster customer service or fewer dropped calls – it’s a fundamentally more intelligent, agile and proactive telecom operation, in which AI is not just answering questions but making things happen.
Learn more about Netcracker Agentic AI Solution.