For the first time, the radio is not the heart and soul of the mobile network. Once, it was the radio where interoperability was essential, where vendors gained their competitive edge and customer lock-in, where operators differentiated their services. Now, as telco networks become increasingly software-driven, that center of control and industry power has shifted to the software which manages and coordinates all the applications and virtual network functions (VNFs). SK Telecom of South Korea is the latest in a series of operators seeking to establish their influence over this vital element, by creating inhouse technologies to ensure multivendor interoperability and future-proofing, and by extending their overall ecosystem power by opening their developments to other carriers. The company’s T-MANO joins…