Awesome Telco
A curated list of telecommunication resources, tools, and projects for building and understanding mobile networks.
What is Awesome Telco?
Awesome Telco is a curated GitHub repository listing open-source tools, libraries, and resources for telecommunications and mobile networks. It serves as a comprehensive directory for anyone building, testing, or learning about mobile network technology, covering everything from SIM programming and radio access to core network functions and protocols.
Telecom professionals, security researchers, students, and developers working on or learning about mobile networks, 5G/4G infrastructure, SDR-based systems, and network protocol implementation.
It saves significant time by aggregating and categorizing hundreds of specialized tools and projects in one place, providing clear learning pathways and architecture overviews that are otherwise scattered across the internet.
Overview
A curated list of telco resources and projects
Use Cases
Best For
- Finding open-source alternatives to commercial telecom network components
- Learning mobile network architecture and protocols through curated tutorials
- Setting up a lab environment for 5G or 4G core network testing
- Researching security aspects of cellular networks and SIM cards
- Developing or testing software-defined radio (SDR) applications for telecom
- Exploring implementations of 3GPP standards like GTP, PFCP, Diameter, and SS7
Not Ideal For
- Production deployments requiring vendor-supported software with SLAs and guaranteed maintenance
- Teams seeking integrated, out-of-the-box telecom solutions without manual configuration of multiple projects
- Environments where consistent, high-quality documentation and direct technical support are mandatory for all tools
- Learners who prefer instructor-led courses or interactive platforms over self-directed research from scattered resources
Pros & Cons
Pros
Curates hundreds of specialized tools across SIM, UE, RAN, core network, and protocols, saving extensive research time by centralizing scattered open-source projects.
Provides step-by-step tutorials and learning paths, such as deploying Open5GS Docker with UERANSIM for 5G simulation, making complex telecom concepts more accessible.
Tags projects with update dates and warnings for deprecated tools (e.g., ⚠️ icons), helping users avoid inactive or archived software.
Highlights active forums, Discord, Slack, and mailing lists, facilitating support and knowledge sharing among telecom professionals and researchers.
Includes diagrams and data flow explanations from UE to core network, aiding in understanding the mobile stack without diving into dense specifications.
Cons
Many listed tools are marked as archived or deprecated (e.g., OpenBTS, srsRAN_Project), leading to potential dead ends and security risks for users.
Users must independently install, configure, and integrate tools from disparate sources with varying dependencies, often requiring advanced technical skills.
Relies on external project READMEs that range from excellent to minimal, forcing users to hunt for information and troubleshoot without centralized support.
As a static directory, it doesn't provide automated updates, compatibility checks, or integrated solutions, leaving users to manage tool interoperability themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
Awesome Cellular HackingAwesome-Cellular-Hacking
Awesome 5GAwesome lists about 5G projects.
Awesome RTC Hackinga list of awesome resources related to security and hacking of VoIP, WebRTC and VoLTE
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.