An ‘open control network’ is described, wherein the control plane functions within the Radio Access Network (such as eNodeB and gNodeB) and Core Network (such as MME, AMF and SMF) provide an interface towards the operator and 3rd party control applications. Applications are allowed to securely register to signaling protocols within the control plane, specifically to the RAN or the Core Network control functions to view, intercept and intervene certain types of control messages or procedures. Innovative applications can be developed to view and modify control plane behavior utilizing both traditional methods as well as upcoming Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence algorithms to provide services that are not part of standard operator offerings. An even more flexible control plane infrastructure is described by allowing operator services and/or non-operator services to subscribe to certain control functions/messages to manage in real-time certain user-group's behavior or enforce slice-specific behavior according to slice requirements.