Adtran has launched a suite of virtual network functions (VNFs) to help telco and cable operators switch to virtualised customer premises equipment (vCPE).
The US vendor said the customisable set of VHFs simplified NFV deployments by allowing service providers to bundle the most valuable CPE functions, such as routers, firewalls and enterprise session border controllers, into a single VNF.
This removes the need for multiple vendors and operating systems, thus reducing costs, according to Adtran.
Service providers can also select which network functions they want virtualised and the suite also offers VNFs “on a more granular basis” by allowing operators to create service chains from multiple software vendors.
Chris Thompson, Director of Adtran’s Customer Sevice Portfolio, said: “Giving providers the option to bundle multiple networking functions into a single VNF eases deployment headaches, improves efficiency and lowers expenses.”
The vendor said the move to virtualised networks was helping service providers address the challenges faced when creating new services for business customers, particularly around the cost of installing and managing CPE.
[Read more: NFV market set for fivefold growth by 2019, as operators play long game, outsource]
Matthias Machowinski, Research Director of Enterprise Networks and Video at IHS Technology, said: “By deploying software-based networking functions that achieve the same level of performance as hardware, service providers can save on equipment cost and management time, and open up new opportunities delivering services on demand.”
In May, NEC and Netcracker announced they had completed a proof-of-concept of vCPE with Portugal Telecom.