It is the first operator to deploy a ‘production-grade’, open-source evolved packet core (EPC), based on Open Networking Foundation’s (ONF) Open Mobile Evolved Core (OMEC) platform.
T-Mobile Poland is using OMEC’s gateway control, user plane and billing components to deliver a Fixed Mobile Substitution (FMS) service to its customers. The OMEC components include standard 3GPP interfaces for interconnecting to T-Mobile’s existing base stations, mobility management entities and lawful intercept platforms.
Michal Sewera, head of the EPC Shared Service Center at T-Mobile Poland, commented, “Our OMEC deployment provides us with a lightweight packet core providing connectivity, billing and charging at scale for a large number of fixed-mobile subscribers.
“By taking the bold step of embracing open source as part of a new approach for building and deploying solutions, we are realising a much lower total cost of ownership, rapid customisability, and greater transparency than we can achieve using any traditional EPC.”
“Pioneering project”
OMEC, launched last year, is described as a disaggregated, control-user plane separated (CUPS), 3GPP-compliant, open-source mobile core solution that can run on containers, virtual machines or bare metal.
It includes complete connectivity, billing and charging capabilities and is optimised for lightweight, cost-effective fixed-mobile substitution service deployments.
“T-Mobile’s deployment demonstrates how operators and supply chain vendors who are willing to embrace open source can deploy solutions with disruptive value propositions in record time. T-Mobile Poland’s pioneering project demonstrates the tremendous value of taking an open-source approach to transforming networks and paves a path for other operators to follow,” an ONF statement said.