Digest legacy programmes then energise core with concise code
Vodafone Portugal has gone cloud-native with a containerised converged packet core from network software specialist Mavenir in a bid to mobilise its software across multiple systems. The commitment confirms Mavenir as the telco’s ‘strategic 5G Converged Core supplier’, according to a joint release.
The culture conversion will take place within the software vendor’s MAVcore system which is built from bog-standard computing hardware running Mavenir’s software which runs breaks down telecoms functions into smaller, interchangeable units and raises the fluidity, speed and versatility of the telco.
A combination of COTS (commercial off the shelf) hardware, container coding and cloud native sensibilities create a converged core of data packets that can work with any generation of mobile network, from 2G to 5G, according to Paulino Correa, the network director at Vodafone Portugal. This frees up time for mobile operators to plan for future growth and worry about security and reliability. Digesting huge chunks of software and breaking it down into small energising units that can be absorbed easily by all the organs of the telco’s body has boosted growth and simplified network transformation.
“The industry defines several steps for 5G,” said Correa, “but it is the second step, the 5G stand alone core, that brings the more powerful technology revolution in terms of use cases.”
Vodafone Portugal had worked on 5G SA with Mavenir in its lab for a year and is now confident that the two can transform the telco’s network and launch ‘powerful applications’ in response to ‘differentiating’ use cases as 5G evolves. “We are delighted to be part of their core network under the Spring 3 Cosmos programme,” said Stefano Cantarelli, Mavenir’s chief marketing officer.