Cloud makes ecosystem burst into life
Italian mobile network operator Windtre has asked Ericsson build it a dual-mode 5G Core for a Standalone (SA) network. The cloud infrastructure, built on a foundation of containerised software, will be the well from which Windtre will spring an endless stream of new business cases and services to consumers.
The transition to 5G SA is an important milestone as Windtre’s 5G infrastructure expands, said Ericsson in a release. The 5G SA creates the capacity for gigabit connectivity, ultra-low latency, network slicing and huge data-handling. “With 5G Standalone we can develop our business, launch a wide range of advanced services for our business partners and support our customers,” said Benoit Hanssen, CEO of Windtre.
Ericsson and Windtre first unveiled their plans for the new cloud-native 5G Core network technology in April 2018 when it outlined the proposed architecture, implementation and operations. This latest cooperation builds on this partnership, said Ericsson.
The new long-term coalition will see Windtre bring its 4G, 5G non-standalone (NSA) and 5G Standalone services into a dual-mode 5G Core that combines Evolved Packet Core and 5G Core network functions. This common cloud native system will be much cheaper to run. More importantly, it makes it much easier to move over to 5G when the time comes, where it can be hosted by a full stack Ericsson Cloud infrastructure.
The agreement includes end to end support services with Ericsson network orchestration and automation. These are the materials on which to support network slicing and the ultra-reliable and low-latency communications (URLLC) services that have long been promised by 5G.
The key factor is the integration of Windtre’s operational and business support systems (OSS/BSS) with Ericsson’s provisioning, mediation and charging systems. This empowers Windtre to launch and monetise quantifiable services that can be offered to subscribers or shared among external partners. The discipline of containerisation and the omnipresence of the cloud and potency of its coded instructions make everything run fast and efficiently.
This is all about paving the way for advanced services, according to Emanuele Iannetti, Head of Ericsson Italy and South East Mediterranean. “Fixed wireless access, cloud gaming and the solutions to business problems will transform industries,” said Ianetti.