O2 Telefónica and Nokia roll out 5G standalone core on Amazon Web Services in the cloud
O2 Telefónica in Germany and Nokia announced the deployment of 5G standalone core software on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The rollout provides O2 Telefónica with ultra-low latency to deliver advanced 5G services, such as extended reality and network slicing, which require instant availability and greater bandwidth capacity.
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Nokia’s secure and cloud-native 5G core architecture, including packet core, strengthens O2 Telefónica’s network with more flexible scaling, reliability, and near zero-touch automation for moving and managing workloads.
The deployment underscores Nokia’s multi-cloud ability to migrate existing communication service providers (CSPs) to a range of cloud platform options, including public cloud, private cloud, and hybrid cloud, using their choice of cloud platforms and making it easy for CSPs to deploy applications and services on any infrastructure.
Nokia leads the world in 5G standalone core, with 107 CSP customers. Nokia 5G Core was recently rated as an industry leader by data and analytics company GlobalData.
“We are building our network of the future. With the launch of the new, cloud-based 5G core network, we are doing pioneering work in Europe and we are taking a major step in our transformation process. With the new 5G cloud core, we are moving away from traditional architectures and instead focusing on modern, high-performance, and efficient network technologies. In doing so, we are relying on the quality and global expertise of Nokia and AWS. We offer our customers an excellent 5G experience and new digital applications.” – MALLIK RAO, Chief Technology & Information Officer at O2 Telefónica
Fabio Cerone, General Manager Telecom EMEA at Amazon Web Services, said: “We’re thrilled to be selected for the 5G Cloud Core network deployment of O2 Telefónica and to realize their vision of the network of the future. By using Nokia 5G Core network on AWS, O2 Telefónica is redefining its operating model through full automation and elasticity at scale. It will bring O2 Telefónica the ability to dynamically scale and allocate 5G network capabilities to meet customer needs, as well as the needs of the new applications that will run on top of the new core.”
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Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia, said: “We are delighted to support O2 Telefónica Germany’s move onto AWS. This deployment, the first major one of its kind for an existing communication service provider, enables greater network agility and service offerings, and provides Telefónica Germany with all the tools it needs to efficiently manage and extract greater value from its network assets. The deployment underscores Nokia’s multi-cloud ability to migrate communication service providers to the public cloud, making it practical for them to deploy applications and services on the infrastructure of their choice; and, with more flexible scaling, reliability, and near zero-touch automation.”
FAQs
1. What is a 5G standalone core?
A 5G Standalone Core is an end-to-end 5G network architecture designed and built from scratch to host all 5G standards and protocols across the Radio Access Network and Core Network functions. It is a fully native 5G system, as opposed to the earlier non-standalone 5G deployments, which depended on some specific elements of the earlier 4G infrastructure. 5G SA allows the advanced capabilities and use cases envisioned for 5G, such as ultra-low latency, enhanced mobile broadband, massive IoT connectivity, and network slicing. This pure 5G system architecture is known as Standalone 5G or SA 5G.
2. What benefits does Cloud 5G core offer to O2 Telefónica?
5G core allows O2 to offer advanced low-latency 5G services such as extended reality (AR/VR), as well as network slicing to provide differentiated services. It provides more agility, efficiency and the ability to better monetize 5G capabilities.
3. What is network slicing, and why is it important?
Network slicing enables a physical 5G network to be partitioned into many varied virtual networks, where varied capabilities can be made available, subject to different use cases, such as enhanced mobile broadband and ultra-reliable low-latency.
4. Why did O2 choose to work with Nokia and AWS for this?
Nokia is a global leader in 5G standalone core deployments. AWS provides a proven, scalable public cloud to host the core network functions.
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