Ericsson: ‘5G Core is a fundamental piece of the 5G network’
Ericsson has been selected by Vodafone Spain to support the deployment of the country’s first pre-commercial network with a 5G Standalone (SA) core. In addition, the Swedish vendor will support the carrier’s entire cloud-native 5G core for SA 5G network applications included in the launch.
“After many years of outstanding collaboration between the two companies in the different core technologies, now we have moved forward with the introduction of 5G Core and we’re continuing to support Vodafone on their digital journey,” commented Luisa Muñoz, head of Digital Services, Ericsson Iberia. “With 5G Core SA, we’re taking 5G to the next level in Spain. 5G Core is a fundamental piece of the 5G network and I’m looking forward to seeing the multitude of opportunities this will open up for mobile users and industries.”
With Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core — which includes products from the vendor’s Cloud Packet Core and Cloud Unified Data Management and Policy portfolios — Vodafone will be able to develop and test new use cases leveraging the characteristics of 5G standalone technology, claimed the vendor. In addition, the solution will be fully integrated and interoperable with Vodafone’s current network and will deliver a common multi-access and cloud-native platform that supports 5G and previous generations of cellular technology for optimized footprint and TCO efficiency.
Julia Velasco, Vodafone Spain’s network director, called the pilot launch “a critical step towards delivering the full potential of 5G service,” adding that Ericsson’s solution will address those applications that require “the fastest connectivity, highest data rates and lowest latency.”
Vodafone Spain’s announcement is another on a growing list of recent standalone trials, particularly in Europe. Just last week, for instance, both Austria’s Drei and France’s Orange announced 5G SA tests, with the former doing so at its Vienna headquarters and the latter in the French town of Lannion, with expansion expected in 2022.
