Telecom provider Vodafone has opted for VMware as its key technology partner to create a single platform to manage and orchestrate all workloads running on its core networks across Europe, beginning with 5G standalone (5G SA). Vodafone is in fact extending its existing cooperation with VMware to include all European markets in the deployment of the VMware Telco Cloud Platform.
VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure was previously introduced as Vodafone’s Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) platform. Vodafone finished rolling out Telco Cloud Infrastructure across all of its European businesses and 21 markets last year. The organization witnessed increased productivity and cost savings of up to 55 percent by bringing network operations online 40 percent faster.
Vodafone is now expanding its partnership with VMware to deploy the full VMware Telco Cloud Platform in all European markets. It means that in addition to utilizing Telco Cloud Infrastructure for NFV, Vodafone will leverage VMware Tanzu for Telco and VMware Telco Cloud Automation to orchestrate all network operations and services, independent of vendor, to run its core networks.
VoIP, Videoconferencing, Virtual/Augmented Reality
Vodafone’s continuous cooperation with VMware is a key component of the company’s ‘Tech 2025’ technology strategy. Vodafone will focus on establishing a network platform as part of this five-year strategy, commencing with the implementation of 5G SA, which will be followed by a slew of additional digital network capabilities based on VMware’s cloud-native architecture. These include voice over IP (VoIP), next-generation videoconferencing, and virtual/augmented reality, all of which are coordinated into the appropriate network slices based on client needs.
“We’ve made great strides in modernizing and virtualizing our core network,” said Johan Wibergh, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Vodafone. “Now we must turn our attention to layering in automation, software engineering and cloud-native principles to simplify operations and accelerate how quickly we can deploy new applications. VMware Telco Cloud Platform will help us achieve these goals and reach our Tech 2025 targets faster.”
VMware Telco Cloud Platform
Vodafone has started rolling out VMware Telco Cloud Platform in eight European countries – Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and the United Kingdom – and will eventually extend to all 11 areas.
VMware Telco Cloud Platform is a cloud-native platform that enables service providers to quickly install and manage multi-vendor CNFs and VNFs with agility and scalability across 5G and other networks spanning the core, edge, and radio access network (RAN). VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure and VMware Telco Cloud Automation are the two key components of this architecture, which Vodafone will roll out throughout its European markets.
“As service providers modernize their networks to transition to 5G, they require a single platform to automate and streamline delivery of multi-vendor network functions across network core, RAN and edge. VMware Telco Cloud Platform provides this unifying platform to simplify operations, accelerate automation and increase feature velocity across all parts of the network,” said Sanjay Uppal, senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider and Edge, VMware. “Through its partnership with VMware, Vodafone is modernizing its network infrastructure with automation built in, setting them up for long-term success as they roll out 5G services to even more markets in the coming years.”
