Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides converged access to drive ultra-broadband #MWC17

Nokia has unveiled its Cloud Packet Core, a cloud-native converged core, that supports the industry's widest array of access technologies.

Its cloud-native architecture supports converged broadband, Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Type Communications (MTC) service delivery across wireless licensed, shared and unlicensed spectrum, as well as fixed access.

In a digital world, where everyone and everything is connected, the network is under significant new pressure. Broadband, IoT and MTC lead to a huge increase in devices and people that must be interconnected, introducing a diverse range of service requirements and characteristics that operators will need to support, including any access technology.

In addition, the sheer number of devices places massive scalability demands on the network, and the applications supported have strict performance and reliability requirements. Operators must embrace this new environment while also ensuring the most flexible and efficient use of cloud resources to deliver this economically.

Innovation in the network core is central to this transformation as it is the connection hub, and Nokia continues to invest in its Cloud Packet Core to support this new reality.

Nokia's flexible, multi-access approach enables fixed and wireless technologies to be used, individually or together, to ensure the delivery of converged services anchored in a common core for a seamless service experience. These technologies include licensed spectrum such as 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G, as well as shared and unlicensed spectrum, including Wi-Fi, MulteFire and LTE-based CBRS, and fixed access.

Moving beyond just simple virtualization of existing platforms, Nokia has architected its Cloud Packet Core from the ground up using cloud-native architecture concepts including software disaggregation, functional software elements with 'state-efficient' processing combined with a common data layer, network slicing, along with centralized and distributed deployment to achieve massive scalability, performance, flexibility and reliability.

Nokia's Cloud Packet Core also includes a new rich 3GPP R13 Cellular IoT (CIoT) feature set and new capabilities, such as the CIoT Serving Gateway Node, to support new service and application requirements, including narrowband IoT (NB-IoT).

The Cloud Packet Core will create significant broadband business opportunities and support diverse applications for multiple segments and verticals, including consumer mobile, residential, enterprises and governments.

Fast facts:

•Nokia Cloud Packet Core anchors the industry's most extensive range of standards-based wireless and fixed access technologies, and supports concurrent service delivery across multiple access technologies

•Rich 3GPP R13 feature set and new CIoT Serving Gateway Node capabilities to support applications and services such as NB-IoT

•Cloud-native architecture delivers greater flexibility in resource deployment and efficient utilization to drive better economics

•New pre-integrated and modular Cloud Packet Core solutions (Cloud Mobility Manager/Cloud Mobile Gateway) expand on existing Cloud NFV deployment capabilities for rapid deployment and operational integration, and to engage expanded markets

•Builds on cloud-native investment required today for 4G and converged networks, facilitates a path to 5G, and has further innovations to deliver expanded service capabilities, scalability, agility and network functions

Stéphane Téral, Senior Research Director and Advisor, Mobile Infrastructure and Carrier Economics, IHS Markit, said: "While the requirements and use cases for 5G continue to be defined, it's clear that a new flexible multi-access cloud native packet core will be needed to support the nearer-term enhanced mobile broadband and IoT/MTC services and applications. This cloud-native packet core must provide the scale, capacity, reliability and flexibility to cost-effectively deliver this diverse set of services/applications, while providing the foundation for 5G. Nokia clearly understands this transformation with its Cloud Packet Core, which goes beyond virtualization to a cloud-native architecture that leverages webscale technologies to deliver this evolution strategy."

Sri Reddy, head of the IP Routing and Packet Core Business Unit at Nokia, said: "Broadband evolution to 5G and IoT/MTC will place a diverse set of service characteristics and requirements on the network. These services will need to be concurrently delivered across the widest range of fixed and wireless technologies to provide a seamless service experience and support extensive personalization. The Nokia Cloud Packet Core provides the converged anchor point to make this possible. With its cloud-native architecture, it has the flexibility, performance, scalability, reliability and improved operations for organizations to embrace and profit from mobile broadband, IoT/MTC and coming-5G opportunities."

The Cloud Packet Core will be in the Nokia booth at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Feb 27-Mar 2, Hall 3 Stand 3A10.