Ericsson and British Telecommunication PLC (BT) have signed a deal to deploy Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core (Evolved Packet Core and 5G Core), a fully container-based, cloud native Mobile Packet Core for 4G, 5G Non-standalone and 5G Standalone services as a single fully integrated core.
The solution, delivered on BT’s Network Cloud, will form a key component in BT’s move to a single converged IP network. It will incorporate network orchestration and automation, including continuous delivery and integration processes (CI/CD), and be integrated into BT’s existing customer experience management platforms using Ericsson Expert Analytics together with Ericsson’s built-in software probes.
The deal is another milestone in the long-standing partnership between the two companies and is a key step in BT’s ambition to be a global leader in cloud native technology, harnessing the full power of Ericsson’s leading 5G technology to meet the growing demands of consumers and enterprise customers.
The containerization of core network functions will enable BT to benefit from greater industry innovation in many areas, including automation, orchestration, network resilience, security and faster upgrade techniques. This means increasing overall network availability for customers and services while being cost-effective. The Ericsson 5G Core will help BT to create and deliver new services such as enhanced mobile broadband, network slicing, mobile edge computing, mission critical vertical industry support and advanced enterprise services.
Howard Watson, CTIO of BT, says: “Having evaluated different 5G Core vendors, we have selected Ericsson as the best option on the basis of both lab performance and future roadmap. We are looking forward to working together as we build out our converged 4G and 5G core network across the UK. An agile, cloud-native core infrastructure is at the heart of our ambition to enable the next generation of exciting 5G services for our customers and give the UK the world-class digital infrastructure it needs to win in the future global economy.”
Marielle Lindgren, Head of Ericsson UK and Ireland, says: “Ericsson and BT have a long history of working together and we are delighted to continue that relationship with this new dual-mode 5G Core deal.”
The deployment of Ericsson’s leading technology will enable BT to meet the increasing demand for enhanced mobile broadband from its customers and also opens exciting and innovative opportunities for new use cases, with enterprise and industry partners.
“We, at Ericsson, have been in the UK for over a century and delivering the next generation of connectivity here is yet another proud part of our story,” says Lindgren.
