Vodafone to virtualise its core network to offer the best 5G service in the country
VODAFONE Australia has announced plans to virtualise its core network so it can offer the best service when 5G is rolled out across the country.
IMAGINE being having internet fast enough to download 600 movies per minute to a smartphone.
This will be a reality when superfast 5G is rolled across the country and Vodafone Australia has plans to be the number one provider for Aussie customers.
Part of this plan is a new five-year deal with Ericsson and Cisco, which will help Vodafone ready its infrastructure for superfast 5G internet by 2020.
The telco is looking to virtualise its core network to make it software-based — cloud-based solutions offer greater flexibility and efficiency.
Vodafone Australia chief technology officer Kevin Millroy said moving to the cloud would meet the huge customer demand for data and would make it easier to perform network upgrades.
“This is a much more economical and speedier way to drive the capacities we’ll be needing on our network,” Mr Millroy told The Australian.
“This is a five-year program we’re embarking on, but most of the heavy lifting will be done within the next two years.
“Having this virtualised network means customers can receive content faster, and it opens up possibilities with virtual reality, 4K video and gaming as a result.”
The news comes as telecommunications equipment company Qualcomm commissioned a study examining the economic impact of 5G.
Qualcomm predict “the full economic benefit” of the 5G to be realised across the globe by 2035, with a broad range of industries producing up to $A16.3 trillion worth of goods and services enabled by the next-gen technology.
The telco equipment company also believe 5G will be responsible for created 22 million jobs in retail, transportation and entertainment industries.
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Originally published as Vodafone to virtualise its core network to offer the best 5G service in the country
