In this 5G project, O2 Telefónica said it is working closely together with partners Google Cloud and Ericsson
German operator O2 Telefónica, owned by Spanish telco Telefónica, said it will move its 5G core network in Germany to the cloud in the future, with the aim of deploying and making updates in the network even faster and provide new networking solutions for private and business customers.
In this project, O2 Telefónica said it is working closely together with partners Google Cloud and Ericsson. The telco has implemented Google Distributed Cloud Edge in its data center, through which the 5G core network, provided by the Ericsson dual-mode 5G core, is operated.
“With our new 5G cloud core network, we are going in an innovative and particularly forward-looking way,” said Mallik Rao, chief technology and information officer (CTIO) at O2 Telefónica. “The cloud enables us to bring innovations to market faster, flexibly manage the computing power we need, and deliver new 5G applications to our consumers and business customers alike. We can leverage the full potential of 5G, cloud and automation.”
Stefan Koetz, acting head of market area Europe and Latin America at Ericsson, said that the vendor’s 5G core network is cloud-native and can be deployed with full automation.
“Cloud-native networks help communication service providers become even more agile, efficient, and innovative in anticipating and responding to customer needs,” said Amol Phadke, Google Cloud’s general manager of global telecom industry.
O2 Telefónica is using the 5G cloud core network to deploy and test real-world customer applications and networking solutions for mobile broadband, network slicing, real-time applications and private 5G networks in a testing environment. In order to comply with strict data protection requirements, no real customer data of O2 Telefónica is used, the company noted.
O2 Telefónica recently said its 5G network is operating over 18,000 antennas in the Germany.
The telco said that this network infrastructure is enabling the provision of 5G services to 75% of the German population. With this expansion progress, the telecommunications provider has exceeded its original target of covering half of the population with 5G technology by the end of this year.
By the end of July, O2 Telefónica had said it has already deployed nearly 6,000 5G antennas in the 3.6 GHz frequency. The telco said that the 3.6 GHz frequencies are used primarily in densely populated regions. Cities with the higher number of 3.6 GHz stations include Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and Cologne.
The telco also said it is currently focusing on the provision of 5G in rural areas across Germany via spectrum in the 700 MHz band.
The carrier also said it expects to cover the country’s overall population with 5G by the end of 2025.
Telefónica Deutschland has said that it is technically ready to deploy a nationwide 5G Standalone network but noted that the infrastructure will be fully activated as soon as 5G Standalone offers real added value for customers, and when enough devices in the market support 5G SA.
