The rise of virtualization across the wireless telecommunications space is becoming a growing trend as operators look to trim the cost of operating next-generation networks.
Looking to feed that desire, Cisco said it has expanded its telecom-focused virtualization platform with the launch of its Evolved Services Platform that is part of its Open Network Environment “strategy.” Cisco said the enhancements help support service agility and the reduction in operating expenses.
The ESP offering is designed to sit between Cisco’s Evolved Programmable Network layer and the application layer, providing for automation and provisioning services in real time. Cisco explained that the ESP is designed to help facilitate quicker time-to-market for new services, which in turn can lead to increasing revenues and decreasing expenses by “optimizing existing network infrastructures.”
Cisco claims the ESP is an open platform incorporating the Openstack and OpenDaylight Project protocol suite, as well as with other vendors’ functions and applications such as Broadsoft, Metaswitch Networks and Openwave Mobility.
The ESP is being announced with the availability of two initial modules for deployment: video and mobility. The video service is dubbed Videoscape Cloud DVR Solution, which Cisco explained is a cloud-driven video recording with capture and storage in the cloud. The mobility function is named Virtualized Mobile Internet and supports virtualized mobile services such as sponsored data.
AT&T earlier this year unveiled a sponsored data service that will allow customers to receive advertising messages to their mobile device, with those messages and related content not counting against a consumer’s data allotment.
Cisco is offering the ESP service through four outlets, including virtual functions that can be purchased individually; orchestrated that allows functions to work in a networked environment; as a “pod,” which is a combination of virtual functions and orchestrated; and “as-a-service” that is a hosted model.
Looking at the use of Cisco’s ESP platform and NFV solution, ACG Research noted in a report that the platform provides a 43% total cost of savings for EPC functions and a 44% TCO savings for the Gi-LAN function for virtual premium mobile broadband.
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