SK Telecom and NSN complete Evolved Packet Core virtualization proof-of-concept

SEOUL, KOREA: SK Telecom, NSN successfully complete Evolved Packet Core virtualization proof-of-concept Demonstrate tangible benefits of telco cloud ahead of commercial deployment

Nokia Solutions and Networks has demonstrated its telco cloud capabilities in a joint proof-of-concept for Evolved Packet Core (EPC) virtualization with SK Telecom, the leading operator in Korea. This Networks Functions Virtualization (NFV) project showed successful results for capacity scaling for both throughput and signaling traffic in connection with smartphone usage patterns.

As the global demand for mobile broadband with top-of-class quality of service continues to grow, future-proof core network architecture with efficient cloud computing capabilities becomes essential. SK Telecom evaluated several vendors for its proof-of-concept project, and selected NSN's core virtualization concept based on the company's Liquid Core* architecture. NSN was the only vendor to successfully demonstrate a complete EPC solution in a cloud environment, including both virtualized Mobility Management Entity (MME) and virtualized S/P-Gateway elements.

Says Choi Jin-sung, executive vice president and head of ICT R&D Division at SK Telecom: ""It has been satisfying to work with our long-standing partner, NSN, in yet another successful proof-of-concept project. We have now verified the feasibility of telco cloud technology and can now make plans for our future commercial cloud solutions for enhanced flexibility and operational efficiency."

"NSN's early lead with Liquid Core virtualization puts its proofs-of-concept into the fast lane, and racing with x86 hardware and a multi-stack cloud positions them to deliver everything operators want from NFV," said Joe Hoffman, ABI Research.

NSN's virtualized EPC helps operators improve their competitiveness by rapidly introducing optimal services customized to its environment. As the solution can be deployed to off-the shelf commercial IT hardware, it helps operators reduce their OPEX costs, deploy effective solutions, and easily run and manage the application.

"I'm proud of our work with SK Telecom in this exciting demonstration of our telco cloud capabilities for virtualized EPC," said Reino Tammela, vice president, Packet Core at NSN. "This successful project shows the full benefit of our Liquid Core portfolio. We have now completed proof-of-concept projects for voice as well as packet core network functions virtualization. We proved that handling both control and user plane traffic in the cloud is feasible and a viable option to meet the performance requirements of data traffic growth."

"I believe that NSN's leadership position in the telco cloud with proven technology and a clear roadmap contributed to the operator's decision to select NSN for this project," continued Tammela. "We were able to demonstrate concrete benefits ranging from reduced deployment costs to elasticity on demand, and from faster time-to-market to software investment protection, all of which greatly contribute to SK Telecom's readiness for its future launch of the EPC on cloud solution."

In October 2013, NSN reinforced its multi-stack approach to telco cloud to give operators full flexibility in their choice of cloud platforms, and reinventing the telcos for cloud to get the required lean agility is one of the key pillars of NSN's Technology Vision 2020. NSN is a key member of the ETSI Network Functions Virtualization Industry Specification (NFV) Group** and works closely with major operators, leading cloud stack vendors and open source cloud platforms to make its vision a reality.