Nokia Networks has unveiled its cloud-based radio access networks solution - Nokia Radio Cloud - to enable processing capacity to be allocated from almost anywhere in the network, such as an adjacent cell or a centralized data center. The multi-layer approach supports distributed and centralized deployments, or a combination of both, using multiple fronthaul types, including Ethernet.
According to Nokia Networks, the Radio Cloud solution will utilize operator’s existing radio access and transport assets more efficiently, avoiding incremental costs to build new infrastructure. Nokia also said that its Radio Cloud which will be commercialized from early 2016 onwards is based on an open ecosystem to maximize the use of open source software.
The company is further expanding its telco cloud portfolio by launching its Nokia Cloud Security Director which will be commercially available in the fourth quarter this year. The company also announced that its Nokia Cloud Evolved Packet Core (EPC) will be commercially available in the second quarter of this year, while the Nokia Cloud Network Director that can orchestrate virtualized network functions like EPC and VoLTE will be available in Q3.
Jin-hyo Park, Senior Vice President and Head of Network Technology R&D Center, SK Telecoma
Through ‘Cloud vRAN’ (Radio Cloud), we expect to see more intelligence implemented in telecommunications networks and innovations in value-centered networks. SK Telecom will continue to cooperate closely with global companies like Nokia to develop core technologies for the next generation networks, thereby leading the advancements in 5G networks and the evolution of LTE-A technology.”
Henri Tervonen, Vice President, Mobile Broadband Architecture, Nokia Networks
This is the first radio cloud architecture that offers a layered approach with different deployment models to optimize performance by enabling basic capacity to be built near cell sites, and with peak capacity in the data center being redirected to follow traffic demand. Continuing the evolution from Nokia Single RAN and Nokia Centralized RAN, our Radio Cloud network architecture is a tremendous platform to prepare for upcoming 5G for core and radio.
