China Unicom is partnering ZTE to leverage Software Defined Network (SDN)/Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology. Both firms aim to build-on current SDN/NFV network development trends through collaborative innovation, implementation of SDN/NFV applications, and promotion of the next-generation network architecture for China Unicom.
China Unicom has been advocating SDN/NFV, completing the NFV PoC for its VoLTE project based on the virtual evolved packet core (vEPC) and the virtual IP multimedia subsystem (vIMS) architecture.
According to both companies, they will be working together with open-source communities for requirement analysis, solution and product development, test verification/PoC, and commercial pilot deployment for SDN/NFV. In addition, both firms will continue research and propose draft standards and patent applications, jointly apply for and undertake national key research projects, and share the achievements in the SDN/NFV field.
Chi Yongsheng, Deputy Director of the China Unicom Network Technology Research Institute
The partnership with ZTE should focus on China Unicom's marketing and business development needs, and start from service innovation and technological innovation to establish a market-oriented innovation mechanism, and adopt open-source, iterative, and other new R&D models.
Liu Peng, Vice President of ZTE
Today, both parties work with each other again by signing a strategic cooperation memorandum in the field of SDN/NFV, thereby accelerating the revolution in network technologies and the development of the entire industry through continuous innovation and exploration.
