Ericsson Reveals Container-Based 5G ‘First’ With Telstra

Ericsson says it has, with an assist from Telstra, deployed the first cloud-native and container-based evolved packet core for 4G and 5G services. The Australian network operator launched limited 5G services on Ericsson equipment in May and has been building out its coverage to reach at least 35 cities during the first half of 2020. Telstra deployed Ericsson’s evolved packet core technology in its network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) and is now carrying live 4G and 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) traffic on its mobile core network, according to a joint announcement. Ericsson describes the successful deployment as a “significant milestone in network orchestration and automation” because it will enable Telstra and other operators that use the technology to build a web-scale core network.