Collaboration harnesses Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) for resilient, high-performance, cloud-native 5G deployment of Nokia’s Policy Control Functions, ushering in a new era of customer experience
O2 Telefónica in Germany and Google Cloud have announced their intent to form a strategic partnership to advance the cloud transformation of O2 Telefónica’s 5G network in collaboration with Nokia. Building on their successful cooperation in charging solutions for mobile customers, O2 Telefónica is now exploring the migration of additional 5G functions, such as Nokia’s Policy Control Functions, to Google Cloud. Leveraging Google Cloud’s state-of-the-art infrastructure, this partnership will accelerate the deployment of cloud-native 5G functions and telecom workloads, ensuring high-performance, low-latency, and highly reliable 5G services for customers.
The advent of 5G presents both substantial opportunities and considerable challenges for communication service providers (CSPs). To unlock 5G’s full potential, CSPs must transition from traditional monolithic architectures to cloud-native, software-defined networks. As part of this digital transformation, O2 Telefónica is taking a significant step by migrating Nokia’s Policy Control Functions to Google Cloud. These functions are crucial for managing network operations, establishing policies, and ensuring seamless performance with real-time data utilization.
“We are building the mobile network of the future and now are taking the next innovative step by bringing further network functions and telecom workloads to the cloud,” said Mallik Rao, chief technology and enterprise business officer, O2 Telefónica in Germany. “This work with Google Cloud and Nokia is a significant step in O2 Telefónica’s technology transformation. We have already gained valuable experience with Google Cloud and are now extending this collaboration. By embracing cloud-native solutions, we are modernizing our network to deliver the next generation of 5G services to our customers.”
Google Cloud’s cutting-edge infrastructure services, including Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), play a vital role in this initiative by providing a secure, scalable, and highly available platform for managing mission-critical 5G workloads. GKE’s advanced features facilitate the seamless migration of network function workloads with minimal modifications. This ensures that O2 Telefónica can efficiently operate its essential 5G services on Google Cloud, accelerating the introduction of innovative offerings.
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O2 Telefónica’s decision to collaborate with Google Cloud followed an extensive evaluation process. Through close cooperation with Nokia, the company determined that Google Cloud’s platform met key requirements, including seamless customer onboarding and robust security measures.
“At Google Cloud, we are committed to empowering CSPs with the technology they need to succeed in the 5G era and beyond,” said Thomas Kurian, chief executive officer, Google Cloud. “Our planned work with O2 Telefónica in Germany and Nokia demonstrates our ability to meet CSPs where they are, providing them with the cloud infrastructure and solutions to modernize their networks, drive innovation, and deliver exceptional experiences to their customers.”
“Nokia is pleased to join forces with O2 Telefónica and Google Cloud to pioneer the next generation of 5G core networks,” said Raghav Sahgal, president of Cloud and Network Services, Nokia. “Nokia’s market-leading 5G cloud-native, multi-cloud core technology, including our advanced Policy Control Functions, will give O2 Telefónica greater agility essential for managing and automating capabilities of modern networks, and accelerating the delivery of innovative 5G services.”
This strategic partnership positions O2 Telefónica to drive forward its network evolution, leveraging the strengths of Google Cloud and Nokia to deliver cutting-edge 5G capabilities. As O2 Telefónica continues its digital transformation, customers can expect enhanced network performance, increased reliability, and faster access to next-generation 5G services.