BT has signed a deal with Ericsson to deploy Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core (Evolved Packet Core and 5G Core), a cloud native Mobile Packet Core for 4G, 5G Non-standalone and 5G Standalone services as a single fully integrated core.
BT has earlier decided against selecting Huawei in its 5G core network in the wake of security concerns posed by the China-based telecom network company.
The solution, delivered on BT’s Network Cloud, will form a key component in BT’s move to a single converged IP network.
It will incorporate network orchestration and automation, including continuous delivery and integration processes (CI/CD), and be integrated into BT’s existing customer experience management platforms using Ericsson Expert Analytics together with Ericsson’s built-in software probes.
The Ericsson 5G Core will help BT to create and deliver new services such as enhanced mobile broadband, network slicing, mobile edge computing, mission critical vertical industry support and advanced enterprise services.
“Having evaluated different 5G Core vendors, we have selected Ericsson as the best option on the basis of both lab performance and future roadmap. We are looking forward to working together as we build out our converged 4G and 5G core network across the UK,” Howard Watson, CTIO of BT, said.
Earlier, BT said that Britain’s decision to cap Huawei’s role in 5G will cost BT 500 million pounds or $657 million as it will need to remove some of the Chinese group’s gear from its network and tap pricier rivals such as Ericsson and Nokia.
UK has limited Huawei’s market share of the 5G network at 35 percent, excluded it from the sensitive core, where data is processed, and banned it from critical networks and locations like nuclear sites.
BT is rolling out 5G network using the Chinese company’s radio equipment, though it is not using it in the core and is removing its gear from the core of its 4G network, Reuters reported earlier.
BT CEO Philip Jansen earlier said Huawei’s presence in its 4G network was already slightly above 35 percent. Huawei’s role in its fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) broadband network was also currently just over 35 percent.
