With a surge in service demands from the customers, the majority of the operators are increasing their investments for handling such requirements.
This brings deployment of 5G over networks into the picture.
Thus, network slicing will be done, which eventually will support multiple virtual networks over the physical infrastructure.
This, in turn, will help operators in allocating appropriate network resources to a specific slice. This means it will provide sufficient data rate, security and high network availability.
Other than this, virtualization in 5G technology is the growing demand for technologies like IoT and AI.
Over the last three years, Verizon has been preparing for 5G. It is doing so by migrating its network core and edge processing from a physical world to the virtual world.
Unlike LTE, wherein physical network comes first and then virtual, the software’s used for core network start ultimately as virtual.
Some of the reasons for which Verizon is relying on 5G virtualization:
- Transforming its various networks under a common unified framework.
- Dynamic spectrum sharing will allow operating multiple networks in different spectrum bands.
- Mobile edge computes with AWS; the deal is focussed on porting of wavelength services on Verizon data centre, thereby delivering compute with latencies down to 20 milliseconds.
AT&T has virtualized 65% of its core network. It still is working on completing 75% of virtualization in the near future.
Some of the reasons why AT&T are looking up to an efficient 5G technology are discussed as under
• AT&T is collaborating with Google cloud for merging Telco edges
AT&T is working closely with Google cloud on many 5G/edge solutions.
Telecom network is comprised of the Google edges but the same is nowhere currently being utilized for the deliverance of services like 5G enabled edge solutions.
Google aims at covering this gap and brings the 5G backed edge solutions by partnering with telecommunication companies.
The possibility here is to launch a pay-as-you-go, low-latency, premium cloud service using Google Cloud’s services.
• AT&T is going for a joint project with Microsoft wherein cloud services of Microsoft Azure will be delivered from the AT&T network edge
The aim here is to provide enterprises capabilities for companies with new 5G and cloud and edge computing solutions.
Majority of the companies are looking positively towards network edge computing technologies, which means that AT&T software-defined and virtualized 5G core will be capable of delivering Azure services.
Also Read: 5G Network Architecture Explained With Diagram
- Efficient Load balancing.
- More operator control over the network.
- Better flexibility.
- Minimum infrastructure costs.
- Simplified service deployments.
Simplification of complete network operations as a fully virtualized RAN provides uniform
Platforms across core networks.
Conclusion
Virtualization is just a step in liberating 5G’s genuine capacity. With more of the tests being done, it will undoubtedly alter our day to day life. Along with that, some work needs to be done on its security as well.
