The solution can be deployed for 4G and 5G in standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) configurations. It uses a cloud-native, fully containerised microservice architecture and can be deployed in a traditional private core, on premise, or in the cloud using public cloud or hybrid configurations.
The news comes as NEC supports the industry transition to Open RAN for 5G leveraging its portfolio of solutions which include disaggregated RAN components, xHaul transport, core networks, operations automation and systems integration services. This suite of solutions is collectively called NEC Open Networks.
Using NEC Open Networks, NEC aims to address the challenges mobile network operators (MNOs) are facing in deploying 5G networks. One of these issues is the duplicated costs incurred to manage and operate both 4G EPC and 5G. Using the Converged Core allows a smooth transition to 5G for MNOs by enabling 4G EPC, 5G NSA and 5G SA deployments with the same product at the same time.
NEC implemented container technology and microservices by redesigning the traditional EPC into a fully cloud-native architecture and combining it with 5GC to accommodate both 4G and 5G users under a single core. This in turn, allows individual Network Functions (NF) to be deployed and scaled on-demand as needed, to natively support high performance, availability, scalability, resiliency and disaster recovery.
In related news, January saw NEC Corporation enter into a definitive agreement to acquire Blue Danube Systems, a US-based provider of CBRS/4G/5G RAN products and AI/ML-based software that support mobile operators with their 5G network buildouts and spectrum optimisation.
Once completed, the acquisition will bolster NEC's customer support capabilities and assets in North America. It also adds to the range of its Open RAN solutions portfolio.
