News
Nokia redefines fixed broadband with the industry’s only open and programmable access network slicing solution
October 2018 by Patrick LEBRETON
Nokia Fixed Access Network Slicing partitions the fixed access network into
autonomous slices and delivers for operators the Network-as-a-Service. The use of virtualization allows operators to create a virtually unlimited number of network slices in a fully programmable way for use by internal customers or third parties. The solution helps service providers enter new business areas, share investments and enhance network monetization by converging more services on a single infrastructure
Nokia launched its fully open and programmable fixed access network slicing solution. Delivering more than service level slicing, the solution enables operators to scale to a virtually unlimited number of discrete network
slices that can be independently operated, for example to run 5G mobile transport, wholesale or business services. The new solution is built around Nokia’s cloud-native software platform Altiplano and open standards. It allows operators to establish full control and autonomy for each slice they manage, plus determine the performance metrics for the network and services they deliver to customers.
Software Defined Access Networks (SDAN) are changing the way network service providers build, operate and commercialize their high-speed fixed broadband networks. Allowing the network to be partitioned into virtual slices, operators are using SDAN to deliver new services and connect more users, segments and entities that would otherwise require parallel networks.
Nokia’s programmable slicing solution uses open interfaces and YANG data models to create a virtual slice that looks, feels and operates just like a physical network.
Each service provider runs its own dedicated controller with a dedicated view of their slice of the network. This provides operators with the control and flexibility to deliver differentiated broadband services in a multi-vendor network environment. Equipment from different vendors can sit alongside each other, in different slices or on the same slice. The solution also makes it easier to share the physical network by enabling operators to automate challenging process such as rules, regulations and multi-vendor integration.
Once deployed, Nokia’s Fixed Network Slicing solution can help services providers move toward a fully autonomous Network as a Service (NaaS) model, allowing them to:
– Converge internal organizations and attract co-investment partners to improve capital efficiency and accelerate time-to-market.
– Quickly develop new strategies and create service offerings that better monetize their access networks.
– Enter a new business area, such as vertical markets and enterprise services, which can be served from the same access infrastructure as residential customers.
– Accelerate 5G deployments by configuring a slice to meet the SLA requirements for 5G anyhaul, negating the need for a dedicated backhaul/fronthaul network.
– Optimize multi-operator vectoring for G.fast deployments in a fiber-to-the-building (FTTB) environment.
As a pioneer in this field, Nokia has been showcasing Fixed Access Network Slicing to service providers around the globe. Nokia was also actively involved in the work that led to the publication of TR-370 on Fixed Access Network Sharing (FANS) by the Broadband Forum and is currently involved in the specification of the YANG modules that are used to achieve FANS.
Nokia will be hosting a session with Vodafone and Diffraction Analysis on October 24th at the Broadband World Forum event in Berlin where attendees can hear more about the application of fixed access network slicing.
Nokia’s end-to-end network slicing solution, including for the fixed access
networks, is implemented through the Nokia Future X network architecture for 5G to deliver breakthrough network performance and reduce costs.
