Amdocs and Samsung team up to tackle VNF onboarding for 5G

• The companies say their efforts will accelerate CSP deployment of 5G cloud networks
• The solutions will support  the Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP) and onboarding will start with Samsung’s Virtualised Central Unit function

Samsung and Amdocs have announced a series of joint initiatives which they say will accelerate the CSP journey to open cloud networks to better manage the delivery of 5G services.

The emphasis here is on speed to 5G services. The collaboration will start with Samsung’s Virtualised Central Unit (vCU) function and will expand to cover additional areas including components of the 5G core. 

The two companies will also explore the possibility of delivering relevant network services, such as vRAN rollout and integration, and related Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) enablement solutions. Virtualised network functions that are managed by a comprehensive automation and orchestration platform will provide CSPs with a rich set of innovative new services that can be deployed, discovered and scaled on demand, providing new ways to monetise the network, it says. 

“This partnership with Amdocs on ONAP enablement helps us accelerate an important shift towards a dynamic software-driven architecture that will empower networks to adjust themselves to meet ever-changing user demands and network conditions,” said Jaeho Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we move 5G business forward, we continue to drive the adoption of ONAP and 5G network deployment to enrich the 5G ecosystem.”

“As the deployment of 5G networks accelerates, CSPs are taking the opportunity to rearchitect their network to be open, virtualised, cloud-based and AI-infused,” said Anthony Goonetilleke, group president of Media, Network and Technology, Amdocs. “By teaming with Samsung, Amdocs combines its expertise in enterprise-grade ONAP and software-defined systems with Samsung’s advanced 5G network solutions portfolio to better enable CSPs to launch innovative new services at speed.”