• Ericsson expands cloud-native innovation in telecom, leveraging CNCF projects to advance 5G and 6G

LONDON, UK – The Cloud Native Computing Foundation® (CNCF®), which builds sustainable ecosystems for cloud native software, today announced that Ericsson has upgraded its membership to Gold to strengthen its commitment to CNCF projects critical to telecom applications.

Through its CNCF engagement, the company is helping shape industry standards that will drive the future of 5G and 6G networks. Its investment in cloud native adoption supports the transition to 5G and development of 6G, reinforcing scalability, security, and efficiency in next-generation networking.

"Cloud native technology is essential for the future of telecom networks, enabling greater scalability, flexibility, and operational efficiency," said Phil Robb, Head Of Ericsson Software Technology. "Upgrading to a CNCF Gold Membership allows us to take a more active role in shaping the open source ecosystem that underpins 5G and 6G. This move strengthens our ability to engage in  key cloud native developments, ensuring they align with the needs of modern telecom infrastructure. We look forward to deeper collaboration with CNCF and its community to drive meaningful innovation."

Ericsson actively contributes to CNCF and other open source initiatives that support telecom innovation. The company leads advancements in bare-metal provisioning in Kubernetes through contributions to Metal3, critical for managing the lifecycle of bare-metal infrastructure in 5G core and radio applications. Additionally, Ericsson plays a key role in advancing service meshes such as Istio and Envoy to meet the performance and security needs of cloud native telecom applications.

Security remains a top priority as Ericsson strengthens cloud native adoption across the telecom sector. The company collaborates with CNCF and the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) to define industry-wide security baselines. By implementing best practices and aligning with frameworks like the Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF), Ericsson reinforces robust security measures across the cloud native ecosystem, ensuring resilient and trustworthy telecom applications.

"Ericsson's decision to invest in a CNCF gold membership underscores the growing role of cloud native technologies in the telco industry," said Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of CNCF. "Their deeper investment will strengthen the ecosystem, drive advancements in cloud native networking, and help shape the evolution of cloud native telco infrastructure. We look forward to their continued contributions and collaboration."

As a CNCF Gold Member, Ericsson joins a network of industry leaders committed to advancing cloud native innovation. Through strengthened collaboration with CNCF, Ericsson aims to accelerate the adoption of cloud native principles within telecom and contribute to the evolution of next-generation networking solutions.