• Ericsson and Google Cloud have developed a 5G core SaaS product called Ericsson On-Demand
• The aim is to help resource-challenged operators provision and scale 5G standalone services
• Nokia and Orange Wholesale have also developed a 5G core SaaS product for mobile operators 

Ericsson has broadened the scope of its engagement with the telco community by launching a public cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that provides 5G core platform functionality to mobile operators more quickly and without the need for huge upfront capital investments.

Ericsson On-Demand, developed in partnership with Google Cloud, is described as the vendor’s “first true SaaS product” and is said to enable operators to “rapidly provision and scale 5G core services” through Google Cloud locations, “reduce operational overhead, and unlock commercial agility through a fully managed, cloud-native platform”.

Roberto Kompany, a principal analyst at Omdia, noted that the offering is intended to help smaller operators avoid the complexity of deploying a 5G core in standalone (SA) mode. “Also, the solution is supposed to be quite cost effective, and it is paid for on a consumption-based model,” he observed. 

The service was announced at Ericsson’s Core Network Summit in Madrid this week. The vendor said the platform is managed end to end by Ericsson and is based on Google Kubernetes Engine and Google Cloud’s full stack AI infrastructure, “which is available globally across 42 cloud regions and more than 2 million miles of terrestrial and subsea fibre”.  

The claim is that a full core can be deployed “in minutes” and scaled up or down as required, while telcos only pay for what they use. 

According to Eric Parsons, VP head of emerging segments, cloud software and services, On-Demand removes the risk and complexity for telcos that wish to enter into “new commercial territory”.

“It gives them the agility to outpace market change, the confidence to innovate without compromise, and the clarity to seize opportunities that were previously just out of reach,” Parsons added.

Helping hands for 5G SA

Operators have been slow to deploy 5G SA networks, in large part owing to the inherent challenges of building a new core network based on cloud-native technology.

Although momentum has picked up, only around 73 5G SA networks had been launched in 40 countries as of May 2025, according to the latest update from the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA). That compares with 354 commercial 5G network launches based on non-standalone technology.

However, the GSA notes that 163 operators in 65 markets are investing in public 5G SA, also regarded as a prerequisite for the launch of 5G-Advanced. GSA research finds that just six operators have so far launched 5G-Advanced networks, including Telstra, China Mobile, CTM in Macao SAR, and Singtel.

A major proponent of the benefits of 5G-Advanced, Ericsson clearly sees a need to offer an incentive for 5G SA deployment, and it is not alone. Its Nordic rival Nokia also offers a 5G core SaaS product that is designed to simplify the integration process for operators. 

Furthermore, operators themselves have been getting in on the act. During MWC 2025, Orange Wholesale unveiled a 5G core network-as-a-service (CNaaS) offering that will generally be available from the third quarter of 2025. The solution, based on Orange Telco Cloud, is aimed at business customers and smaller operators that do not have the financial resources or expertise to deploy their own 5G SA network.

Speaking during a media roundtable at the event, Michaël Trabbia, CEO of Orange Wholesale, admitted that the 5G CNaaS offer places Orange in the position of competing with its own network vendors. However, he added that the telco’s objective is not to be a vendor but to have a solution “that can answer our customers’ needs”.

- Anne Morris, Contributing Editor, TelecomTV