Ericsson said on Monday that MTN South Africa has successfully completed its core network modernisation project that will give its mobile infrastructure reduced latency, enhanced data throughput and a better overall user experience.


As part of the modernisation project, MTN deployed cloud-native packet core and user management functions from Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G core solution from its cloud native infrastructure solution (CNIS) in the first half of this year. MTN South Africa and Ericsson also upgraded other functions that will continue to be hosted on virtualized infrastructure powered by Ericsson NFVI.

Execution of the project also involved two claimed milestones, including the world’[s first in-service software upgrade of an Ericsson packet core gateway (PCG) node with a collocated packet core firewall. Ericsson said the upgrade was carried out with no interruption to 2.52 million active user sessions and 40 Gbps of data flowing through the network.

MTN also deployed Ericsson’s cloud-native cloud core policy controller (CCPC) configured as a policy and charging rules function (PCRF), which enables the telco to implement real-time dynamic policies for non-standalone 5G.

The CCPC also supports the policy control function for 5G (PCF) function for whenever MTN decides to roll out a 5G standalone (SA) core, said Sandile Dhlomo, head of Ericsson South Africa.

“The solution enhances the operator’s session, mobility management and policy control capabilities while laying the groundwork for future 5G standalone,” he said in a statement.

MTN said it also successfully executed a container-as-a-service rolling upgrade (CaaS-RU) on Ericsson’s cloud container distribution (CCD) solution, which was upgraded with no disruptions while CCPC was handling approximately 2 million active sessions.

“The implementation of Ericsson’s cloud-native policy controller and packet core gateway as part of the dual-mode 5G Core solution enables us to respond more quickly to customer demands, launch new services with agility, and simplify our internal processes through automation,” said Solomzi Mnyaka, GM of network services engineering and L2 support at MTN South Africa.

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