Ericsson has completed the automated upgrade of Vodafone Oman’s core network applications and cloud infrastructure. The upgrade has prepared Vodafone Oman to deploy 5G standalone and 5G services for its consumer and enterprise customers.
The scope involved the upgrade of the complete Ericsson end-to-end core network and cloud infrastructure, network management, life cycle management and business support systems (BSS) in a single project, marking it as a significant first in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
Vodafone Oman’s core network consists of virtual and containerized functions implemented over the upgraded cloud infrastructure, including Evolved Packet Core (EPC), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Unified Data Management (UDM), IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Policy and Charging Rules functions (PCRF), and Management and Orchestration (MANO) applications. The upgrade of the core network functions was enabled by Ericsson’s automation pipeline with minimal human intervention.
Upgrading through this model means Vodafone Oman is set up well to reduce risks in the network due to the ability to implement the latest security patches and corrections. It also facilitates improved performance and faster time-to-value compared to manual processes.
Ericsson Orchestrator, which handled the upgrades of the other elements in the project, provides automation packages which allowed experts from the two companies to facilitate a smooth transition to the latest technologies, empowering the communication service provider (CSP) to deliver exceptional network experiences to its customers.
The Ericsson Service Delivery team conducted the upgrade in collaboration with Vodafone Oman and the Ericsson Managed Network Services team, which oversees network operations. This joint effort aimed to enhance Vodafone Oman’s network performance and reliability, ensuring a better experience for its users.
The process was completed seamlessly, without any disruptions to network traffic. Over 200 live node activities (LNA) were executed in 100 percent first-time-right with zero incidents and escalations.
Bader Al Zidi, Vodafone Oman Chief Executive Officer, says: “At Vodafone Oman, we are committed to supporting the goals of Oman Vision 2040 by driving digitalization and fostering economic growth. We are actively collaborating with global technology leaders, such as Ericsson, to create a connected tech-telco ecosystem. This upgrade, and the introduction of the Ericsson automation framework to support further automated upgrades, are an important stepping stone for us to enable the implementation of new technology services and preparing Vodafone for a smooth introduction of 5G SA. The automation will not only enhance our day-to-day operations but also set the stage for future expansion.”
Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Gulf Council Countries, says: “We are delighted to be a trusted partner of Vodafone Oman in the continued evolution of its network. We are leveraging the power of automation to improve the CSP’s operational and energy efficiency, boost performance, reduce time to market for new services and lower expenses by eliminating manual processes and enabling zero-touch operations.”
Ericsson has enjoyed a productive collaboration with Vodafone Oman as its core and cloud network supplier since the launch of the CSP’s trial operations in the country in 2021. The two companies are working together to deliver a state-of-the-art 5G standalone network while enhancing Vodafone Oman’s radio access network (RAN) and transport capabilities, in addition to developing a cloud-native microservices based 5G infrastructure.
