A Future-Proof Core Network, Gearing Up Business Value
[Shenzhen, China, April 14, 2021] The 18th Huawei Global Analyst Summit was held in Shenzhen from April 12 to 14. Leo Ma, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Marketing Dept. delivered a keynote speech titled "A Future-Proof Core Network, Gearing Up Business Value", in which he made six propositions regarding networks, operations, and business to help carriers grow business value for success with 5G.
Leo Ma delivering his keynote speech
There are four differences that really set 5G core networks apart from 4G ones — all-cloud infrastructure, distributed network topology, service-based interfaces for network functions (NFs), and its ability to support a diverse range of 5GtoB scenarios. And while these changes are necessary, they bring a series of challenges to network construction, operations, and closed-loop business management. This is where Huawei's extensive experience in network construction comes in. The six propositions Leo Ma addressed in his speech incorporate this experience to help operators build a "rock-solid", fully converged core network, creating business opportunities for 5GtoC, 5GtoB, and voice services.
Reliability is a key indicator of an excellent 5G Core
Reliability is life-and-death for a core network, but factors such as cloudification and control-plane expansion challenge this reliability and pose greater requirements on it.
Huawei's "Rock-solid" Reliability Solution uses stateless design, N-way redundancy, and distributed federated databases to implement hot backup across DCs for disaster recovery. The solution uses 64x signaling protection to cope with even the most extreme scenarios, and ensures that services are not affected, even if an entire DC is faulty. Furthermore, the capabilities and algorithms underpinning the software architecture are optimized to achieve ultra-high availability.
Full convergence is the best way forward for network evolution
Multiple generations of networks that are evolving in various different approaches — directly to 5G SA or first to 5G NSA and then to 5G SA — have made 5G investments and O&M a challenge for operators. Fully converged core networks are the best choice, and Huawei has several solutions that achieve this:
l Huawei's Single Packet Core solution converges 2G/3G/4G/5G NSA/5G SA and applies SA technologies on NSA networks, so that many of the benefits of SA technologies can be reaped before SA networks are ready, while meeting many of the requirements for evolution.
l Huawei's Single Voice Core solution integrates 2G/3G/4G/5G/fixed voice core networks. This five-in-one solution reduces the number of network elements (NEs), unifies external interfaces, and reduces operating expense (OPEX). It also allows carriers to smoothly evolve away from and retire traditional circuit switched (CS) networks.
Autonomous driving network optimizes cross-layer fault demarcation in cloud-based networks
Trying to find faults across the different layers of cloud-based networks is one of the biggest pain points for carriers. The autonomous driving network utilizes an expert experience library and intelligent algorithms to improve fault prevention and prediction on telecom networks for high levels of automation, and intelligent operations.
Huawei's autonomous driving core network solution implements intelligent closed-loop management for everything from fault detection and classification, to fault diagnosis. The solution improves O&M efficiency with its ability to match faults against 13 high-frequency fault scenarios, detect faults within 5 minutes, and accurately locate faults within 15 minutes. User experience can remain constant and users are much less likely to complain.
PNI-NPN is the most economical solution for 5GtoB
Various network prerequisites stand in the way of industry digitalization, prerequisites such as data transmission within campuses and high reliability. However, the efficiency of network construction and maintenance in carrier public networks are obvious advantages that make them the best choice for enterprises.
Huawei's "Kite-like" PNI-NPN solution provides three tiers: S, M, and L. It supports on-demand deployment and ensures services stay online even when the network is disconnected. These features allow the solution to meet a diverse range of enterprise requirements, accelerate network deployment, and speed up network operations. Furthermore, it has already been applied successfully in scenarios such as coal mines and factories.
Pair connectivity to benefit from new MEC business scenarios
Edge computing is being applied in new and innovative ways, creating new industry practices and finding its way into industry requirements. Operators should start with 5G connections to enhance computing. This will provide winning leverage for pairing connectivity with new scenarios. Following this, carriers can build "connectivity+computing" on top of telecom cloud, stretch their network connections to edge sites, and coordinate the edge sites with the public cloud. This can be used to create more advanced edge applications. As part of this, carriers can open up network capabilities for cloud-network synergy, to build differentiated competitiveness, and maximize the value of the MEC.
5G New Calling builds new value for voice services
5G New Calling uses native network and terminal capabilities to transmit multimedia such as images, videos, and text during calls, to provide a high-quality, visual, and interactive experience for users. The solution creates opportunities for industry innovation and value-added services, and reshapes the way carriers provide communications.
Huawei urges more industry organizations, operators, and terminal partners to work together to break through obstacles in the industry such as interoperability standards and native support in terminals. Such cooperation would promote robust development of a new voice industry.
Huawei wants to work with operators to drive forward evolution towards 5.5G networks. Driven by business and technology, Huawei will continuously enhance and evolve the deterministic user experience and real-time perceptive communication, enabling countless industries and drawing out the business value of 5G.
