Huawei has introduced what it calls an industry-first fully containerised 5G core network, unveiled at the 5G Core Summit in Madrid.
The design applies container technology to every network function (NF), enabling faster, more flexible deployments and quicker rollout of services. This containerised approach is intended to help operators accelerate new business models and transform industry operations by making network updates and service launches more agile.
Huawei’s solution builds on cloud-native principles within virtualised network function (VNF) architectures to achieve stateless designs, cross-data-center (cross-DC) deployments, and efficient A/B testing. The company also presented what it describes as the world’s first 5G core based on a microservice-centric architecture (MCA), designed to support multi-generation access including 2G, 3G, 4G, and both non-standalone (NSA) and standalone (SA) 5G modes.
Huawei reports it has secured more than 50 commercial 5G contracts worldwide and says its technology helps carriers take an early lead in 5G deployment while delivering improved user experience and operational agility.
Separately, industry milestones continue across the ecosystem. In mid-September, Ericsson and Qualcomm announced a successful standalone 5G connection demonstration in Ericsson’s lab. That test used commercial Ericsson Radio System base stations, Ericsson standalone New Radio (NR) software, and Ericsson’s 5G Cloud Core solution, together with a smartphone-form-factor test device powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System.
Meanwhile, geopolitical and supply-chain issues remain central to 5G rollouts. Recently the United States pledged $1 billion to support rural mobile network upgrades aimed at removing Chinese-made telecom equipment. European governments continue to debate similar measures, weighing security concerns against financial costs. Earlier in 2019, Huawei funded an analysis suggesting that replacing Chinese telecom equipment across Europe could cost up to $62 billion, highlighting the scale of the challenge for large-scale network substitutions.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss topics like these and share real-world use cases? Consider attending co-located events that focus on 5G and adjacent technologies, where operators, vendors, and enterprise users present deployments, lessons learned, and roadmaps. These industry gatherings typically cover 5G architectures and cloud-native network functions, Internet of Things (IoT) deployments, blockchain applications, artificial intelligence and big data integration, and cybersecurity and cloud strategies—helping practitioners understand how to adapt networks and services for rapid digital transformation.