Tune Talk has deployed a cloud-native 5G core network using Nokia’s complete 5G Core software stack on AWS public cloud infrastructure.
The deployment uses a hybrid cloud topology: Tune Talk runs the network control plane in the AWS Malaysia region to benefit from centralized cloud scalability, while the user plane operates locally on AWS Outposts at the network edge. This hybrid design meets strict telecom latency requirements while maintaining high throughput and predictable performance.
Edge components run on bare-metal instances built on the AWS Nitro architecture. Nitro separates virtualization functions and allocates dedicated hardware resources directly to containerized network functions (CNFs) to ensure performance, security, and resiliency in the edge environment.
The solution integrates Nokia’s telecom software with AWS infrastructure, including containerized subscriber data management, session management, and policy control functions managed through orchestration platforms. Achieving carrier-grade availability in a public cloud required deploying the first AWS RP gateway in Southeast Asia and close engineering collaboration between Nokia and AWS to meet high availability and reliability targets.
Phased migration and the shift to agentic automation
Tune Talk migrated from a traditional on-premises MVNO setup to an architecture able to support full Mobile Network Operator (MNO) capabilities through a phased approach rather than an immediate cutover.
The initial phase involved lifting legacy workloads into a standard cloud environment. This step stabilized operations and provided a baseline before re-architecting services for a cloud-native deployment in partnership with Nokia and Mavenir.
Managing a distributed cloud continuum demanded a major change to conventional operations. Tune Talk introduced an agentic AI framework powered by AWS Agent Core Bedrock to automate day-two operations. This agentic system runs automated root cause analysis (RCA) across the network fabric, detecting faults across multi-tenant environments without manual log inspection.
During traffic surges, the AI dynamically scales infrastructure capacity. It also manages In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU), enabling Tune Talk to apply patches to core network components without dropping active subscriber sessions. In effect, CI/CD pipelines become a self-healing operations layer that automates remediation and capacity adjustments.
Disrupted densification via autonomous small cells
With core network, OSS, and BSS running in the cloud, Tune Talk is preparing to address coverage and capacity gaps through network densification. The operator plans to deploy between 80,000 and 100,000 autonomous small cells across Peninsular and East Malaysia to close a notable blind spot in local 5G coverage.
Macro-network densification has lagged while 5G handset adoption grows, which can reduce per-user data speeds. Tune Talk’s small-cell model avoids the overhead of traditional RAN rollouts by using self-installable, plug-and-play units. Consumers can mount the units with common tools, connect them to power, and plug an Ethernet cable into a standard home router.
A centralized Self-Organising Network (SON) manages the deployed small cells from day one. The SON auto-configures neighbor relationships, mitigates interference among overlapping cells, and minimizes the need for field technicians. The small-cell layer offloads traffic from the macro network and operates as an open-access infrastructure so other regional providers can offload traffic. This approach transforms a proprietary footprint into shared national utility infrastructure.
In December 2024 Tune Talk was adding around 50,000 new subscribers per month. After stabilizing the cloud-native platform, sign-up rates accelerated to as many as 15,000 new subscribers per day. The planned small-cell rollout also creates an infrastructure-as-a-service revenue opportunity.
The economic model resembles residential solar panels feeding power back into the grid. When subscribers from other networks connect via a leased small cell, the host earns passive income from offloaded traffic. That creates a consumer-level incentive to support network densification on the operator’s behalf.
The greenfield advantage vs brownfield risks
The deployment offers lessons for greenfield operators and nimble MVNOs: new entrants free from legacy technical debt can build on public cloud models from day one. This removes large upfront capital expenditures, aligns operating costs with active subscriber revenue, and shortens time-to-market for advanced 5G services.
By contrast, brownfield operators face substantial challenges. Incumbent carriers operate extensive legacy hardware and capital investments, and migrating millions of live subscribers to a public cloud core carries significant operational risk.
Legacy operators typically adopt complex hybrid models, progressively moving non-critical functions while maintaining integrations with on-prem systems. Full cloud migration for these players tends to be slow and risky. Tune Talk’s production deployment demonstrates that public cloud infrastructure can reliably support mission-critical, high-growth telecom workloads when designed and executed carefully.
See also: Broadcom silicon bridges AI data centres and edge
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