Vodafone is extending its long-standing partnership with Ericsson to deploy a new cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core across the UK.
The dual-mode core supports 5G Standalone (SA), 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), and 4G networks, allowing Vodafone to manage multiple generations of mobile connectivity from a unified, modern platform.
Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone UK, said:
“Ericsson has been one of our most trusted and successful partners for many years, and we are thrilled to be taking this critical step forward together.
With this new core delivery, the foundations are being built for our 5G Standalone network, which will enable us to work with customers to deliver innovations that would not be possible otherwise.”
5G Standalone unlocks the full potential of next-generation mobile networks by delivering faster connectivity, higher data rates, and ultra-low latency—capabilities that are essential for advanced applications such as virtual and augmented reality, industrial automation, and real-time cloud services.
Unlike non-standalone deployments that rely on existing 4G infrastructure, a 5G Standalone Core runs independently and introduces features such as secure network slicing, service exposure APIs, and integrated edge computing. These capabilities enable operators and enterprise customers to tailor network behavior and performance to specific use cases.
Vodafone and Ericsson first collaborated on a 5G Standalone deployment at Coventry University’s campus in July 2020. Since then, the partnership has expanded, delivering an award-winning 5G network in London and extending coverage to additional towns and cities across the UK.
Katherine Ainley, CEO of Ericsson UK & Ireland, commented:
“Our 5G industry leadership means Vodafone is positioned to deliver exceptional results for its customers.
We have a deep understanding of Vodafone’s customer and market needs, and with our leading product portfolio, supply chain, field-service expertise and support organisation, we are able to deploy speedily at scale and bring exciting new services to the UK market.
We are proud to be instrumental in making this happen with Vodafone.”
This deployment reinforces Ericsson’s role as a strategic end-to-end 5G network partner for Vodafone in the UK. It follows a related announcement in Germany, where Ericsson will also supply 5G Core infrastructure, demonstrating the vendor’s broader commitment to multi-country rollouts.
About the technology and impact: The cloud-native architecture of the new dual-mode core enables more flexible, automated operations and faster service rollouts. By adopting cloud-native principles—such as microservices, containerization, and orchestration—Vodafone and Ericsson can scale resources dynamically, reduce time-to-market for new services, and improve operational efficiency. This modern core paves the way for enterprises and consumers to benefit from new 5G-enabled use cases across entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing and smart cities.
About the partnership: Vodafone and Ericsson’s collaboration combines Vodafone’s market reach and customer insights with Ericsson’s product portfolio, supply chain capabilities, and implementation expertise. Together, they aim to accelerate 5G adoption across the UK by delivering resilient, high-performance networks and enabling innovation through advanced capabilities like network slicing and edge compute.
Event note: Digital Transformation Week North America was held as a virtual event in November 2021, focusing on strategies for digital transformation and the role of advanced technologies in creating a ‘digital everything’ world.