Samsung Completes Multivendor Interoperability of Cloud-Native 5G Standalone Core with HPE and Openet

With multi-vendor interoperability, Samsung’s new 5G SA Core solution helps operators choose innovative options to deliver new 5G SA services.

Samsung Electronics, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Openet today announced the successful integration of a cloud-native 5G standalone (SA) Core with multivendor interoperability. This represents an important milestone and demonstrates significant progress in the journey toward 5G SA, driven by the 5G SA Core collaboration among Samsung, HPE and Openet, announced in February 2019.

Earlier this year, mobile operators in Korea and the United States have helped to successfully usher in the 5G era with the launch of commercial service using Samsung Network’s end-to-end 5G solutions, accelerating 5G deployments around the world. The 5G SA Core will help operators offer innovative 5G SA services, such as network slicing, mobile edge computing, AI analytics and ultra-low latency (URLLC) networks. The solution will play a significant role in driving new business opportunities for mobile operators as the industry is focusing on the next generation services spanning autonomous driving, smart factory, smart farm, and AR/VR.

“5G SA Core built on open architecture is a key driver of the innovative services that 5G promises, and it will help mobile operators create new revenue streams and business opportunities,” said Wonil Roh, Vice President and Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is excited to continue building out a robust and open 5G ecosystem with global partners like HPE and Openet.  We look forward to extending our 5G technical leadership around the globe by widening our end-to-end 5G solution portfolio.”

Samsung’s 5G SA Core brings together cloud-native 5G network functions from the three companies to deliver end-to-end 5G SA services. For this multi-vendor interoperability test, Samsung has integrated its control, user plane network function & orchestrator¹ with HPE’s shared data environment and Network Functions (NF)², and Openet’s policy & charging solutions³. The 5G Core also provides multiple simultaneous network slices for a variety of services, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) that validate the principles of cloud-native design, virtual network scaling and edge-to-core networks.

“By offering a complete 5G Core that is designed around an open service-based architecture, operators can break out of the single vendor lock-in of previous generation networks,” said Domenico Convertino, Vice President Product Management, Communications & Media Solutions, HPE. “The open architecture also allows operators to have a smooth evolution to 5G with proven co-existence with 4G network technologies.”

“Openness and interoperability are foundations for 5G systems. This demonstration shows the power of taking a multi-vendor partnership approach to providing 5G SA Core and how it can enable network slicing with dynamic policy and charging rules,” said Joe Hogan, CTO and Founder of Openet. “Being able to manage the quality of service for 5G network slicing will allow operators to enter into many new markets with innovative offers and open up new revenue streams.”

With this multi-vendor solution, Samsung’s 5G SA Core enables operators to select innovative network functions offered by numerous IT vendors. Through this approach, combined with the ability to offer advanced telecommunication technologies such as networks slicing and URLLC, the three companies are continuing their efforts in 5G collaboration to bring new opportunities and options to mobile operators.

The 5G SA Core solution from Samsung can be demonstrated either remotely, or on-site at Samsung’s 5G Core Open Lab located in Korea. The lab offers interoperability tests among multiple vendors and shows the robust features of 5G core solutions, while integrating cloud platforms from partners into Samsung’s functions.

¹ Samsung network solutions included in the joint implementation include: Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), User Plane Function (UPF), Network Repository Function (NRF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), etc.

² HPE cloud-native network functions (NF) software products included in the joint implementation include: Unstructured Data Storage Function (UDSF), Unified Data Repository (UDR), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Unified Data Management (UDM), and Network Exposure Function (NEF)

³ Openet cloud-native network functions (NF) software products included in the joint implementation include: Policy Control Function (PCF), Binding Support Function (BSF), Charging Function (CHF)