Ericsson Cooperates with Japan’s SoftBank to Support Network Modernization
Ericsson has signed a multi-year framework agreement with Japan’s SoftBank to deploy next-generation core network solutions, aiming to expand and modernize SoftBank’s core network infrastructure and accelerate the adoption of 5G standalone (SA) networking.
The agreement will fully leverage the capabilities of Ericsson’s core network product portfolio, including Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G core network solution operating on Ericsson’s cloud-native infrastructure solution (CNIS). The deployment will encompass user data management, policy control, and a cloud-based IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution, all achieved through Ericsson’s User Data Consolidation (UDC) solution.
These solutions will enable SoftBank to accelerate the transition to 5G SA while managing existing 4G and 5G services in an integrated manner, enhancing the overall network’s scalability and reliability. The agreement will also lay a solid foundation for SoftBank’s 5G Advanced use cases and AI-driven operations across the entire network.
Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of SoftBank Group Corporation, stated: “Ericsson’s advanced cloud-native technologies and automation solutions serve as a crucial foundation for our ‘AI and network convergence’ initiative. This core network upgrade will not only accelerate the transition to 5G SA but also significantly enhance network operations’ autonomy and efficiency. SoftBank will build a robust and flexible next-generation infrastructure, continuously delivering new value to customers while driving innovation in the telecommunications industry.”
Jawad Mansour, President and Representative Director of Ericsson Japan, stated, “We are delighted that SoftBank, a pioneer in integrating AI with telecommunications, has chosen our core network and IMS solutions to support its further development. By combining our technology with global expertise, we will help SoftBank achieve its goals of enhancing network performance, improving operational efficiency, and advancing various automation applications, thereby contributing to the digital transformation that addresses the challenges of Japanese society.”
Scope of the Agreement:
Network Modernization
The existing nationwide user mobility functions, namely MME (Mobility Management Entity) and AMF (Access and Mobility Management Function), will be migrated to a CNIS-based cloud-native dual-mode 5G core network, enabling flexible software control over both legacy and next-generation access technologies. The voice gateway and policy control capabilities will also be upgraded to cloud-native configurations (PCC, PCG, CCPC), delivering an extensible, highly elastic voice domain and a robust policy control framework.
Network Expansion and Data Management Enhancement
The complete cloud-native user data management capabilities deployed via Ericsson UDC solution will operate on CNIS to enhance user data management and meet growing service and capacity demands. This will include a data configuration layer provided by EDA (Ericsson Dynamic Activation), a data storage layer from CCDM (Cloud Core Data Store Manager), and a subscription management layer from CCSM (Cloud Core Subscription Manager), along with additional features to ensure user data consistency between 4G and 5G.
IMS Modernization
SoftBank’s IMS solution will be upgraded to Ericsson Cloud IMS to enhance voice and multimedia service quality and accelerate the launch of new services.
These capabilities will help SoftBank reduce the time-to-market for new businesses. Orchestration and automation on the cloud infrastructure will streamline operational processes and lower operational expenditures. Additionally, advanced orchestration, efficient scaling, and hardware modernization are expected to help reduce overall network energy consumption.
Ericsson will continue to serve as a trusted partner for SoftBank, building an innovative platform that leverages AI, cloud, and network capabilities to create new business value.
As a long-term trusted supplier of SoftBank, Ericsson has collaborated with the company on hardware and software products and solutions for core networks and radio access networks.