The industry recognizes that a 5G core network is the ideal architecture that will pave the way to move beyond traditional connectivity services, primarily enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB). Therefore, to capture the commercial value of Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications (uRLLC), massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) and network slicing, Mobile Service Providers (MSPs) need to deploy 5G core. But, full network cloudification remains key to successfully realize a 5G core network. Obtaining the benefits of new 5G use cases will depend on the level of maturity of each MSP and their ability to support cloud-native architectures and new features. Major vendors like Ericsson, Mavenir, Nokia and ZTE are already supporting MSPs to transition their operations and processes to a virtualized and cloud-native network.
This report discusses key technologies that the arrival of 5G introduces, including the new Service Based Architecture (SBA), native support for network slicing and control/user plane split. The report also discusses possible migration strategies from current Evolved Packet Core (EPC) components to a standalone 5G network. Finally, this report presents key use cases that are expected to create new value for MSPs, and it includes a market forecast based on key 5G core elements.