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Huawei joined forces with Vodafone to conduct trials into new network slicing solutions
Huawei and Vodafone have successfully completed Fixed Access Network Slicing trials, at a research facility in Ireland. The technique partitions a physical fibre to the home (FTTH) network into multiple virtual network slices, creating multi-tenancy virtualisation of the access network, allowing clients to individually manage their own customers.
During the testing, separate consumer and enterprise virtual network slices were created on a live FTTH network. The consumer slice carried broadband internet and Vodafone TV services whereas the enterprise slice carried OneNet business services including voice.
“We are delighted to continue to collaborate with Vodafone on network slicing. The solution can provide independent operation and maintenance management for multi-services bearing, and it can help to improve equipment efficiency, reduce operation and maintenance costs and achieve business success,” Jeff Wang, President of Huawei Access Network, said.
The practical applications for network slicing are wide ranging, but Matt Beal, director of strategy and architecture at Vodafone Group Technology said that the advancement of network slicing technology would help to ensure FTTH networks could be properly monetised, and would help to ensure investors secure an adequate ROI.
“Vodafone has deployed several FTTH networks around the world and many of these are with partners. Virtualisation of the fixed access network will help us build and fill FTTH networks in a more cost-effective way that takes advantage of new operating models where both Vodafone and its deployment partners are able to differentiate their services over the shared fibre infrastructure,” he said.
