At MWC25 international operator Orange has launched a new 5G core network as a service (CNaaS) solution – a world-first that, it says, drastically simplifies 5G deployment for mobile operators of any size.
The new service, it adds, provides a fully managed, cloud-based 5G core infrastructure, allowing operators to launch 5G SA with unprecedented cost-effectiveness and accessibility.
The launch of the 5G CNaaS offering is based on a trusted telco cloud infrastructure, revolutionising the deployment of 5G core networks.
Orange says it is the first tier one operator in the world to deliver a reliable turnkey solution, from connectivity to mobile services. It adds that this innovative solution allows mobile operator customers, regardless of their size, to benefit from a 5G SA infrastructure in just a few clicks, fully hosted and managed by Orange, providing speed, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.
Orange cites a number of advantages of the offering, notably simplified deployment. The 5G CNaaS solution, it says, enables rapid configuration without requiring specific core network infrastructure from mobile operator clients, thus facilitating access to 5G SA technology.
There’s also a ‘pay-as-you-grow’ model. Mobile operators can adjust their services according to their needs, without minimum size requirements, thereby optimising costs.
Another advantage is comprehensive management. Orange handles updates and compliance with security standards, allowing mobile operators to focus on their core business of expanding their radio coverage.
Orange also highlights access to essential Orange services ‘in the box’, such as IPX connectivity ensuring data integrity and securing roaming flows; real-time SS7/LTE/5G SA signalling services providing complete traffic visibility; coverage and roaming services for optimal connectivity abroad; and value-added services around big data analysis to optimise network management and offer tailored solutions.
This new offering also enriches Click, the digital services platform launched in October 2024, which allows operator clients to order, monitor, and manage their connectivity solutions in real time and centrally, via an intuitive client interface aggregating Orange APIs and those of its international partners. Orange says Click will eventually centralise all services, and additional solutions will be introduced to enhance it in the future.
This ‘as a service’ approach, Orange concludes, is part of a strategy aimed at providing advanced connectivity solutions to improve customer experience while modernising infrastructures to meet industry challenges. It also contributes to reducing carbon emissions through virtualisation, which limits the need for new constructions and maintenance travel, thus supporting Orange's sustainability initiatives.
