VimpelCom has announced plans to build a virtual network infrastructure providing 4G, 3G and 2G mobile data services to customers across five markets in 2016.
VimpelCom has selected ZTE to build the new virtual network infrastructure.
Under the plan, VimpelCom will deploy ZTE’s virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) network in Kyrgyzstan and Laos in February 2016.
VimpelCom plans to introduce the virtualized network in Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Tajikistan during the course of 2016.
With virtualization, the networks in the five VimpelCom markets will move from a legacy-heavy network made up of separate network elements to a common software-driven, lean infrastructure.
“Investing in innovative solutions to reinvent our network is high on the agenda as we transform into the digital operator of the future,” VimpelCom group CTO Yogesh Malik said.
“The reinvention of the current network to one that is software-driven and asset-light plays an important part in our digital transformation and is a leap forward in bringing the digital world to each and every customer as they navigate their digital lives.”
NFV in the core network enables a more effective resource utilization and flexible maintenance for operators, and allows more flexibility in new network functions and product introductions, resulting in a seamless experience for VimpelCom customers, he added.