Under the agreement, existing mobility functions such as the Mobility Management Entity (MME) and Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) will be migrated nationwide to Ericsson’s cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core, enabling flexible control across legacy and next-generation access technologies. Voice gateway and policy control functions will be modernized into cloud-native configurations, including PCC, PCG, and CCPC, delivering a more scalable and resilient framework for voice and policy management. Ericsson’s User Data Consolidation (UDC) platform will be deployed to unify subscriber data management across 4G and 5G, incorporating Ericsson Dynamic Activation (EDA), Cloud Core Data-Storage Manager (CCDM), and Cloud Core Subscription Manager (CCSM) to manage provisioning, storage, and subscription data at scale. SoftBank will also modernize its IP Multimedia Subsystem to Ericsson Cloud IMS, enhancing voice and multimedia services while enabling faster rollout of new offerings. Orchestration and automation across the cloud-native stack are expected to streamline operations, reduce OPEX, and improve time-to-market, while efficient scaling and hardware modernization contribute to lower energy consumption.
“Ericsson’s advanced cloud-native technologies and automation solutions are an extremely important foundation for achieving the ‘fusion of AI and networks’ that we are promoting. Through this renewal of our core network, it becomes possible to significantly heighten the autonomy and efficiency of network operations, in addition to accelerating the transition to 5G SA,” said Hideyuki Tsukuda, Executive Vice President and CTO of SoftBank Corp., highlighting the strategic role of the modernization in enabling AI-driven telecom infrastructure.
- Multi-year agreement to modernize SoftBank’s core network using Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core and Cloud IMS
- Migration of nationwide MME and AMF functions to cloud-native architecture on CNIS
- Deployment of Ericsson UDC platform integrating EDA, CCDM, and CCSM for unified subscriber data management
- Modernization of policy control (PCC, PCG, CCPC) and voice gateway functions
- Upgrade to Ericsson Cloud IMS to enhance voice and multimedia service delivery
- Integration of orchestration and automation to reduce OPEX and accelerate service rollout
- Foundation established for 5G Standalone, 5G Advanced, and AI-driven network operations
🌐 This agreement reflects a broader industry transition toward fully cloud-native core networks as operators move beyond non-standalone 5G deployments and begin scaling 5G Standalone architectures globally. By adopting a dual-mode core that supports both EPC and 5G Core functions, SoftBank can manage hybrid networks more efficiently while enabling advanced capabilities such as network slicing, low-latency services, and API-driven service exposure. The emphasis on automation and orchestration signals a shift toward closed-loop, AI-assisted network operations, where real-time data and policy control can dynamically optimize performance and resource utilization. Ericsson’s CNIS platform also highlights the growing importance of telco-grade cloud infrastructure, where Kubernetes-based environments are hardened for carrier workloads and integrated with lifecycle management tools.
For SoftBank, which has been an early proponent of AI integration in telecom, the upgraded core network becomes a programmable platform for innovation across edge computing, enterprise services, and future 5G Advanced capabilities. From a competitive perspective, large-scale core modernization deals remain strategically important for vendors such as Ericsson as the control plane of the network increasingly becomes the locus of differentiation, monetization, and integration with hyperscale cloud ecosystems.
