Ericsson and Dialog Axiata claim world's first commercial vBSC deployment

They have laid claim to the world's first commercial deployment of a virtual base station controller (vBSC), a development that they reckon will usher in all manner of improvements to performance and power consumption.

Up until now, the BTS was a dedicated piece of hardware sitting between the core network and multiple cell sites – or base transceiver stations (BTS) to use the technical terminology – with responsibility for allocating radio resources and managing handover.

It fulfils an essential role in the network, one that has only become more complex as networks have evolved to handle the growth in both the volume and variety of traffic.

Ericsson and Dialog say that virtualising the BTS unlocks the door to greater flexibility and scalability when it comes to managing and controlling networks, and reduces Dialog's reliance on proprietary hardware because it can run on commercial off-the-shelf servers (COTS).

Being software, it also saves on space and power consumption, the latter being an increasingly vital consideration when it comes to network operations.

"As the world's first commercial implementation of vBSC, this achievement cements Dialog's role as a trailblazer in the global telecom landscape and highlights its dedication to delivering next-generation, cost-effective, and future-ready network solutions," said Ranga Kariyawasam, group CTO at Dialog Axiata. "This pioneering success reflects Dialog's unwavering commitment to technological innovation and providing exceptional value to its customers through forward-thinking network modernisation."

David Hägerbro, head of Ericsson Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh said: "Ericsson's virtual base station controller deployment is set to transform the telecommunications industry by providing a cost-effective, efficient solution to modernise networks and significantly reduce operating expenses."

The announcement is a noteworthy milestone on the industry's continuing journey towards cloud-native architecture, one that also includes cloud-based core networks and virtualised RAN infrastructure.

According to IDC, the market for telco cloud infrastructure software – which includes virtual network functions (VNFs), cloud-native network functions (CNFs), and network functions virtualisation infrastructure (NFVI) will grow to $27.3 billion by 2027, up from $12.9 billion in 2022.

The research firm notes that CNF uptake in particular is primed for accelerated growth, as the telecoms industry turns its attention increasingly towards cloud-native workloads.

The continued adoption of cloud-native networking is also having an impact on edge uptake, with spending expected to reach $228 billion this year, up 14% on 2023.

Indeed, where Ericsson and Dialog have gone first with their commercial vBTS deployment, others are sure to follow soon enough.