Ericsson | Packet Core Gateway 1

Packet Core
Controller
Cloud native control plane with market
leading and future-proof MME and
GW-C providing smooth migration to
5GC and enabling new services fast
including new 5G use cases
Ericsson | Packet Core Gateway 2

Packet Core Controller

Ericsson Packet Core Controller is a Cloud native control plane Operators are not expected to quickly swap the existing EPC
signaling processing function in Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core offering. networks with the new 5GC architecture therefore the two
architectures are expected to co-exist in the coming years. That
Growing number of subscriptions including VoLTE and IoT is one of
creates a need for a smooth transition from EPC to 5GC protecting
the major trends in the control plane area (see picture 1). ARPU of new
earlier investments in EPC.
connections is sometimes lower (especially IoT connections) so the
operators must reduce cost per connection to remain competitive. Subscriber data usage grows for 100% of operators worldwide
while 54% of operators can’t transform it into ARPU growth (source:
The introduction of CUPS, NFV and network slicing allows operators
tefficient industry analysis 2019). This fact triggers a search for trying
to have more choices to cost effectively design the network. With
and launching new services fast, including new 5G use cases.
increasing number of access sites and distributed sites supporting
various industry use cases network complexity increases creating a
need for network-level orchestration and automation.

Figure 4: Mobilee subscriptions by technology (billion)

10

2.6bn
8.9 billion
9
8 billion
8

7
In 2025, 2.6 billion 5G subscriptions
are forecast.
6

5G
4
LTE (4G)
WCDMA/HSPA (3G)
3
GSM/EDGE-only (2G)
TD-SCDMA (3G)
2
CDMA-only (2G/3G)

1 Other

Note: IoT connections are

0 not included in this graph
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Picture 1. Mobile subscriptions by technology

Ericsson | Packet Core Gateway
Packet Core Controller value
proposition
Packet Core Controller is designed to address operator challenges in
the control plane area.
Packet Core Controller helps reducing cost per connection with
market-leading cost-efficiency per connection. This is enabled by
robust and market-proven MME which is operated by 260+ customers
globally and proven and highly flexible SGW-C and PGW-C as well as
AMF and SMF for 5GC introduction Packet Core Controller provides
best in class stability with built-in functions to secure end-user
services, including Geographically Redundant Pool. Standard-based
control and user plane separation (CUPS) for a veriety of userplane
(UPF) models.
Increased network complexity is addressed through network-level
orchestration & automation, deployment flexibility based on the use
case and 60% shorter instantiation time and up to 80% OPEX saving
in SW upgrade speed with in-service Software Upgrades. Assurance
and secure user experiance incl. up to 60% CAPEX and up to 90%
OPEX savings is unlocked thanks for cloud native SW probe solution.
Picture 2. Packet Core Controller overview
3
Packet Core Controller shares microservices for enhanced O&M with
other Ericsson 5GC products simplifying network integration and
product lifecycle management.
Another operator challenge is to ensure protection of earlier EPC
investments when migrating to 5G. Packet Core Controller solves this
by supporting both 5GC overlay deployments as well as a smooth
migration to 5G with no impact on legacy and delivering a leading
5GC feature set. When it comes to voice service continuity in 5G,
Packet Core Controller supports EPS fallback from day 1 and cost-
effective deployment of VoNR.
Packet Core Controller supporting early introduction of 5GC (option
2) by providing software that have been tested with most chipset
vendors as well as RAN vendors. Packet Core Controller also
facilitates trying out new services fast by deployment flexibility
required by the verticals.
Ericsson | Packet Core Gateway 4

Packet Core Controller characteristics

Challenge Value proposition Proof points - How value proposition is implemented

Growing Market leading and — Market leading MME with 260+ customers worldwide
number of future-proof MME — Proven and highly flexible GW-C
subscriptions and GW-C — Best-in-class stability to secure end user services
— Standard-based CUPS without performance degradation
— Market leading cost-efficiency per connection

Increased Cloud native control — Network-level orchestration and automation

network plane with network- — Deployment flexibility based on the use case and 60% shorter
complexity level orchestration instantiation time
and automation — Up to 80% OPEX saving in SW upgrade speed with In-service Software
Optimized TCO
Upgrades
— Assurance and secure UX incl. up to 60% CAPEX and up to 90% OPEX
savings with SW probes
— Enhanced unified O&M and simplified network integration

EPC and 5GC Dual-mode 5G Core — Smooth 5G migration with no impact on legacy
co-existence — Leading in 5GC feature readiness
— Voice service continuity in 5G
— Proven interworking and support for 2G/3G

Flat ARPU Try out new services — Be first with 5G

Revenue growth fast including new — 4% ARPU increase with network exposure
5G use cases — New revenue streams through footprint efficiency and deployment flexibility

Picture 3. How PCC addresses customer challenges

Packet Core Controller’s MME function is powered by machine Components (i.e. VNFC microservices) separately, leveraging
learning to reduce signaling up to 80% and lowering vCPU load up Kubernetes rolling upgrade mechanisms.
to 15%. Geographically redundant pooling helps secure end-user
Packer Core Controller is aligned with industry automation standards,
experience in case of multiple server failures as well as complete
including VNF packaging and VNF LCM adhering to ETSI MANO,
datacenter outages.
ONAP and coming extensions for containers.
Apart from in-service software upgrades, Packet Core Controller
cloud native characteristics include upgrading of individual VNF

Contact us
For more technical and commercial information please reach out to us.

Further reading
Ericsson Packet Core Controller

Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core can help manage TCO during migration to 5G

Ericsson 5G Core (5GC)

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