Vodafone announced the successful completion of a trial using Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud infrastructure to run key Internet of Things (IoT) voice and data network applications operating on Nokia core systems.
Cloud technology helps Vodafone automate network expansion and scale capacity where customers need it most. Vodafone aims to add extra capacity in days using a cloud-based architecture that scales with demand, further extending the company’s global reach with additional points of presence to deliver services to more customers worldwide.
In phase one, Vodafone, Nokia, and AWS deployed a proof of concept of Nokia’s mobile data core and voice core on AWS cloud infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany and integrating with network components in Vodafone data centres across several European countries.
The wide-ranging trial included support for IoT services on Nokia’s IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) for voice applications such as emergency calling in vehicles and elevators, and on Nokia’s Packet Core for data services such as smart metering for utilities. Both voice and packet core’s cloud-native network functions were hosted on AWS cloud infrastructure. The next phase will address security and sovereignty ahead of commercial trials later this year.
The option to incorporate large cloud provider infrastructure into its future architecture will allow Vodafone to further strengthen its global managed IoT connectivity platform, which currently has over 240 million connections worldwide.
Marco Zangani, Director of Network Strategy and Architecture, Vodafone, said: “Our multi-cloud strategy gives Vodafone greater agility to capitalise on advances in technology like the rise of Agentic AI to enhance the customer experience. By validating AWS as an effective infrastructure option for network functions, we can introduce services faster, leaving more time for experimentation and innovation.”
Vodafone, Nokia and AWS assessed lifecycle management, integration with Vodafone’s existing systems, and operational performance. They also evaluated costs and potential new business opportunities enabled by using AWS public cloud for Vodafone’s global managed IoT connectivity platform.
The collaboration supports Vodafone’s multi-cloud strategy by leveraging Nokia’s cloud‑native network functions operating on AWS infrastructure. This includes Amazon’s cloud platform Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) for managing containers that bundle and run applications, and Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for compute workloads. The architecture was designed to deliver the elasticity, scalability, and operational agility that modern telecommunications networks require.
“Nokia is committed to advancing connectivity by helping telecommunication providers transform their networks through cloud-native solutions,” said Kal De, SVP, Core Networks, at Nokia. “This successful trial with Vodafone and AWS demonstrates how our voice (IMS) and data (mobile core) solutions can leverage public cloud infrastructure to deliver carrier-grade performance while enabling greater operational flexibility. The result is a more scalable service, to more customers, at times when it’s needed the most.”
“Working with Vodafone and Nokia on this trial demonstrates AWS commitment to providing the secure, scalable, and high-performance infrastructure that telcos need to run their most critical network workloads in the cloud,” said Fabio Cerone, Managing Director, EMEA Telco Business Unit, AWS. “This solution shows how telcos can redefine their operating models through full automation and elasticity at scale.”
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