Skip to content
Close
SEARCH
Submit RFP
Contact Us
Submit RFP
Contact Us
Axyom 3D_8

Telefónica Advances 5G Network Slicing with Capgemini and AxyomCore

 In this proof of concept with Capgemini, Telefónica and other technology partners, AxyomCore contributed to an end-to-end 5G network slicing blueprint designed to simplify deployment, orchestration and lifecycle management across multiple network domains. 

 The project demonstrated how a collaborative ecosystem can help make advanced 5G services more practical, automated and scalable for operators and enterprises. As Shamik Mishra, CTO of Connectivity at Capgemini Engineering, wrote in Capgemini’s article1 on the project: “Together, we’ve shown that it’s possible to build a broad ecosystem that can overcome the challenges of network slicing using end-to-end automation.” 

A Blueprint for 5G Network Slicing 

5G has created major expectations for both consumers and enterprises. For consumers, it means faster and more reliable mobile broadband. For enterprises, the opportunity is much broader. 5G can connect not only people and devices, but also assets, facilities, sensors, machines and applications across industries

For communication service providers, this opens the door to new enterprise revenue streams. One of the key enablers is 5G network slicing, which allows operators to create customized virtual networks over shared physical infrastructure. Each slice can be tailored to specific performance, security and operational requirements, helping operators serve different enterprise use cases more efficiently.

However, making network slicing practical is complex. A 5G network brings together multiple domains, including radio access, transport, data centers, core network functions and orchestration systems. Each domain may involve different standards, technologies and vendors. To create and manage slices successfully, these elements need to work together in an automated and coordinated way.

That is why Capgemini, Telefónica and a group of technology partners developed a proof of concept for an end-to-end 5G slicing blueprint, provisioned and managed from the cloud. The project brought together capabilities from across the ecosystem, including cloud hosting, 5G standalone core, network slicing network functions, virtualized infrastructure, service orchestration, radio orchestration and disaggregated 5G RAN capabilities contributed by AxyomCore. The project launched, managed and closed multiple network slices, designed around real customer use cases. 

A key objective of the project was to simplify how advanced 5G services are deployed and managed. By separating software from hardware and centralizing orchestration in the cloud, the solution showed how network slicing can become more manageable, repeatable and scalable. The PoC was designed to take full advantage of open standards, including the 3GPP’s hierarchical, ‘Network-as-a-Service (NaaS)-like’ layered network slicing reference model and TMF Open APIs. 

The proof of concept was hosted, tested and verified at Capgemini’s 5G labs in Portugal. It demonstrated how a pre-integrated, multi-vendor blueprint can help operators reduce the complexity of planning, designing and testing 5G services. 

For operators looking to monetize 5G beyond consumer broadband, network slicing remains an important path forward. The lesson from this project is clear: making slicing work at scale requires collaboration, automation and a strong ecosystem approach.

Network Slicing Explained

Network slicing allows operators to create customized virtual networks over shared 5G infrastructure. Each slice can be tailored to a specific use case, with its own requirements for bandwidth, latency, security and reliability.

For example, a company operating multiple shopping centres could activate a dedicated slice to support video analytics-based security across all its venues. Instead of deploying dedicated infrastructure at each location, it could define the required performance parameters through a provider portal and activate the service as needed.

This gives enterprise customers a more flexible way to buy connectivity services, whether for ongoing operations or temporary needs such as large sporting events. For operators, it creates a clearer path to monetize 5G by packaging network capabilities around specific business use cases.

 

Sources & further reading 
avatar

AxyomCore

RELATED ARTICLES