Rosenworcel Urges FCC to Focus on Security Benefits of Network Virtualization

“It looks more and more like we could move to a world where there might be only one option for some 5G equipment -- and that option could expose our networks to undue foreign influence,” Rosenworcel said Tuesday. “It doesn’t have to be where we’re going. That’s because with 5G we can reimagine how our networks will be built. Instead of a hardware-centric network design limited by a small handful of foreign suppliers, we can move to one that is software-centric.” Network virtualization “flips our traditional way of thinking about equipment supply chains on its head,” Rosenworcel said. It builds on equipment markets where the U.S. remains strong, she said.

The FCC can help by coordinating with other federal agencies to “ensure no single vendor dominates networks” and by promoting open and interoperable standards for the RAN, Rosenworcel said. “The FCC can do that by developing testbeds in the United States that bring together operators, vendors, vertical interests, and other government agencies to support these models.”

AT&T Chief Technology Officer Andre Fuetsch told MWC Wednesday the company is on track to virtualize 75 percent of core network functions by the end of 2020. Fuetsch said AT&T remains committed to deploying stand-alone 5G next year.

The challenge is bringing the different elements together to make 5G work, said Ricky Corker, Nokia president-customer operations, Americas: “It is complex.” Through artificial intelligence and orchestration, “we can move data and loads around the network, seamlessly, where in the past that wasn’t possible,” he said.

We already have “very advanced LTE networks,” Corker said. “The reality is the bulk of where the traffic is going to sit, for a few more years yet, is going to be in the LTE networks.” Much of the work being done builds on LTE, he said. Uses are important, Corker said: “We don’t need faster videos of cats. We need real change.” Corker said it’s interesting to see what's already coming because of 5G. “I’m not sure if it makes money, but it’s some pretty cool stuff,” he said.

Forecasts are that in 2025 15-20 percent of connections will be on 5G networks, said Peter Jarich, head of GSMA Intelligence. “That’s a fraction of what will be on LTE,” he said: LTE is “such a solid technology and will continue to evolve.”

“Technology is predictable, but what people do with it is not,” said Asha Keddy, Intel 5G executive officer: “It’s all about removing the constraints.”

Bejoy Pankajakshan, Mavenir chief strategy officer, said 5G “is not just a new generation” but a “network transformation.” Providers will become digital service providers instead of just communications companies, he said Wednesday. Corporate cultures and infrastructure will have to both change, he said. AI, analytics and automation are the “key elements to make 5G successful,” Pankajakshan said.

The equipment market is “a bit quirky, but if it's intended to include software and SAAS [software as a service] it works,” said Shane Tews of the American Enterprise Institute.

Concerns about Chinese vendors can be overstated, Tom Struble, tech policy manager at the R Street Institute, told us. “Huawei and ZTE have successfully grown their businesses and market shares at the expense of Ericsson and Nokia in recent years, but the global market for telecom equipment continues to grow as more networks are deployed, existing networks are upgraded, and new users come online,” he said: “While Chinese suppliers have recently been doing better than European suppliers in relative terms, in absolute terms I think the tide is rising and will be lifting all ships.”

Struble sees good reason for moving to ORANs. “That will be far better for international trade and diplomacy,” he said: “ORAN provides greater transparency and can help assuage cybersecurity concerns about potential back doors or other vulnerabilities built into network equipment.” It plays to a U.S. strength, he said: “We can't compete with China in terms of basic labor costs, which is why Chinese hardware is always cheaper than alternatives, but China can't compete with us in terms of high-skilled labor and top-end … programming.”

AT&T discusses the advantages of network virtualization in a policy paper. “As network functions are virtualized … 5G’s virtual and cloud-based network systems will allow for more adaptable security since they can be quickly adjusted, removed, or replaced using software, reducing the likelihood that an entire network would be impacted by a cyberattack,” it said.