In regions such as North America, Western Europe, and Japan, engineers are actively deploying cloud-native, virtualized platforms, improving flexibility and operational efficiency. This article outlines key technical milestones, spanning from virtualization and containerization to edge compute convergence and network slicing. So, now let us look into Emerging Advances in Telecom Core Networks along with Accurate LTE RF drive test tools in telecom & RF drive test software in telecom and Accurate Indoor cellular coverage walk testing tool in detail.
- Cloud-Native Core and Containerization
Transition from Virtual Machines to Containers
Traditional core nodes were virtual machines (VMs), but the industry is shifting toward container-based microservices. Container technologies reduce boot time from minutes to seconds and improve resource utilization through lighter-weight isolation. These deployments often leverage container orchestrators to manage lifecycle operations, including auto-scaling, rolling upgrades, and fault tolerance.
Microservices in Control and User Planes
Modern core architectures split control plane elements (e.g., AMF, SMF) and user plane functions (UPF) into independent microservices. This segregation allows targeted resource scaling—for example, allocating more compute to UPF instances during peak data usage. These microservices communicate via standardized APIs, often leveraging HTTP/2 and gRPC for low-latency exchange.
Interoperability through SBI (Service-Based Interfaces)
Interconnectivity among microservices relies on wireline API standards known as Service-Based Interfaces (SBI). SBI use RESTful principles, enabling on-demand scaling and easier feature integration. This modular setup simplifies development cycles: teams can implement a new NF (Network Function) independently, then deploy it without modifying existing components.
- Virtualized RAN and Open Interfaces
Virtualized Distributed Units
Radio access network (RAN) functions are being disaggregated into Centralized Units (CU) and Distributed Units (DU), both deployable on commercial off-the-shelf servers. Field trials across Eastern Europe and Australia show that virtualizing DU enables rapid reconfiguration—especially helpful for dynamic spectrum allocation and load balancing in mixed traffic scenarios.
Open Fronthaul Interfaces
Open fronthaul standards such as eCPRI are being implemented across testbeds, allowing vendor-neutral interoperability between DU and radio units. Tests in metropolitan areas highlight stable throughput with jitter below 50 µs over dark fiber links. This open design promotes competition and reduces integration complexity in multi-vendor environments.
- Edge Computing and MEC Integration
Multi-Access Edge Compute (MEC) Deployment
Edge computing nodes co-located with 5G infrastructure have appeared in urban zones of North America and parts of Southeast Asia. These platforms store and process low-latency data like user-plane packets, enabling applications such as real-time video analytics and automated factory systems. Technical tests show end-to-end latency under 10 ms for edge-based services running within 2 km of the core.
Distributed UPF for Local Breakout
By deploying user-plane functions (UPF) near the edge, networks support local breakout—data traffic is routed to on-site resources without traversing the remote core. This reduces load on backbone links and suits high-volume use cases like AR guidance or vehicle-to-infrastructure communication. Trials show bandwidth improvements of over 30 percent compared to centralized UPF setups.
- 5G Core Slicing and QoS Management
Dynamic Slice Instantiation
Network slicing—a key feature of 5G core—allows operators to partition infrastructure into logical segments, each tailored to a service experience. Recent pilot tests in Europe show slice creation in under 60 seconds using NFV orchestration and AI-driven policies. Each slice adjusts resource allocation based on user demand, traffic type, and time—ideal for balancing IoT telemetry vs. ultra-reliable traffic.
Policy-Control Mechanisms
Quality of service is enforced in real time via Policy Control Functions (PCF) and Network Repository Functions (NRF). These systems monitor metrics like latency and throughput, then adjust session parameters. For industrial uplink slices, policies enforce uplink priority—ensuring sensor telemetry remains within sub-10 ms latency—while less-critical internet traffic shares remaining bandwidth.
- AI & Automation in Core Network Operations
Closed-Loop Automation
Machine learning models are being trained on operational metrics, such as CPU usage per UPF or packet loss trends in DU-CU links. Trials within Asia Pacific reporting show up to 20% improvement in resource efficiency and faster anomaly response.
Failure Prediction and Self-Healing
Network logs and telemetry streams feed into predictive models. These algorithms forecast failures in microservices with 85–90% accuracy, prompting preemptive actions like re-deploying containers or rerouting traffic. This proactive approach increases service reliability and reduces manual intervention.
- Protocol Innovation and Transport Enhancements
NIH (Network-in-the-Home) Core Integration
Some deployments in North America are exploring end-to-end private networks, where the core functions appear within campus, factory, or enterprise bounds. Open APIs connect 5G private campuses to centralized orchestration platforms. Usability tests show secure enterprise slices can be initiated with a few API calls.
Advanced Transport Layers
Testing includes higher-capacity transport links—400 GbE, dark fiber, and software-defined networking. These setups accommodate growing east-west traffic patterns (between distributed DU/CU nodes). Studies show 400 GbE backhaul enables maintaining 5G throughput across dense urban deployments.
- Security & Identity in Next-Gen Core
Trusted Enclave Deployments
Core modules handling authentication and key management are being deployed in trusted execution environments (TEE). This secures identities and forms the foundation of zero-trust architectures for network slices. Trials over encrypted control-plane sessions show authentication latencies stay within acceptable bounds (~5 ms) even with hardware-level cryptography.
Federated Identity Across Private Networks
Federated identity systems let multiple private 5G networks share authentication infrastructure. Factory campuses and logistics yards in Western Europe experiment with roaming user profiles—workers can move across campuses while retaining credentials and policies. This capability streamlines operations across sites.
- Integration with IP and Non-3GPP Access
Wi‑Fi 6/6E Offload
The core is now capable of managing simultaneous sessions across cellular and Wi‑Fi, optimizing traffic flows through access-aware policies. If both are available, latency-sensitive flows prefer Wi‑Fi, while uplink-heavy flows stay on cellular. Urban deployments in the Middle East report faster handovers and improved session continuity.
Satellite Backhaul Integration
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite links are being trailed as alternative backhaul in remote rural areas. Integrating satellite gateways into the core introduces propagation delays (~30–50 ms), but routing logic ensures delay-sensitive slices avoid satellite links, preserving QoS.
Conclusion & Next Steps
These core network advancements—from container-based microservices and edge UPF to network slicing and automated orchestration—are pushing telecom capabilities forward. Regional trials in North America, Europe, and Asia reveal notable benefits: reduced latency, better resource efficiency, and increased reliability. The next steps involve expanding high-capacity transport links, deepening AI-driven orchestration, and extending distributed identity solutions. Upcoming workshops and field experiments will further test cross-access coordination, multi-domain slicing, and satellite-augmented connectivity.
About RantCell
RantCell offers a software-based approach to mobile network testing, turning Android devices into fully capable RF measurement tools. Whether it’s for drive tests, indoor surveys, continuous monitoring, or analyzing advanced KPIs like Layer 3 messages, RantCell helps users gain real-time insights into 2G–5G and Wi-Fi networks—locally or remotely via the cloud. Ideal for telecom engineers, system integrators, regulators, and enterprise IT teams. Also read similar articles from here.