OREANDA-NEWS. NEC Corporation, a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies, and Telefonica, a leading provider of integrated communication solutions, announced today an agreement to collaborate in the development of network virtualisation based on SDN (Software-Defined Networking) and NFV (Network Functions Virtualisation) technologies.

Telefonica and NEC Corporation will bring together their technological capabilities and collaborate in a migration scenario study to virtualise the current IP edge network elements. By minimizing the dependence on hardware, virtualisation will bring considerable benefits both to the management of the network and, more importantly, to the end customer. The network's management will become simple, flexible and enable accelerated service deployment and time to market, while enhancing the customer's connectivity experience.

Network virtualisation with SDN and NFV technologies that combine the IP edge components of networks into one single virtual infrastructure is a key element of Telefonica's network strategy. This collaboration will ensure that virtual network functions are portable between different hardware platforms. NEC and Telefonica have produced the first real case study of virtualised EPC (Evolved Packet Core) and will showcase this technology at Mobile World Congress 2013, Barcelona, February 25 - 28, Hall 3, Stand 3B4.

Providing a single pointed infrastructure model to manage all the aspects of a virtualised network is consistent with Telefonica's global strategy to further develop its smart seamless network capabilities. By enabling advanced network automation, rapid delivery of network services and easy application of policies across the network, SDN plays an important role to seamlessly interconnect all the virtual network functions.

The agreement announced enables both companies to leverage their proven technological strengths and to develop a competitive virtualised network system much faster. As a result, in the first half of 2013, Telefonica and NEC expect to start validating the equipment being tested, including NFV which comprehends virtualised EPC (the core network of the LTE system).