By Oystein Bergmann, Bureau Chief, Scandinavia

Ericsson and a leading communication service provider (CSP) in Brazil, Tim Brazil have achieved a significant milestone with the successful implementation in live network of cloud native user data base in its 5G Core network, powered by Red Hat OpenShift, a hybrid cloud application platform. The initiative defines a major step in TIM’s 5G evolution, paving the way for a new standard in operational efficiency and service agility in the telecommunications industry.

TIM Brazil, following its innovation leadership track record, worked in collaboration with Ericsson to activate cloud-native dual-mode 5G data layer functions, enabling ‘in-service software upgrade’ (ISSU) and ‘containers-as-a-service rolling upgrade’ (CaaS RU) functionalities on Red Hat OpenShift cloud environment.

The integration of these capabilities will bring several benefits and competitive advantages to TIM Brazil:

• Faster time to market for new services introduction, being executed across all platforms while keeping the network running and without any service interruption.
• Reduced lead time for software upgrade with agile and automated routines, avoiding manual interventions for deployment, operation and maintenance.
• Improved operational efficiency due to better hardware utilization and resource allocation with workloads instantiation dynamically adapted to fluctuating application demands in real-time.
• Enhanced customer experience with reduced downtime for service and software upgrade.
• Opportunity for further optimization leveraging continuous integration, continuous deployment (CI/CD) and test automation to minimize manual interventions.

CTO TIM Brazil, Marco Di Costanzo says: “We are excited to deliver these new capabilities in partnering with Ericsson, as it represents a significant step ahead in our cloud-native 5G roadmap, improving customer experience and enhancing operational efficiency. This is a milestone that paves the way for future innovations in telecommunications sector.”

Head of Cloud Software and Services at Ericsson, Andrea Faustino says: “At Ericsson, we are always pushing the boundaries of cloud-native 5G. That is why we are thrilled to join forces with TIM to bring next-generation capabilities to their network. This collaboration is not just about technology; it is about empowering users with hyper-fast speeds, seamless connectivity, and innovative applications that will transform the way we live, work, and connect. Together, we are writing the next chapter of 5G, and it is a story worth watching.”

Acting senior vice president, Global Telco, and vice president, Telco Partner Ecosystem, Red Hat, Honoré LaBourdette said: “We are excited to collaborate with Ericsson and TIM to realize the benefits of a cloud-native approach – greater flexibility, agility and speed to market. Red Hat’s close collaboration with Ericsson enables us to deliver tested and validated solutions for 5G, and by using Red Hat OpenShift as its unified platform for innovation, TIM is well positioned to deliver highly differentiated and compelling customer experiences.”