Virgin Media O2 deploys Charmed OSM to accelerate network functions virtualisation for cloud workloads

By operating cloud workloads with Charmed OSM, VMO2 will benefit from increased agility and scalability, as well as an optimised migration to network functions virtualization (NFV).

A new approach to service lifecycle management in telco

The challenge of network hosting in telco clouds and the desire to shift service management to more automated systems has given rise to tools like ETSI Open Source MANO (OSM). OSM reduces the complexity of service lifecycle management and minimises errors and operating costs. Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), the UK’s largest telecommunication service provider, has chosen Charmed OSM, Canonical’s upstream distribution of ETSI Open Source MANO, as their production-ready orchestrator for hybrid workload deployments. Charmed OSM helps VMO2 reduce costs from Day-0 to Day-N by providing a generic approach to network function management and orchestration and simplifying their initial configuration and daily operational tasks. Mavenir, a cloud-native network software provider is delivering the NFV solutions to VMO2.

“Telco Cloud is our strategic, on-premise platform that hosts core network functions, like 5G. Telco Cloud enables us to provide the best services for millions of Virgin Media O2 customers. We use charmed OSM from Canonical, a technology agnostic NFV Orchestrator, to help our product teams onboard new applications. OSM plays a key role in allowing us to play at pace for our customers.”

Alex Boyd, Head of Telco Cloud, VMO2

OSM is an open-source project hosted by ETSI, the European standards body making globally applicable standards for ICT products and services. OSM brings to communication service providers a generic approach to network functions management and orchestration in physical, virtual, containerised and hybrid environments. Charmed OSM is a carrier-grade, model-driven OSM, with enterprise support and long-term security updates, for the community, partners, and telcos. It accelerates the migration to NFV by automating real production complexity and covering the end-to-end lifecycle of network services through both service and resource orchestration. Canonical supports Charmed OSM under a subscription that offers telco-grade SLAs. It can be deployed in a highly available mode, is resilient against failures, and allows telcos to meet their digital transformation goal.

“We’re proud to collaborate with innovative customers like VMO2 in their charge to use advanced Network Orchestration throughout their Mobile Networks, and will continue to support their ambition to drive the state of the art in the production use of Open Source projects like ETSI Open Source MANO. VMO2 are at the forefront in leveraging technology and automation to unlock the economies of scale needed in a modern mobile network operator to remain competitive. We’d like to congratulate O2, Mavenir, Minsait and all other collaborating partners” 

Arno van Huyssteen, CTO CSP, Canonical

Simplified deployments yield more speed and agility

VMO2 has onboarded telco workloads with Charmed OSM and is successfully managing the lifecycle, including virtualised and containerised deployments by multiple vendors like Mavenir and Oracle.  To reduce integration efforts between vendors, Charmed OSM consumes open published information and data models aligned with ETSI NFV standards.

Mavenir, a cloud native network software provider, has deployed their signaling firewall and is currently in the process of deploying its cloud-native virtualised IMS (IP multimedia subsystem) for its fixed deployment with VMO2 using Charmed OSM.

“Mavenir is pleased to support VMO2’s transition to virtualised, cloud-native environments. Our  cloud-native IMS, is a mobile-first architecture that evolves today’s mobile voice services, building on existing 4G networks for a successful 5G transformation.”

Javier Gavilan, CTO for Telefonica Global Accounts, Mavenir

Minsait, an Indra company and a leading firm in Digital Transformation Consultancy and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America, carried out the project’s deployment. Minsait successfully completed the integration between multiple Charmed OSM sites and then onboarded network services from different vendors. Charmed OSM’s model-driven architecture enabled Minsait to instantly deploy VMO2’s MANO infrastructure.

“OSM is becoming a key enabler of the deployment of 5G for our clients. The compliance with standards, maturity and independence of any network function vendor make it the best fit to the current needs of Telco operators. We are very pleased to have helped Virgin Media O2 to leverage its Telco Cloud platform using Canonical Charmed OSM.”

Francisco Rodriguez. NFV Projects Manager, Minsait

About Canonical

Canonical is the publisher of Ubuntu, the leading operating system for container, cloud and hyperscale computing. Ubuntu is the OS for most public cloud workloads as well as the emerging categories of smart gateways, self-driving cars and advanced robots. Canonical provides enterprise security, support, and services to commercial users of Ubuntu. Established in 2004, Canonical is a privately held company. For more information on Canonical and Ubuntu, visit www.canonical.com  and www.ubuntu.com

About VMO2

VMO2 is the UK’s largest mobile network operator, with 49.3 million connections in the United Kingdom across broadband, mobile, TV and home phones.  VMO2 is headquartered in England, operates under the Virgin Media O2 brand. It is owned by Virgin Media O2, a 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica. The fixed network currently passes 15.9 million premises alongside a mobile network that covers 99% of the nation’s population with 4G, and more than 600 towns and cities with 5G services.

About Minsait

Minsait possesses a high degree of specialisation and knowledge of the sector, which it backs up with its high capability to integrate the core world with the digital world, its leadership in innovation and digital transformation, and its flexibility. Thus, it focuses its offering on high-impact value propositions, based on end-to-end solutions, with a remarkable degree of segmentation, which enables it to achieve tangible impacts for its customers in each industry with a transformational focus. Its capabilities and leadership are demonstrated in its product range, under the brand Onesait, and its across-the-board range of services. https://www.minsait.com/en

About Mavenir

Mavenir is building the future of networks and pioneering advanced technology, focusing on the vision of a single, software-based automated network that runs on any cloud. As the industry’s only end-to-end, cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir is focused on transforming the way the world connects, accelerating software network transformation for 250+ Communications Service Providers and Enterprises in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the world’s subscribers. https://www.mavenir.com/

About ETSI

ETSI provides members with an open, inclusive and collaborative environment. This environment supports the timely development, ratification and testing of globally applicable standards for ICT-enabled systems, applications and services. ETSI is at the forefront of emerging technologies across all sectors of industry and society that make use of ICT. It encompasses 900+ member organisations drawn from over 60 countries and five continents.

Learn More

• Contact Canonical to accelerate your migration to NFV using Charmed OSM. 
• Tutorial: Install Charmed OSM in a few steps
• Building and orchestrating network functions