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Mobile industry group NGMN unveiled a manifesto containing seven principles for cloud-native network solutions
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NGMN is backed by member companies including T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telefonica and SK Telecom, among others
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Gartner weighed in on what practical impacts, if any, the manifesto will have
Mobile operators sketched out their vision for a cloud-based future, detailing what they view as must-haves to accelerate adoption of cloud-native solutions in mobile network in a manifesto published by the the Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance. But does the document – or any manifesto, for that matter – really matter?
In a 14-page document, NGMN laid out seven key principles it believes should be applied across all layers of a mobile network, from the infrastructure down to applications and services. These include: decoupled infrastructure and application lifecycles, an API-first approach over manual provisioning, declarative and intent-based automation, adoption of GitOps principles over traditional network operations practices, unified Kubernetes resource consumption patterns, unified Kubernetes closed-loop reconciliation patterns, and interoperability based on a well-defined certification process.
Though the term might conjure images of cult leaders, manifestos are simply public declarations of policy beliefs and goals. In NGMN’s case, the idea is to share “requirements and expectations with vendors and partners in order to provide seamless services and journey” to the cloud.
In addition to technical considerations, the group noted “Cloud Native is also a cultural shift, which requires preparation and attention on aspects related to processes and people skill sets, re-factoring and modernization of legacy applications, and commercial models that would allow vendors to provide open solutions that would support better service innovation.”
Who is NGMN anyway?
Not to be confused with ATIS’s Next G Alliance, the NGMN has been around for nearly two decades and provides a space where operators can develop a consensus on what the future of mobile technology should look like. Back when the group got its start during the 3G era in 2006, they were focused on laying out a roadmap for 4G. Now, they’re looking toward a future in the cloud.
Member companies include telecom giants like Bell, BT, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT Docomo, Orange, SK Telecom, T-Mobile, Teleconica, UScellular and Vodafone, among others, meaning there are plenty of heavy hitters behind NGMN’s cloud messaging.
The document’s release comes at a key moment for the telecom industry, as many operators move to capitalize on cloud-based standalone (SA) 5G technology. According to GSA data released in August, 36 operators across 25 countries have deployed 5G SA and a total of 115 operators have invested in standalone networks. Investments include securing 5G licenses, conducting trials or full-on deployments.
Does it matter?
Other industry groups have released numerous manifestos over the years – see TM Forum’s Open API, Open Digital Architecture and Autonomous Networks Manifestos, among others. NGMN itself has put out plenty of publications, but the cloud-native manifesto seems to be the first document branded as such.
An NGMN representative told Silverlinings the document is designed to be a "call to action."
Though it's clear operators are moving toward a cloud-native world, the representative noted "some challenges remain that — unless addressed by the industry — will make it more difficult to scale deployments. The manifesto is aimed at highlighting these issues and providing a clear statement of how operators believe the challenges should be addressed."
Gartner VP of Cloud Services and Technologies Sid Nag weighed in, stating that the group appears to be striving to unify operators around a consistent cloud approach. He also highlighted the NGMN's focus on APIs, which he said will make easier for operators who are using different cloud providers to talk to one another. That's because even if all cloud providers adopt Kubernetes, for instance, each cloud provider has a distinct Kubernetes implementation. Thus, by focusing on APIs, interoperability will be less of a challenge for operators, he concluded.
Of course, any manifesto is only as powerful as the buy-in it attracts. Given that NGMN's membership represents just a fraction of the more than 1,600 mobile network operators and mobile virtual network operators scattered across the globe, the efficacy of the document remains to be seen. If nothing else, though, it certainly provides a starting point for future cloud discussions at key organizations like 3GPP as the standards body tackles 5G refinements and, eventually, 6G.
Read all about cloud-native and standalone 5G on our 5G topic hub here.