Cisco leverages channel in 5G services push

Masum Mir (Cisco)

Cisco will use system integrators, service providers, and channel partners to deliver its subscription-based private-5G managed service supported by its hardware and software, the company announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC).

Those partners include JMA, Airspan, Dish Networks, and Logicalis to support the cloud-based service that will integrate with Wi-Fi networks, reduce up-front costs, and provide deployment when and where needed, Cisco said.

Cisco will provide its mobile-core technology and Internet of Things (IoT) portfolio such as Cisco IoT Control Center and Cisco P5G Packet Core as well as IoT sensors and gateways, device-management software, and monitoring tools.

The service will include secure IoT-device on-boarding, 5G- and industrial-IoT network management, and integration with Cisco’s Identity Services Engine identity and policy control system. It will support Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) specifications that promote interoperability of multi-vendor cellular network equipment, Cisco added.

“With the convergence of IT and OT, hybrid work becomes about connecting everyone and everything. Delivering IoT at scale is just as important as connecting people, allowing hybrid workers to gain access to sensors, monitors, robots, and more,” wrote Masum Mir, vice president and general manager for Cisco’s Mobile, Cable and IoT business in a recent blog about private 5G. 

“Our vision of the future of work is built on wireless through a combination of private 5G and Wi-Fi, where enterprises can modernise, automate their operations, and benefit from the resulting productivity gains.”

HPE, Microsoft promote private 5G, too

Also at MWC, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) said it will offer private 5G equipment integrated with its Aruba Wi-Fi gear to offer a pay-for-use service via its all-encompassing HPE GreenLake cloud. HPE’s service will employ 5G radio access network (RAN) equipment from third-party vendors to access customer sites.

Meanwhile, Microsoft announced new carrier-infrastructure offerings through Azure, including services for private 5G using AT&T.  The idea is to let enterprises buy private 5G for a given area via AT&T or Microsoft, and allow the providers to simply switch on connectivity by allocating bandwidth out of services already available to the new customer according to this services already available.

Separately, other players have recently said they will offer private 5G services.

In November, AWS previewed its AWS Private 5G managed service. It said that customers would specify where they want to build a mobile network and its capacity, and AWS would deliver and maintain the small-cell radio units, servers, 5G-core and RAN software, and subscriber identity modules (SIM cards), the company stated.