Telefónica Vivo taps Cisco, NEC for '5G-ready' IP transport

Telefónica Brasil, aka Telefónica Vivo, is working with longstanding partners Cisco and NEC on deploying a "5G-ready" IP transport network. As part of the operator's Fusion Network Project in Brazil, the idea behind the rollout is to provide support for its "converged" fixed and mobile networks.

The official statement, which veers confusingly between present and future tenses – the headline says Telefónica Vivo "launches" a 5G-ready IP transport Network, while Cisco "will" provide equipment – talks of deploying a "simplified and automated" transport layer.

Figure 1: As part of the agreement, Cisco will provide network equipment and Japan's NEC will provide local engineering.
(Source: Reuters/Alamy Stock Photo)

Telefónica Vivo said it designed the Fusion Network Project. One of the aims is "improved reliability" for both residential users and enterprises in the "5G era." Another project goal, presumably through greater automation, is to lower total cost of ownership. Increased scalability and flexibility, to design and deliver new services, were also mentioned as Fusion Network Project upsides. It is not clear when the 5G-ready IP transport network will be fully up and running.

As part of the agreement, Cisco said it will provide network equipment, including ASR 9000 and NCS 540 series routers for IP transport. The US tech giant also intends to wheel out its Cisco Crosswork Network Controller – to support a multi-vendor SDN solution – and the Cisco Crosswork Hierarchical Controller, which is designed to enable "multi-vendor and multi-layer automation within the Fusion Network domain."

Cisco is also taking on the "key networking advisor" role due to its "in-depth understanding" of Telefónica Vivo's network.

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Japan's NEC, which plays a major systems integrator role for Telefónica Group's open RAN trials and deployments, will be "key network integrator." It is tasked with providing local engineering capabilities, which includes "5G xHaul transformation services to deliver a scalable migration for thousands of nodes."

Pushing on fiber and 5G

With the help of FiBrasil, Vivo's JV with Canadian fund CDPQ, the operator is aiming to pass more than 29 million homes with fiber by 2024, up from 19.6 million at the end of 2021.

Last November, Telefónica Vivo secured spectrum concessions in 5G-friendly 2.3GHz, 3.5GHz and 26GHz frequency bands. According to regulator Anatel, winning auction bidders must start offering commercial 5G services in major cities and the "federal district" before July 31.

Márcio Kanamaru, head of technology, media and telecommunications at KPMG, thought the deadline was too tight and that operators will struggle to meet it.

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— Ken Wieland, contributing editor, special to Light Reading