LONDON -- Core Network Dynamics has appointed mobile tech veteran Carsten Brinkschulte as CEO, effective immediately. Core Network Dynamics (CND), a spinoff from the renowned German research institute Fraunhofer FOKUS, develops and markets OpenEPC, a complete mobile network infrastructure in software that can run on commodity hardware as small as a Raspberry Pi.

Brinkschulte, who last year sold Virtual SIM vendor Movirtu to BlackBerry, and founded mobile messaging pioneer Synchronica in 2004, joins the firm to lead a major expansion drive. The firm is now well positioned to capitalise on the rising demand for NFV/SDN (Network Function Virtualisation/Software Defined Networks), next-generation mobile networks running on commodity hardware.

Other target markets for CND’s OpenEPC software include public safety organisations requiring a secure private LTE network compatible with off-the-shelf smartphones, replacing the clunky TETRA handsets currently used by police and firefighters in Europe; companies operating in remote areas where GSM coverage is patchy or non-existent; and network operators looking at advanced Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), a distributed mobile network infrastructure for future IoT applications.

Dragos Vingarzan, Core Network Dynamics co-Founder and CTO, said: “Carsten’s strong track record speaks for itself and we are thrilled to have him on board. As a proven mobile industry veteran combining deep technical understanding with proven commercial acumen, he is ideal to help us build Core Network Dynamics into a strong player in this fast-growing market.”

Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO at Core Network Dynamics, added: “Core Network Dynamics is a hidden gem with an impressive team. OpenEPC has established itself as the de-facto standard for LTE testbeds in the mobile industry and we are now taking it forward to live installations. It is perfect for a range of emerging use cases as the mobile industry moves away from expensive, dedicated hardware and into a new software-driven, virtualised and distributed network era. We are already working on many new opportunities that will help this company to realise its full potential.”

OpenEPC offers all the functionality of a core mobile network using only software. It can be deployed on standard Linux hardware or in the Cloud and is compatible with standard small cells and base stations. By adopting a distributed core network model with a mesh backhaul, OpenEPC can be used to build resilient mobile networks while at the same time reducing latency and backhaul traffic by 15-50%. OpenEPC currently supports 4G/LTE (3GPP Release 12), 3G, 2G and WiFi, with support for LoRa and SIGFOX on the roadmap.

The company has over 60 testbed customers, including many of the world’s tier-one mobile operators. It is also supplying a contract with a European government department to provide a next-generation private LTE mobile network for public safety using advanced mesh topology.

Core Network Dynamics GmbH