NEC Corporation has completed the deployment of network functions virtualization (NFV) solutions, including virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) and a virtual network function manager (VNF Manager), for NTT DOCOMO, INC.'s (DOCOMO) commercial networks. On March 9, DOCOMO started providing its commercial mobile communication service by using the NFV technologies.

The vEPC virtualizes the functions of an LTE core network, including the mobility management entity (MME), the serving gateway (S-GW) and the packet data network-gateway (P-GW). A VNF Manager from Netcracker, a wholly owned NEC subsidiary, handles lifecycle events, such as creation, activation, termination and update of virtualized network functions (VNF).

The NFV solutions delivered by NEC open the way both for flexibly increasing or decreasing the processing capacity of the core network according to the load and for automatically recovering from hardware failure in a short time. This will help improve the stability and reliability of the core network.

"I'm delighted that we have developed and deployed NFV with NEC and other leading vendors in the NFV domain. To maximize benefit of NFV, DOCOMO expects to virtualize many other key components of its mobile network, aiming to eventually establish a fully virtualized network. I'm convinced that our multi-vendor NFV is the first step toward our goal," said Mr. Seizo Onoe, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, NTT DOCOMO.

"We are delighted to contribute to DOCOMO's successful deployment of network virtualization technologies for their commercial networks," said Mr. Shunichiro Tejima, Executive Vice President, NEC Corporation. "With this success, NEC will further expand commercial deployment of NFV based solutions globally, which enable telecom operators to introduce innovative services to the market more quickly and efficiently."

About NTT DOCOMO

NTT DOCOMO provides innovative, convenient and secure mobile services that enable smarter living for each customer. The company serves over 73 million mobile customers in Japan via advanced wireless networks, including a nationwide LTE network and one of the world's most progressive LTE-Advanced networks. DOCOMO is a leading developer of a 5G network that it plans to deploy by 2020, as well as network function virtualization (NFV), NFC infrastructure and services, emerging IoT solutions, and more. Outside Japan, the company is providing technical and operational expertise to seven mobile operators and other partner companies, and is contributing to the global standardization of all-new mobile technologies.