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Vodafone has completed a trial using AWS cloud infrastructure to run IoT voice and data network applications on Nokia core systems.
The trial involved key network functions for Vodafone’s managed IoT connectivity platform running on public cloud infrastructure. Vodafone said the work forms part of its wider multi-cloud strategy.
Vodafone tests cloud-based IoT core
The proof of concept was carried out by Vodafone, Nokia, and AWS. It involved deploying Nokia’s mobile data core and voice core on AWS cloud infrastructure in Frankfurt, Germany.
The deployment was integrated with network components hosted in Vodafone data centres across several European countries. Vodafone said the setup was used to assess how cloud infrastructure could support network expansion and capacity scaling.
The trial covered IoT voice services running on Nokia’s IP Multimedia Subsystem. These included voice applications used in emergency calling for vehicles and elevators.
It also covered IoT data services running on Nokia’s Packet Core. Vodafone cited smart metering for utilities as one of the data service examples tested during the trial.
Both the voice core and packet core used Nokia’s cloud-native network functions hosted on AWS infrastructure. The companies assessed lifecycle management, integration with Vodafone’s existing systems, operational performance, costs, and possible business use cases.
The architecture used AWS Elastic Kubernetes Service and Elastic Compute Cloud. EKS was used to manage containerised applications, while EC2 provided compute capacity for the workloads.
Vodafone said the cloud-based architecture is designed to automate network expansion and add capacity in days. The company said the approach could support more points of presence for its global managed IoT connectivity platform.
Vodafone’s IoT base grows
Vodafone’s managed IoT platform currently supports more than 240 million connections worldwide. That figure is higher than the 205 million IoT connections Vodafone Business reported in its 2025 annual report.
The same annual report said Vodafone added 6.4 million IoT connections during the year, driven by the automotive sector. The trial with AWS and Nokia included emergency calling use cases for vehicles, which are among the IoT voice applications supported by the test.
IoT Analytics said cellular IoT connections reached 4.7 billion in 2025, up 13.3% from 2024, and are expected to exceed 9 billion by 2030.
Vodafone cited automotive and utility-related use cases in the trial, including emergency calling for vehicles and smart metering.
Marco Zangani, Vodafone’s director of network strategy and architecture, said the company’s multi-cloud strategy gives it more agility to use new technologies and improve customer experience. He said the trial validated AWS as an infrastructure option for network functions and could help Vodafone introduce services faster.
Nokia said the trial showed how its voice and mobile core systems could use public cloud infrastructure while supporting carrier-grade performance. Kal De, senior vice-president of core networks at Nokia, said the work was aimed at giving telecom providers more operational flexibility.
AWS said the trial reflected its work with telecom operators on cloud-based network workloads. Fabio Cerone, managing director of AWS’s EMEA telco business unit, said the project showed how telecom operators could use automation and elasticity in their operating models.
Security and sovereignty next
Vodafone said the next phase will focus on security and sovereignty requirements. Commercial trials are planned for later this year.
Vodafone has also announced other cloud-related work in Europe. In May, Vodafone announced a multi-year collaboration with AWS to expand sovereign cloud services for German businesses and public authorities.
Under that agreement, Vodafone said customer data would be stored, operated, managed, and controlled within Europe. The company said the services are aimed at enterprises, public-sector organisations, and operators of critical infrastructure with data sovereignty and residency requirements.
Reuters reported in January that AWS is building its European Sovereign Cloud, which is physically and legally separate from AWS’s other global servers. Its first data centre is being built in Brandenburg, Germany, backed by more than €7.8 billion in investment.
Vodafone said its AWS sovereign cloud work builds on its Skaylink deal, after announcing in October 2025 that it had agreed to acquire the German cloud, digital transformation, and security specialist for €175 million.
At the time, Vodafone said Skaylink had more than 500 professionals with experience in cloud deployments and migrations across Microsoft and AWS environments. Vodafone said Skaylink’s AWS-certified experts would support customers moving to AWS European Sovereign Cloud.
Cloud automation work continues
Vodafone has also been working on cloud-based network automation. In June, Vodafone, Google Cloud, and TM Forum published a framework for self-optimising autonomous networks.
The framework covered the use of AI, data analytics, and closed-loop automation in network operations. It also described local automation for immediate network tasks and centralised AI systems for higher-level network planning.
(Photo by Growtika)
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