Ericsson has delivered a mobile softswitch which uses blade technology, to Australian telecom operator Telstra, which has already brought the new MSC Server Blade Cluster into commercial service on its NextG network.
The Mobile Switching Center (MSC) Server is the main node in a mobile core network used to control the switching of voice traffic. According to Ericsson, with the new MSC Server Blade Cluster, network capacity can be increased by more than half a million subscribers by only inserting a new blade (electronics board) in the MSC Server cabinet.
Telstra is providing voice-switching capacity for all its mobile subscribers via a single national mobile core network where the MSC Servers are deployed in a combined GSM and WCDMA MSC pool.
By 2010, Telstra intends to replace the current 18 regional MSC Servers by one MSC Server Blade Cluster pool deployed at two sites in eastern Australia. This rationalization is expected to reduce equipment floor space by 85%, cut energy use by 75% and proportionately reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Mike Wright, executive director for Wireless at Telstra, said: By deploying the MSC Server Blade Cluster, we continue to invest in our Next G network to enhance its capacity and robustness. Ericsson’s mobile softswitch allows us to streamline our core network while increasing voice capacity as we add subscribers. This simplification of our operations will make it easier and faster for us to operate, maintain and expand the core network.
