Nokia’s Compact Mobility Units (CMU) Revolutionize Private Wireless Networks

Unlocking the Power of CMU

Nokia has long been considered a trailblazer in their industry, introducing revolutionary solutions that transform how we connect and communicate. Among its innovations, the Nokia Compact Mobility Unit (CMU) has been a fantastic solution for enterprises seeking to deploy locally managed, modular, and customizable industrial-grade private wireless networks.

At its core, CMU takes on the vital role of the mobile packet core (MPC), which is the backbone of private wireless networks. It allows organizations to enhance their IoT capabilities and streamline machine-type communication services while leveraging field-proven software based on Nokia’s Cloud Packet Core solution. Initially designed for Communications Service Providers (CSPs), CMU provides reliability, scalability, flexibility, and superior performance.

One of CMU’s standout features is its ability to support 4G and 5G radio network connectivity across various wireless access types, including licensed, shared (CBRS), and unlicensed (MulteFire) options. Additionally, CMU can seamlessly integrate with 3GPP 4G Evolved Packet Core (EPC), 5G non-standalone (NSA) core, and 5G standalone (SA) core architectures. This flexibility allows businesses to tailor their private wireless network to their specific needs as part of Nokia’s Modular Private Wireless (MPW) or as a standalone mobile packet core solution.

The Core Network Functions of CMU

CMU is a private cellular network’s core network functions hub, packed into a single integrated appliance. Its responsibilities encompass a wide range of critical functions:

CMU excels in endpoint authentication, registration, mobility management, routing, packet forwarding, session management, endpoint profile repository, identification, addressing, and policy control. It’s a comprehensive solution designed to meet the diverse needs of business-critical networking requirements.

Benefits with CMU

CMU comes with many advantages that make it the go-to choice for enterprises, including:

Simple, Flexible Deployments

CMU streamlines the deployment of private wireless networks by consolidating all crucial mobile packet core functions. This consolidation is achieved through either a pre-integrated appliance, consisting of two HP DL325 Gen10 rack-mounted servers designed to fit into an IT cabinet or data center seamlessly, or as a containerized network function (CNF) that is deployed within a Red Hat OpenShift private cloud platform.

CMU offers a heightened level of flexibility for deploying a private wireless network that aligns with specific business needs. It provides options for centralized and distributed core architectures, all while ensuring the secure retention of essential subscriber and operational data on-premises.

For Communication Service Providers (CSPs), CMU offers an easily implementable solution as part of their private wireless service. `This facilitates the delivery of a dedicated core solution tailored to enterprise needs.

High Availability

CMU expedites Industry 4.0 transformation by harnessing the extensive 4G ecosystem to digitize and automate operations and offers compatibility with the non-standalone (NSA) Option 3x configuration and the 5G standalone (SA) Core.

Organizations require a network that guarantees exceptional reliability and performance to facilitate business-critical communications. CMU fulfills the need for high availability through hot-standby stateful redundancy and also accommodates edge network configurations, catering to low-latency applications.

Efficient IIoT Support

CMU empowers businesses to harness the potential of Industrial IoT (IIoT). It offers essential scalability and performance while incorporating the 3GPP cellular IoT (CIoT) features necessary to efficiently and cost-effectively support LTE-M and narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) applications.

Introducing Modular Private Wireless

CMU isn’t just a standalone solution – it’s a vital component of Nokia’s 5G-ready Modular Private Wireless (MPW) solution. This versatile offering empowers businesses to build and deploy private 4.9G/LTE and 5G networks tailored to industrial sites and field area networks, regardless of their size.
MPW is not limited to enterprises alone; mobile operators can use it to offer nationwide secure Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) services.

Designing A Network with MPW

MPW allows organizations to design a wireless network that aligns with their business and industry’s unique demands. Whether an organization prefers fully autonomous industrial sites, distributed sites with a centralized core, connected industrial sites supporting roaming, or collaboration with CSPs, MPW accommodates it all.

The benefits of MPW extend beyond flexibility:

Key Solution Elements

Within the MPW framework, CMU is pivotal as the enterprise core. It mirrors the functions of a mobile operator’s 4.9G/LTE evolved packet core and 5G next-generation core network. It operates on high-capacity servers and supports redundant deployments, guaranteeing network resiliency and service continuity. For voice and video communication on standard LTE devices, Nokia offers enterprise voice core (EVC) and Group Communications solutions.

As a core component of the Modular Private Wireless solution, Nokia’s Compact Mobility Unit is reshaping the landscape of private wireless networks. Its capabilities, combined with the flexibility of MPW, provide businesses with the tools they need to thrive in the era of Industry 4.0. Whether companies require simple deployments, high availability, efficient IIoT support, or scalable network design, Nokia’s solutions have paved the way for a connected and automated future.

About Infinity Technology Solutions

Infinity Technology Solutions specializes in broadband and critical communications infrastructure development. We help our channel partners create and deploy private wireless, microwave backhaul, IP/MPLS, and optical networking technologies.

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