Under Etisalat’s network modernization program, Alcatel-Lucent is initially deploying the 9771 Wireless Cloud Element Radio Network Controller (WCE) in Etisalat’s network in the UAE, following in Sri Lanka during 2015. Etisalat has already deployed the WCE platform in Mobily’s Saudi Arabia network.
In addition to the virtual Radio Network Controller, Alcatel-Lucent has already announced virtualization of a wide range of network functions, including evolved packet core (vEPC), IMS (vIMS), service routing (VSR) and Content Delivery Network (vCDN).