Nokia, Vodafone launch AI solution on Google Cloud

U.K. operator group Vodafone and Finnish kit vendor Nokia have partnered up to jointly develop an AI solution on Google Cloud to detect and remediate network anomalies before they impact customers. 

The new machine learning (ML) system was co-developed based on Nokia’s Bell Labs algorithm and the anomaly detection service product that runs on Google Cloud and is already being rolled out across Vodafone’s pan-European network. 

In a joint statement, the partners explained that the ML system quickly detects and troubleshoots irregularities, such as mobile site congestion and interference, as well as unexpected latency, that may have an impact on customer service quality. 

Following an initial deployment in Italy on more than 60,000 4G cells, Vodafone will extend the service to all its European markets by early 2022.  

The British telco expects that around 80 percent of all its anomalous mobile network issues and capacity demands will be automatically detected and addressed using the new service.  

Deployment on Google Cloud allows Vodafone engineers to make fast and informed decisions, like boosting capacity where customers need it most, based on data managed through Google Cloud’s secure and reliable data and analytics services.  

This project is a result of the Nokia-Vodafone deal signed last year and complements Vodafone’s recent six-year agreement with Google Cloud. 

Raghav Sahgal, President of Cloud and Network Services at Nokia considered that “this first commercial deployment of anomaly detection service with Vodafone on Google Cloud provides a great boost to customer service.” 

From his side, Johan Wibergh, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone noted that “machine learning service can ensure a consistently high-quality performance that is as smart as the technology behind it.”