Nokia and AWS power Tune Talk’s cloud-native 5G network

Tune Talk has deployed a cloud-native 5G core network running Nokia’s entire 5G Core software stack on AWS public cloud infrastructure.

The implementation follows a distinct hybrid cloud topology. Tune Talk hosts its network control plane in the AWS Malaysia region to leverage central cloud scalability. The user plane runs locally on AWS Outposts located at the network edge. This design addresses strict telecom latency constraints while maintaining high throughput.

The edge deployment relies on bare-metal instances running the AWS Nitro architecture. Nitro isolates virtualisation functions and dedicates hardware resources directly to the containerised network functions (CNFs) to guarantee performance, security, and resiliency.

The underlying stack integrates Nokia’s telecom software with AWS infrastructure. This includes subscriber data management, session management, and policy control functions containerised and managed via orchestration platforms. Tuning this environment required deploying the first AWS RP gateway in Southeast Asia and required deep engineering collaboration between Nokia and AWS to meet strict carrier-grade availability metrics inside a shared public cloud environment.

Phased migration and the shift to agentic automation

The transition from a standard on-premises MVNO to a network architecture capable of supporting full Mobile Network Operator (MNO) capabilities did not occur instantly. Tune Talk executed a phased migration strategy.

Tune Talk’s engineering team initially lifted its legacy workloads onto a standard cloud infrastructure. This phase was not cloud-native but served as a baseline environment to stabilise operations before rewriting rules for a hyper-cloud setup with Nokia and Mavenir.

Managing this distributed cloud continuum required a radical overhaul of traditional operations. Tune Talk introduced an agentic AI framework powered by AWS Agent Core Bedrock to manage day-two operations. The system uses agentic workflows to execute automated root cause analysis (RCA) across the network fabric, identifying faults across multi-tenant environments without manual log inspection.

When traffic surges in specific areas, the AI steps in to expand infrastructure capacity on the fly. It also handles In-Service Software Upgrades (ISSU), meaning Tune Talk can patch core network components without dropping active subscriber sessions. Essentially, it takes standard Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and turns them into a self-healing, active operational layer.

Disrupted densification via autonomous small cells

With the core network, OSS, and BSS functioning on the cloud, Tune Talk is shifting its focus to network densification. The company is gearing up to roll out anywhere from 80,000 to 100,000 autonomous small cells across Peninsular and East Malaysia. This tackles a major blind spot in the local 5G landscape head-on.

While 5G adoption is growing, macro-network densification has stalled, causing data speeds to degrade as more users onboard 5G handsets. Tune Talk’s deployment model removes the traditional overhead of radio access network (RAN) rollouts. The small cells function as self-installable, plug-and-play units. End users can mount the hardware using standard tools, plug it into a domestic power outlet, and connect it via ethernet to a standard home router.

A centralised Self-Organising Network (SON) manages the infrastructure from day one. The SON automatically configures neighbour relations and manages interference between overlapping small cells without field technician intervention. This builds an underlying, independent network layer that unloads traffic from the broader macro network. The infrastructure operates as an open-access network where other regional telecom providers can offload their traffic, turning a proprietary footprint into shared national utility infrastructure.

Back in December 2024, Tune Talk was pulling in 50,000 new subscribers every month. Once the cloud-native setup was running smoothly, those numbers skyrocketed to as many as 15,000 new sign-ups per day. On top of that, their upcoming small cell rollout paves the way for an alternative infrastructure-as-a-service way to monetise the network.

The small cells then function similarly to residential solar panels that feed power back into the grid. When subscribers from other networks connect to a leased small cell, the host earns passive income from that traffic offload. This creates an economic incentive for consumers to drive network densification on behalf of the operator.

The greenfield advantage vs brownfield risks

Greenfield operators and agile MVNOs worldwide could learn from the deployment. New entrants unburdened by legacy technical debt can adopt public cloud models from inception. This strategy wipes out the need for huge upfront capital spending, ties ongoing running costs cleanly to active subscriber revenue, and drastically cuts down the time it takes to get advanced 5G services off the ground.

Brownfield operators face a much more difficult path. Established carriers manage extensive legacy hardware networks representing billions in historical capital investment. Migrating millions of live subscribers to a public cloud core introduces massive operational risk.

Incumbents must maintain complex hybrid models, gradually offloading non-critical functions while managing legacy integrations. Total cloud migration for these players remains slow and operationally hazardous. However, Tune Talk’s production deployment proves that public cloud infrastructure can successfully sustain mission-critical, high-growth telecom workloads.

See also: Broadcom silicon bridges AI data centres and edge

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is part of TechEx and is co-located with other leading technology events including the IoT Tech Expo and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo. Click here for more information.

Telecoms is powered by TechForge Media. Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars here.