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Cloud IoT connectivity solution for Roaming, Routing, Security and Interworking

With the BroadForward Cloud IoT connectivity solution providers can transition 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G Roaming, Routing, Security and Interworking operations to the cloud, managing them in a common, uniform environment, improving flexibility and global reach while achieving major cost-reductions.

By 2030 GSMA Intelligence expects IoT connections to surge to 37.4 billion. Many of the cellular IoT/M2M applications demand continuous, uninterrupted network availability spanning diverse geographical locations. To ensure dependable coverage, it is essential for IoT Connectivity providers to maintain legacy fallback options at all times. BroadForward offers a uniform working environment for multiple network functions in a common, uniform environment which can be deployed in the cloud. Multiple IoT Connectivity providers such as 1NCE, Monogoto, Cubic Telecom, Top Connect/Velos, Wireless Logic and Truphone and others have adopted the BroadForward Cloud IoT connectivity solution for one or more products.  

Moving operations to the Cloud

Many IoT Connectivity providers would prefer to transfer many – if not all – network functions such as routing, roaming, and security to the cloud. While such a transition is potentially feasible for 4G and 5G operations, challenges arise with 2G, 3G legacy systems due to the constraints imposed by outdated, standalone products sourced from various vendors, each tailored for specific network functions. These products, often hardware-based, lack a clear roadmap and the adaptability to run in the cloud or seamlessly integrate. Consequently, this situation severely restricts the ability to capitalize on economies of scale and enhance business value. 

BroadForward offers a single, fully productized, multi-generational, cloud-based software solution for IoT connectivity. Its unique design enables multiple generations of network functions to run uniformly in the cloud and be managed centrally. Functions include routing (STP, DRA and SCP), security (Firewall and Device Authentication), Interworking (2G-3G-4G-5G) and (steering of) roaming functions (DEA, SEPP). The scalable platform is 100% software-based, hardware-agnostic, supporting virtualization and cloud- as well as containerized application deployment.

Single solution for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G Roaming, Routing, Security and Interworking

With the help of the BroadForward Cloud IoT Connectivity solution, IoT connectivity providers can move away from an unsustainable situation where they have to maintain a mix of standalone legacy network functions in combination with next generation elements. The BroadForward system offers a unified, standardized software environment that supports several generations of cloud-based signaling functions. It offers increased flexibility, ongoing maintenance, and roadmap development while enabling IoT connectivity providers to drastically save costs:

  • Multi-purpose. Single solution for routing, security, interworking and (steering of) roaming functions for 2G, 3G, 4G as well as 5G and beyond.
  • Shared deployment model. Uniformly deployed and centrally managed solution supporting virtualization, cloud- as well as containerized applications.
  • Unified operations. Common configuration and operations across all on-board 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G functions, providing simplified organizational structure and major reduction of operational cost.
  • Service flexibility. On-the-fly creation and integration of multi-technology signaling services across all on-board functions and signaling technologies, e.g. SS7, Diameter, HTTP/2 and various IT interfaces.
  • Service assurance. Protecting IoT devices from network floods and preventing hijacking of Location Updates by using features like ‘Selective Ingress Throttling’ and Signaling Firewalls.
  • Uniform security. Common cross-technology Firewall for network protection across 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G.
  • Reduced integration. Centralized IT integration, signaling management, configuration, provisioning, subscriber management, reporting and control.
  • Fast on-boarding and troubleshooting. Ability to connect to multiple signaling interfaces on-the-fly and adapt centrally where needed.
  • Single customer view. Common configurable, normalized view of all signaling traffic across all supported technologies and functions.
  • Shared network license. Single license that works for all network technologies, avoiding the need to repeatedly invest in each new network generation.

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