Vodafone Group and Spirent Communications announced a partnership that will automate the testing and deployment of new 5G core voice software across Vodafone’s pan‑European network. The joint platform is expected to reduce the time required to roll out upgrades from the current 6‑8 months to just a few days, achieving a 75 % reduction in deployment time for the 160‑node core voice infrastructure that supports both cellular voice and voice‑over‑Wi‑Fi services.
The automation platform leverages Spirent’s AI‑driven test engine and continuous‑integration pipelines to perform end‑to‑end regression testing, configuration validation, and zero‑downtime deployment. It integrates with Vodafone’s existing core voice stack and is designed to work across the 12 European countries that host the 160 nodes—UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Poland—ensuring consistent performance and rapid feature roll‑outs across the continent.
By cutting upgrade cycles from months to days, Vodafone can accelerate the introduction of new 5G Standalone (SA) features, improve network resilience, and respond more quickly to regulatory or compliance changes. The faster time‑to‑market also reduces operational costs and supports Vodafone’s goal of sustaining free‑cash‑flow growth while managing the capital intensity of its core network investments.
Vodafone’s CEO Margherita Della Valle said the partnership “accelerates our digital transformation and strengthens our competitive position in Europe.” Spirent’s CEO highlighted that the collaboration “demonstrates the value of our automated testing platform in real‑world deployments,” underscoring the strategic fit between the two companies’ technology roadmaps.
Financially, Vodafone estimates the automation will cut annual upgrade costs by roughly €50 million, improving free cash flow and allowing the company to allocate resources to other growth initiatives. Spirent’s H1 2025 results showed a rise in order intake and adjusted operating profit, reflecting strong demand for 5G testing solutions and reinforcing the commercial viability of the partnership.
The partnership positions Vodafone to deliver new 5G services faster, maintain network resilience, and support its broader strategy of expanding cloud‑native 5G SA capabilities across Europe while keeping operational costs under control.
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