How Nokia and AWS are Powering Citymesh with 5G Core SaaS

Belgium’s Citymesh has gone live with the world’s first commercial mobile service on 5G Core software-as-a-service (SaaS), powered by Nokia and AWS. 

The move signals a new approach for telecommunications providers to build and scale networks without the operational complexity or upfront capital of traditional deployments.

Citymesh is using Nokia's Core SaaS for Business on AWS’s global cloud infrastructure to serve enterprises across multiple sectors, including venues and events, airports, hospitals, offshore settlements, first responders, drone operators and transportation.

It also underpins a mobile offering for self-employed professionals and small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The SaaS model transforms the core network into a subscription-based service. 

It delivers catalog-based service creation, on-demand network capabilities and rapid feature deployment, while subscription pricing and pay-as-you-grow infrastructure provide predictable cost control. 

Providers can design custom service plans without extensive telecommunications engineering or ongoing integration work.

Scalability and enterprise focus

Running on AWS global cloud infrastructure provides Citymesh with the ability to handle unpredictable demand spikes in diverse enterprise environments without upfront infrastructure investments. 

The platform’s multi-region architecture ensures telecommunications-grade availability, while comprehensive security controls meet strict industry requirements.

Robin Leblon, CTO of Citymesh, says: "Launching the world’s first commercial 5G Core SaaS service is a major milestone for Citymesh. 

“With Nokia’s Core SaaS on AWS, we can scale faster, reduce complexity and upfront investment and deliver secure, high-performance connectivity tailored to our enterprise customers. 

“And what’s more, it allows us to develop a telecom offering tailored for all businesses, including the self-employed and SMEs."

Citymesh leverages the flexibility of cloud deployment to adjust network capacity dynamically. 

Enterprises can access high-speed connectivity, core network functions and value-added services without investing in physical hardware or managing complex integration. 

This approach also allows the company to offer customised service plans with minimal technical overhead.

SaaS for telecommunications

Nokia’s Core SaaS for Business provides telecom-grade reliability and AWS security across a broad service catalog. This includes 4G and 5G Core, network slicing, IMS core, IoT services, automation and security capabilities. 

Operators scale capacity on demand while exposing network functions through APIs, making it easier to integrate with enterprise applications or third-party services.

Kal De, SVP, Core Software Product & Engineering at Nokia, adds: "Telecom SaaS represents a paradigm shift in the telecommunications industry. 

“Partnering with leaders like AWS helps us deliver cloud-native infrastructure that makes advanced connectivity simple and intuitive for providers, allowing them to subscribe to services only when needed and growing their spend with demand. 

“This ground breaking announcement by Citymesh proves that 5G Core SaaS has moved from concept to production-ready reality."

The SaaS model allows telecommunications providers to focus on service delivery and customer experience, rather than managing physical network infrastructure. 

It also means providers can scale rapidly in line with demand, which is particularly useful for sectors with variable connectivity requirements, such as live events or remote industrial operations.

Fabio Cerone, Managing Director of AWS EMEA Telco Business Unit, says, "Nokia's Core SaaS for Business exemplifies how telecommunications service providers can leverage AWS to transform their operations, delivering simplified deployment and lifecycle management. 

"Running on AWS, Nokia enables telecommunications operators to launch and scale telecommunications services with the elasticity, reliability, security and trust the industry demands, while dramatically reducing operational complexity. 

"This collaboration shows how AWS’ Cloud is enabling telecommunications providers to innovate faster and respond more quickly to market opportunities."

Cloud partnership and industry impact

The partnership between Nokia and AWS will allow Citymesh and other operators to adopt a subscription-based model for core network services. 

This eliminates the need for upfront infrastructure investment and long integration cycles, while providing the flexibility to respond to shifting market needs. 

Operators will gain access to a global cloud platform capable of supporting high-performance mobile services with predictable cost structures and reliable security.

Nokia’s Core SaaS for Business is now available to telecommunication providers worldwide, offering an option for operators who want to modernise their networks and deliver 4G and 5G connectivity to enterprise and SME customers efficiently.

Citymesh’s deployment marks the first commercial use of 5G Core SaaS and demonstrates how cloud-native infrastructure and subscription-based models are shaping the future of telecommunications operations. 

The solution provides a template for operators seeking scalable, secure and cost-effective ways to launch and expand mobile services.