Nokia and Vodafone Harness Machine Learning on Google Cloud to Detect Network Anomalies

Based on Nokia Bell Labs technology and developed after a Nokia-Vodafone agreement signed in 2020, the Anomaly Detection Service product is being rolled out across Vodafone’s pan-European network. The product quickly detects and troubleshoots irregularities, such as mobile site congestion and interference, and unexpected latency, that can impact 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. Anomaly detection is offered “as-a-service,” an important dimension to Nokia’s Cloud and Network Services’ business group strategy, and there are plans to eventually apply Anomaly Detection Service to Vodafone’s 5G and core networks.

Vodafone expects that around 80 percent of all its anomalous mobile network issues and capacity demands will be automatically detected and addressed using Anomaly Detection 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. On Google Cloud, Anomaly Detection Service allows the streaming of network data to Vodafone’s data analytics platform, enabling analysis simultaneously of data across multi-vendor environments.

The Nokia-Vodafone deal signed last year complements Vodafone’s recent six-year agreement with Google Cloud, also a Nokia partner, to jointly build integrated cloud-based capabilities backed by hubs of networking and software engineering expertise.

Johan Wibergh, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone, said: “We are building an automated and programmable network that can respond quickly to our customers’ needs. As we extend 5G across Europe, it is important to match the speed and responsiveness of this new technology with a great service. With machine learning, we can ensure a consistently high-quality performance that is as smart as the technology behind it.”