Four of the world’s largest network operators are advocating for broadband network gateways (BNG) to be disaggregated and improved with open software and automation.

BT, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica, and Vodafone today issued a group position paper outlining their “collective need” for an open BNG framework based on generic hardware and software with open APIs. This network element manages policy for fixed broadband user sessions and provides the gateway for backhaul network connectivity, the operators explained. 

The European-based carriers, which provide services around the world, note that their unique challenges in network architecture and regulatory requirements have led to a series of “implementation divergences.” The quartet is now pushing for greater control over opex and capex, pointing to the hyperscale cloud providers model as a source of inspiration. 

“Service efficiency improves by migrating from traditional operational practices through cloud-enabled to cloud-native microservice applications with applications that are distinct from the underlying platform,” the operators wrote in their collective call to action. 

“We believe that splitting apart the BNG software from the BNG hardware will lower the barrier-to-entry and attract the greater participation of both existing and new hardware vendors and software suppliers,” the operators added.

The operators have no love lost for their existing BNG architecture, describing the hardware as a “big, heavy metal monolith” and software as a “somewhat opaque monolith,” both of which are supplied by a “monovender.”

“The adoption of open APIs, open control and management protocols, and common data models are necessary to support disaggregation of open BNGs,” the operators wrote. “We also believe that a common, open BNG platform — potentially harmonized with the needs of a 5G user plane function (UPF) — will pave the way towards the more permanent, necessary separation of the hardware platform from the software control and software applications across our collective network estates.”

Open BNG envisions a horizontal decomposition of the service edge and router, a vertical disaggregation of the forwarding and control planes, and a third plane composed of forwarding hardware. 

The group recognizes that several open source communities are already working on this effort, including the Broadband Forum, Open Compute Project, Open Networking Foundation, and the Telecom Infra Project, with each focusing on specific topics or layers of BNG. 

As such, and in an effort “to prevent double work and inefficiencies,” the operators said they will support existing communities with coordinated effort. The group is calling for others to join their cause and support their desired outcome.