China Mobile and Alcatel-Lucent are putting their network functions virtualization (NFV) advances on display for mobile operators at the Mobile World Congress starting on Feb 24, 2014 in Barcelona, demonstrating voice and video calls with VoLTE-capable handsets, using Alcatel-Lucent\'s virtualized proof of concept LTE radio access network (RAN) Baseband Unit (BBU) and its virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) in a multi-vendor environment, LteWorld reports.

The multi-vendor cloud network includes Alcatel-Lucent\'s virtualized proof of concept LTE RAN BBU and vEPC.

Virtualized LTE RAN BBU uses commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) parts, including hardware components, software components and commercial LTE protocols. The solution was developed as part of the Cloud-RAN (C-RAN) program, begun by China Mobile. Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile signed a memorandum of understanding on C-RAN, in 2011.

Alcatel-Lucent\'s vEPC is running with other virtualized core network functions in a multi-vendor environment, which will be orchestrated within the virtual environment using the latest version of Alcatel-Lucent\'s NFV platform - CloudBand™ 2.0.

China Mobile operates a large TD-LTE overlay network and is using NFV for a greener, more agile and efficient network.