Overcome the telco dilemma: reduce 5G infrastructure costs with cloud-native open source
The telecommunications industry is undergoing a major transformation as operators roll out 5G standalone (SA), edge computing, and new enterprise services. While these innovations unlock new revenue opportunities, they also introduce significant cost and operational challenges.
Building and operating 5G infrastructure requires substantial investment in distributed compute, cloud-native platforms, and automation. Rising energy costs, increasing network complexity, and the shift to cloud-native network functions (CNFs) are putting additional pressure on margins.
Open source has emerged as a strategic enabler for telcos to address these challenges: helping reduce both CAPEX and OPEX while accelerating innovation.
This whitepaper explores how Canonical’s open source infrastructure stack enables telcos to modernise their networks and reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) across the 5G stack.
Open source telco 5G: the Canonical approach
Open source technologies provide a foundation for scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient 5G infrastructure. Adopting open platforms ensures telecom operators can avoid vendor lock-in, standardise their operations, and accelerate the transition from virtualized network functions (VNFs) to cloud-native network functions (CNFs).
Canonical delivers a unified, cloud-native software stack that spans the entire telco architecture: from core data centres to distributed edge sites. Built on Ubuntu, this stack integrates proven technologies such as Kubernetes and OpenStack, enabling consistent operations across private, public, and edge clouds.
Using Canonical open source solutions, operators can benefit from a global ecosystem of innovation while maintaining full control over their infrastructure strategy.
What you will learn
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The key cost drivers and operational challenges in modern 5G networks, including energy consumption, edge scale, and cloud-native complexity
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How open source technologies enable multi-vendor interoperability and reduce dependency on proprietary solutions
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How Ubuntu provides a security maintained, long-term supported foundation for telco infrastructure
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How Canonical’s cloud-native stack enables automation, scalability, and operational consistency across RAN, core, and edge
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Best practices for building cost-efficient private and hybrid cloud architectures for 5G deployments
Modernising 5G infrastructure is no longer optional! It is critical for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving telecom landscape. Open source provides the flexibility, efficiency, and innovation required to succeed.
Download our whitepaper to discover how Canonical helps telcos reduce 5G infrastructure costs and accelerate their transition to cloud-native networks.