NGPaaS · Project

Customizable 5G Platforms That Let Operators Build Networks Tailored to Each Customer

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Imagine buying a phone network today is like buying a pre-built house — you get what the vendor designed, whether it fits your needs or not. NGPaaS changed that into something more like ordering a custom home where you pick the exact rooms and features you need. They built a platform that lets telecom companies and IoT providers assemble their own 5G network configurations from modular building blocks, instead of being locked into rigid one-size-fits-all packages. Led by Nokia, the team tested three working prototypes — for telecom, IoT, and combined 5G use cases — including a live demonstration on a university campus near Paris.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries represented

industry partners in consortium

SMEs in the consortium

69%

industry participation ratio

final proof-of-concept platform prototypes delivered

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Telecom operators today face a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach when building 5G networks. Every use case — from low-power IoT sensors to high-bandwidth video streaming — gets the same platform, which leads to wasted resources and an inability to tailor network services for specific industries. This means slower time-to-market and higher costs when trying to serve diverse vertical customers like smart cities, connected factories, or agricultural monitoring systems.

The solution

What was built

Three final proof-of-concept platforms were delivered: one for IoT-as-a-Service, one for Telco-as-a-Service, and one for combined 5G scenarios — all following a "build-to-order" principle where network components are assembled to match specific use cases. These were validated through stepped scenarios including a live test at the Paris-Saclay campus near Paris.

Audience

Who needs this

Mobile network operators deploying customized 5G services for vertical industriesIoT platform providers needing reliable telecom-grade connectivitySmart city technology integrators managing multi-service urban networksMobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) seeking differentiated service offeringsIndustrial companies evaluating private 5G networks for factory or campus use

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications

enterprise

Target: Mobile network operators deploying or upgrading to 5G infrastructure

If you are a telecom operator dealing with the high cost and rigidity of deploying identical 5G infrastructure for vastly different use cases — this project developed a build-to-order Telco PaaS platform that lets you assemble network components tailored to each customer segment. Instead of over-provisioning a generic network, you configure exactly what each vertical industry needs, validated through a final proof-of-concept and live campus test.

IoT Solutions

mid-size

Target: IoT platform providers serving smart city or industrial clients

If you are an IoT platform provider struggling to integrate diverse sensor networks with telecom infrastructure — this project delivered a final IoT PaaS prototype following the build-to-order principle. It bridges the gap between IT cloud services and telecom networks, letting you compose connectivity services matched to specific IoT deployments like smart city sensors or industrial monitoring, tested across 13 partners in 8 countries.

Smart Cities

enterprise

Target: City technology integrators managing connected urban infrastructure

If you are a smart city integrator dealing with siloed telecom and IT systems that don't talk to each other — this project built a combined 5G PaaS prototype that merges telco and IoT components into a single configurable platform. The solution was designed to remove technological barriers between the telecom and cloud worlds, validated through stepped scenarios culminating in a live test at the Paris-Saclay campus.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt or license this platform technology?

The project data does not include licensing fees or commercial pricing. As an Innovation Action led by Nokia Networks France with 9 industry partners, the technology was developed for eventual commercial use. Interested companies should contact the consortium partners directly for licensing or collaboration terms.

Can this platform scale to production-level telecom networks?

The project delivered final proof-of-concept prototypes for three distinct use cases (Telco, IoT, and combined 5G) and conducted a live test at the Paris-Saclay campus. While these demonstrate viability beyond the lab, production-scale deployment would require further engineering. The project was explicitly designed to lay the foundation for large-scale phase 3 deployments.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

IP is distributed among the 13 consortium partners across 8 countries, with Nokia Networks France as coordinator. Specific licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner holding the IP for the component you need. The 4 SMEs in the consortium may offer more flexible licensing terms.

How does this fit with current 5G standards and regulations?

NGPaaS was built on top of 5G-PPP phase 1 project results and was designed to feed into phase 3 large-scale deployments. The platform follows the Dev-for-Operations model and integrates with revised OSS/BSS systems. Based on available project data, it was aligned with European 5G standardization timelines as of 2019.

What is the timeline from evaluation to deployment?

The project ran from June 2017 to August 2019 and produced final prototypes with live testing. Since the project is now closed, any deployment would depend on which consortium partner has continued development. Nokia and other industry partners may have integrated elements into their commercial product lines.

Can this integrate with our existing telecom or cloud infrastructure?

The entire design philosophy of NGPaaS is build-to-order modularity — components are meant to be mixed and matched for specific use cases. The platform was specifically built to remove technological silos between telco and IT cloud systems. The 3 final prototypes demonstrate integration across telecom, IoT, and combined scenarios.

Is there ongoing support or a community around this technology?

The project ended in August 2019. Based on available project data, results were intended to feed into 5G-PPP phase 3 projects and industrial usage. Current support would depend on individual consortium partners, particularly Nokia Networks France as the lead. The project website at ngpaas.eu may contain archived resources.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium: 9 out of 13 partners (69%) come from the private sector, with Nokia Networks France — a global telecom equipment giant — in the coordinator seat. The remaining 4 partners include 2 universities and 2 research organizations providing the scientific backbone. With 4 SMEs in the mix and partners spread across 8 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Gibraltar, Israel, Italy, and UK), the project was designed to reflect real European market diversity. The strong industry presence and Innovation Action funding type signal that this was built to move technology toward commercial deployment, not to sit on a library shelf.

NOKIA NETWORKS FRANCECoordinator · FR
B-COMparticipant · FR
ORANGE SAparticipant · FR
INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUMparticipant · BE
VIRTUAL OPEN SYSTEMSparticipant · FR
ATOS SPAIN SAparticipant · ES
ONAPP LIMITEDparticipant · GI
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITETparticipant · DK
BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PLCparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCAparticipant · IT
ATOS IT SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES IBERIA SLthirdparty · ES
NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS ISRAEL LTDparticipant · IL

How to reach the team

Nokia Networks France (FR) — use SciTransfer's coordinator lookup service to find the right contact person

Order a report on this consortium See NOKIA NETWORKS FRANCE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the NGPaaS team or help evaluating how this build-to-order 5G platform could work for your network? Contact SciTransfer for a tailored briefing.

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