Mobile operators have spent years debating whether the core of their networks, the software that authenticates devices, routes data and sets up calls, can safely run in a public cloud. Vodafone has now tested that idea on one of its most demanding customer groups: the hundreds of millions of connected machines on its IoT platform.
Working with Nokia and Amazon Web Services, Vodafone ran a proof of concept in Frankfurt that deployed Nokia's voice and data core software on AWS infrastructure, connected to Vodafone data centres in several European countries. The trial tested IoT services including emergency calling from vehicles and lifts, and smart meters for utilities.
Vodafone says the trial confirmed that AWS can run these network applications. The next step is an evaluation of security and sovereignty requirements, ahead of commercial trials planned for later in 2026.
What Was Tested
The setup used two parts of Nokia's core portfolio. Nokia's IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) handled voice services, while its Packet Core handled data sessions. Both ran as cloud-native network functions on AWS, using Elastic Kubernetes Service to manage containers and EC2 for computing capacity.
Vodafone looked at more than raw performance. The trial examined how the software is deployed and updated over its lifecycle, how it integrates with Vodafone's existing systems, what it costs to run, and what new business opportunities it could open for Vodafone's global managed IoT platform.
"By validating AWS as an infrastructure option, we can introduce services faster," said Marco Zangani, director of network strategy and architecture at Vodafone.
Why These Use Cases Matter
The services chosen for the test are not trivial. Emergency calls from cars and lifts must work every time, often years after the device was installed. Smart meters number in the millions and need reliable, low-cost connectivity over long lifetimes. Proving that a cloud-hosted core can support these services is a stronger signal than testing consumer data alone.
Voice for IoT has become more important as older networks close. Many alarm systems, lift phones and in-car emergency systems were built for 2G and 3G voice, and are being moved to 4G voice services based on IMS as those networks shut down. We looked at that transition in the UK in our piece on devices going dark in the UK.
Why Vodafone Is Looking At The Cloud For IoT
IoT is a large and growing business for Vodafone. The operator says its managed IoT platform supports more than 240 million connections worldwide, much of it driven by connected cars.
That scale brings a particular challenge. IoT traffic is very different from smartphone traffic: huge numbers of devices, often sending small amounts of data, sometimes all at once, for example when a fleet of meters reports at the same time. Adding capacity in traditional telecom data centres can take months. Cloud infrastructure promises to add capacity much faster and scale down when it is not needed.
"This trial demonstrates how our voice and data solutions can leverage public cloud infrastructure to deliver carrier-grade performance," said Kal De, senior vice president of core networks at Nokia.
Automation And Elasticity
For AWS, telecom networks are a major target market. The pitch is that operators can run their networks with the same automation and elastic scaling that cloud-native companies use.
"Telcos can redefine operating models through full automation and elasticity at scale," said Fabio Cerone, managing director for EMEA telco at AWS.
Sovereignty Is The Next Hurdle
Running core network functions in a public cloud raises questions that go beyond performance. Regulators and customers want to know where data is processed, who can access it, and whether a foreign government could demand it. For services such as emergency calls and critical utilities, those questions are especially sensitive.
That is why Vodafone's next phase focuses on security and sovereignty. AWS launched its European Sovereign Cloud in January 2026, with its first region in Brandenburg, Germany, operated by EU residents and designed to run independently of non-EU infrastructure. Vodafone has already signed a multi-year deal to offer sovereign cloud services to German businesses and public bodies using that region, building on its acquisition of the cloud consultancy Skaylink.
Whether the sovereign cloud will host network functions for Vodafone's IoT platform has not been announced. But the timing suggests the two efforts are closely linked.
Questions Operators Will Weigh
The trial reflects a broader industry debate. Operators considering public cloud for core network functions weigh several factors:
· Whether cloud infrastructure meets the reliability required for emergency and critical services.
· How costs compare with running network software in their own data centres over many years.
· How dependent they become on a single cloud provider.
· How regulators in each country view core network functions running on third-party infrastructure.
What It Means For IoT Customers
For enterprises using Vodafone's IoT services, a cloud-based core could mean new features and capacity arriving faster, particularly for large deployments that grow quickly. It could also make it easier to offer services in new regions without building infrastructure from scratch.
The change would be largely invisible to devices. The same SIMs and radios would connect to the same network. What changes is where the core software runs and how quickly Vodafone can adapt it. The broader shift in how IoT connectivity is managed, including remote eSIM switching, is covered in our piece on the fight over the IoT SIM.
The Bottom Line
Vodafone's trial with Nokia and AWS shows that core voice and data functions for IoT, including emergency calling and smart metering, can run on public cloud infrastructure. It is a meaningful step for an operator with more than 240 million IoT connections.
It is still a trial, however. Commercial deployment depends on the security and sovereignty work now under way, and on whether the cost and flexibility gains hold up once the network is carrying real customer traffic.
