Summary
The industry has, for the past 7 years, failed to create virtual network functions (VNFs) that have no dependencies on specific hardware configurations. This failure has delayed the NFV project. In particular, VNF onboarding and testing complexities have plagued NFV deployments and led to the creation of new vertical network siloes that limit the benefits of NFV. This report examines the three emerging strategies for operators to move away from these siloes and build common, horizontal network clouds for 5G.