Ericsson Demonstrates 1 Tbps 5G Core on Google Cloud at MWC 2026

Ericsson  has successfully demonstrated a 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) 5G Core network—supporting 1 million concurrent subscribers—running entirely on Google Cloud. 

The demonstration, showcased at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, marks one of the largest mobile core networks to achieve this level of throughput and scale in a public hyperscale environment. This milestone validates that the most demanding telecom workloads, once restricted to specialized on-premises hardware, can now thrive on the public cloud with high performance, elasticity, and operational efficiency.

The showcased solution aligns with broader industry shifts toward consumption-based deployment models and elastic scaling. As service providers balance energy costs, increased operational complexity, and new service demands, the ability to start small and scale in and out as traffic demands change is increasingly attractive. Running the 5G Core in the public cloud also gives service providers access to native security tools, automated lifecycle management, and a global connectivity footprint.

“This milestone shows that Ericsson On-Demand meets the technology, performance and capacity requirements of core networks, even for bandwidth-demanding services like fixed wireless broadband. One Tbps is just the start, but it’s a strong proof point that our solution gives service providers the agility and confidence to innovate and seize opportunities that were previously out of reach.”

– Eric Parsons, Head of Ericsson On-Demand, Cloud Software and Services, Ericsson

“Google Cloud’s infrastructure is not just ‘ready’ for telecom—it is the optimal environment for it. By combining our AI and global reach with Ericsson’s 5G capabilities, we’re helping operators modernize their networks with enhanced speed and scale.”

– Muninder Sambi, Vice President and General Manager, Networking, Google Cloud

In collaboration with Google Cloud, Ericsson built this architecture to scale automatically in response to traffic demand, bringing a new level of agility to core network deployments.

Google Cloud provides more than just hosting; it’s a foundation for:

• Elasticity via Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE): The solution leverages GKE to automate the scaling of network functions. For the first time, a 5G core can “right-size”—scaling out instantly to meet a traffic surge and scaling in when demand drops, helping to ensure carriers only pay for what they use.
• Global Fiber Backbone: The Ericsson On-Demand 1 Tbps throughput is sustained by Google’s private, planet-scale network, enabling low-latency delivery across more than 2 million miles of terrestrial and subsea fiber.
• AI-Driven Autonomy: Integrated with Google Cloud’s AI infrastructure, Ericsson On-Demand utilizes real-time telemetry to predict traffic patterns and optimize resource allocation, helping to reduce energy consumption and operational complexity.

Next steps:

• Ericsson plans to extend the capabilities of the Core Software-as-a-Service platform to support enhanced mobile broadband, voice services, and other 5G workloads.
• The company expects the demonstrated Tbps scale to accelerate industry adoption of public cloud for core network functions and open new deployment models for global service providers.
• The Ericsson On-Demand 5G Core SaaS is currently in trials with global service providers. The offering is listed on the Google Cloud Marketplace and is planning to be commercially available in the coming months for private wireless and wide-area IoT deployments, with support for Fixed Wireless Access planned for later this year.