Ericsson (ERIC) said Thursday it has signed a multi-year framework agreement with SoftBank to deploy next-generation core network solutions in Japan to modernize infrastructure and accelerate adoption of standalone 5G.

The company said the agreement covers its dual-mode 5G core running on its cloud-native infrastructure, along with subscriber data management, policy control, and IP multimedia systems.

The deployment will support SoftBank's shift to 5G standalone while integrating existing 4G and 5G services, to improve network scalability and reliability, it added.

It also includes upgrades to subscriber data management and modernization of voice and multimedia systems.

Ericsson said the project will help enable faster rollout of new services, while automation and cloud-based operations are expected to streamline processes and reduce costs.