Blog
27/06/2025
Scaling infrastructure for 5G and beyond
The global rollout of 5G networks has unlocked unparalleled connectivity, driving innovation across industries. However, keeping up with the growing demand for speed and capacity remains a major challenge for telecom companies, which are under pressure to optimize performance and upgrade their infrastructure. At the same time, they must prepare for emerging technologies like 6G and edge computing.
Competition from over-the-top (OTT) platforms, alternative connectivity providers, and new market entrants doesn’t make things any easier. To stay ahead of the curve, telecom enterprises must rethink their business approach. For example, major industry players like Vodafone, Orange have partnered with OTT providers to offer bundled services and grow their reach.
Telecoms also need to adopt flexible, service-oriented technologies to streamline their operations and enable new revenue streams. One solution is 5G network slicing, a core innovation that enables operators to create dedicated virtual networks for specific services or applications.
Network slicing opens new avenues to capitalise on 5G investments while improving performance, security, and resource optimisation.
What is 5G network slicing?
5G technology is pretty much everywhere now, thanks to big investments from communications service providers like telecom companies. To remain profitable, these enterprises need to find ways to monetise their networks, whether through offering new services or tailored connectivity solutions. That’s where 5G network slicing comes in.
This innovative technology allows telecom providers to set up multiple virtual networks, or “slices,” on a single physical 5G infrastructure. Each of these networks is tailored for a specific application or customer requirement, ensuring optimal performance, security, and resource allocation.
From a business perspective, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) manage individual network slices. The infrastructure provider leases out its physical resources, enabling multiple MVNOs to operate on a shared network.
Think of it as a multi-lane highway where different lanes (slices) are designated for specific types of traffic—some for high-speed autonomous vehicles, others for regular cars, and a few exclusively for emergency services. This system ensures smooth traffic flow by prioritising different types of vehicles based on their requirements.
Similarly, network slicing allows telecoms to allocate resources for specific applications, resulting in higher speed, improved reliability, and lower operating costs. Additionally, operators can deploy network slices in minutes to support temporary use cases, such as disaster response, sports tournaments, or live concerts, without the need for permanent infrastructure changes.
Key benefits of 5G slicing in telecom
The network slicing market is expected to reach $446 billion by 2026, with an average annual growth rate of 20.8%. Much of this momentum is driven by strong government backing for 5G infrastructure, especially in the telecom sector, where network slicing can unlock new capabilities and services.
For instance, smart cities can allocate network slices to specific services, such as waste management, traffic control, and emergency response, ensuring each slice is optimized for latency, reliability, and bandwidth. With this approach, urban infrastructure becomes more adaptable and responsive to evolving needs.
But where does network slicing fit into the telecom space? Let’s see a few examples:
- Enhanced service quality: Each slice can be optimised for specific needs, like ultra-low latency and high throughput for augmented reality apps and low-latency connectivity with wide-area reach for smart grids. The flexibility enables operators to improve and tailor their services.
- Higher network efficiency: Telecoms can allocate network resources more efficiently, leading to better performance and lower operational costs.
- Potential for additional revenue: Operators can introduce premium services by offering dedicated slices for enterprises. For example, a global bank could lease a slice to ensure secure, real-time transaction processing across borders.
- Improved security: Each slice operates independently, reducing the risk of cyber threats spreading across the network. This aspect is critical for industries like healthcare and finance, where data privacy is a top priority.
- New business models: Telecom companies can offer Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) to enterprises without requiring them to build and maintain physical networks. This allows businesses to lease network slices customised to their needs and scale up while keeping costs low. For instance, a multinational manufacturer could deploy a dedicated network slice for a smart factory in one region. Later, they can replicate it globally, maintaining reliable service standards and seamless connectivity across all locations.
- Support for critical applications: Self-driving cars, drone deliveries, remote surgeries, automated factories, and other use cases demand connectivity solutions that traditional networks cannot support. Network slicing ensures these applications operate with near-zero latency, high availability, and guaranteed reliability.
How Salesforce supports 5G slicing
While Salesforce doesn’t manage 5G slices at the network infrastructure level, it equips telecom operators with the tools to use this technology at its full potential.
One such tool is Salesforce Communications Cloud, which supports and enables capabilities that align with 5G slicing in telecom. Enterprises can leverage its features to manage, automate, and monetise the business and customer-facing processes around 5G services, including network slicing.
The Industries Order Management app, on the other hand, integrates with backend OSS/BSS platforms like Amdocs, Netcracker, and Ericsson OSS to streamline the provisioning of 5G slices. The tool supports TM Forum Open APIs, which are essential for interoperability with 5G-enabled systems. Basically, it allows Salesforce to act as a digital layer that communicates with the underlying network and IT infrastructure.
With Salesforce, telecom companies can create value based pricing, dynamic pricing models and billing structures tailored to different slice types. Then they can monetise slices based on usage, service-level agreements (SLAs), customer segment, and other factors.
Moreover, Salesforce’s AI capabilities enable operators to deliver hyper-personalised experiences based on real-time data from network slices, such as usage patterns or device types. Organisations also gain insight into slice performance, which enables them to identify bottlenecks and optimise service delivery.
Unlock the full value of 5G slicing
5G network slicing is reshaping the telecom landscape, empowering operators to expand, optimize, and monetise their services in ways that were not possible before. The challenge lies in navigating the financial and logistical complexities surrounding this technology.
Salesforce can help operators streamline their 5G slicing strategies and unlock new revenue streams—but to do so, it must first be integrated with telecom cloud platforms. That’s where an experienced Salesforce Consulting Partner like Fluido can help.
Fluido’s experts can assist telecoms with Salesforce implementation, configuration, and deployment, enabling them to:
- Automate slice provisioning and customer onboarding
- Enhance customer experience through AI-driven personalisation
- Monitor real-time network analytics for optimised performance (eg. tools such as Apache Kafka, Traffica-Nokia are often used)
- Expand their offerings and monetise network slices
- Maximise returns on their 5G infrastructure investments
5G slicing isn’t just a fad but a technology shaping the next era of connectivity. Connect with Fluido to discover how it can drive value for your business.

Rishendra Tiwari
Industry CoE
rishendra.tiwari@fluidogroup.com
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