Dish Network added IBM’s automation and network orchestration software to the set of products lined up for a 5G network, predicting the move will enable enterprise use cases.

In a statement, the companies declared IBM’s Cloud Pak for Network Automation will be used to combine hardware and software to deliver network slicing. Dish Network plans to use the function to create specialised services for industry verticals.

IBM’s product features AI and machine learning, the latter being used to resolve problems and optimise network functions.

Steve Canepa, MD and GM of IBM’s Global Communications Sector, predicted faster time to market for new services for Dish Network.

IBM already helps enterprises migrate workloads to Amazon Web Services (AWS), the public cloud service which will host the Dish Network 5G network.

Dish Network has deals with a growing list of vendors and other companies, and is gearing up for a beta launch of its greenfield 5G network later this year.

Last week it stated carrier aggregation tests were ongoing and it had secured access to spectrum as part of this.