Three UK has emerged as a perhaps unlikely frontrunner in the race to deploy a cloud-native 5G core, and therefore have the capability to deliver the diversity of services promised for ‘true 5G’, as well as achieving the cost efficiencies that will be essential to make its low cost challenger strategy towards pricing economically viable. The Hutchison-owned MNO has two advantages over its UK rivals – EE, Vodafone and O2. One is its lean IT infrastructure and staffing, which is enabling it to move to cloud platforms and full automation more rapidly than many. It has made a string of announcements recently, relating to many of its operations from BSS/IT, to network operations, to the 5G core (though not a…