Despite the seemingly lagging global investment in standalone 5G networks, promising trends in the telecom sector indicate an upcoming surge. With minimal progress indicated by Global Mobile Suppliers Association’s statistics, the industry pins hopes on major moves from operators like New Zealand’s Spark and Vodafone. Meanwhile, the increasing adoption of 5G SA in private networks for various sectors shows an encouraging forecast. The journey towards profitable 5G investments seems complex, yet strides are being made in the right direction.
Network slicing has become a popular topic in telecoms discussions, particularly in relation to the benefits of 5G for industrial or business applications. It is believed to improve the reliability and performance of connectivity in situations where network congestion or mission-critical operations are at stake. With the rollout of 5G Standalone, network slicing is becoming an increasingly important aspect of B2B installations.
Vodafone UK’s launch of 5G Ultra, a standalone 5G service, marks a significant milestone in the UK telecom market, offering faster speeds and improved battery life. However, with limited device support and potential focus on B2B applications, will competitors follow suit?
KPN revolutionizes Netherlands’ 5G landscape with the introduction of 5G standalone, promising higher speeds, improved latency, and network slicing capabilities. Pioneering tests with Ericsson in cloud gaming applications showcase its immense potential for consumer and business applications, setting the stage for a 2024 rollout.
As 5G technology continues to mature, leading global wireless carriers are competing to be the first to advance from the non-standalone (NSA) mode of 5G, in which a 4G LTE core is combined with 5G capabilities, to a standalone architecture (SA) 5G network. T-Mobile US, one of the largest carriers providing wireless voice, messaging and data services in the United States, has announced the launch of its SA 5G network. The operator claims to be the first in the world with nationwide coverage using this next-generation wireless technology. In a news release, T-Mobile said that the launch expands its 5G coverage by 30 percent and will cover nearly 250 million people in more than 7,500 cities and towns throughout the US. With faster speeds, lower latency and huge connectivity capabilities, SA 5G signifies the launch of a 5G core network, ending the reliance on legacy LTE architecture. T-Mobile said SA…
Ericsson has landed a significant contract with Bharti Airtel to manage its nationwide 4G and 5G network services in India through a centralized network operations center. This multi-year partnership will leverage AI-driven automation to efficiently manage 5G infrastructures, including non-standalone and standalone networks.
M1 has launched Southeast Asia’s first 5G RedCap network services, enhancing its role in the 5G-Advanced arena by integrating existing IoT technologies with comprehensive 5G solutions. RedCap offers lower latency and extended battery life.
EE is boosting 5G in central London with 80 small cells in Westminster, enhancing coverage through discreet installations on structures like lampposts. In partnership with Ontix, Nokia and Ericsson, this expansion supports EE’s goal of nationwide 5G by 2028 while improving performance in high-demand areas using advanced network analytics and cutting-edge standalone 5G technology.
Rakuten Symphony and Zain Kuwait are revolutionizing the telecom industry by introducing Kuwait’s first cloud-native Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) deployment. This pioneering project aims to enhance 5G Standalone sites, leveraging Rakuten Symphony’s advanced O-RAN and cloud products.
Vodafone and MediaTek have made a major breakthrough in 5G technology with uplink speeds hitting 277 Mbps in Madrid. This leap forward enhances video upload capabilities and cloud services, optimizing user experience. Their test leveraged carrier aggregation, MIMO antennas, and advanced chipsets.