Network slicing work builds on 5G collaboration deal inked by BT and Huawei in December.
U.K. telecommunications provider BT and Huawei announced new research into network slicing with the goal of finding how the technology can be used to support services delivered over future “5G” networks. The work is being conducted at the BT Labs in Adastral Park near Ipswich, and in other locations across the U.K.
With network slicing technology, a single physical network can be partitioned into multiple virtual networks allowing an operator to offer support for different types of services and different types of customer segments. Slices can be optimized by various characteristics, including latency or bandwidth requirements, and as the slices are isolated from each other in the control and user planes the user experience of the network slice can be the same as if it was a physically separate network.
Other claimed benefits of network slicing technology is it can allow operators to provide networks on an as-a-service basis, which can enhance operational efficiency while reducing time-to-market for new services.
“Customers are increasingly demanding converged networks that deliver a mix of flexibility, reliability and optimization,” said Howard Watson, CEO of technology, service and operations at BT, in a statement. “It’s our role to ensure that our fixed and mobile networks deliver the best possible experience for customers regardless of the demands placed on them. That’s why we’re excited about the possibilities of this stream of research with Huawei and the added flexibility network slicing may offer, allowing us to better serve specific customer needs as we move towards a 5G world.”
The announcement builds on a previous 5G collaboration agreement signed by the two companies in December, and marks the first area of specific research activity for the team.
