3GPP finalized standalone 5G New Radio last week
Last week was big for the continued development of technological specifications for next-generation 5G networks. Meeting in a hotel ballroom in La Jolla, California, 3GPP members froze the specifications for standalone 5G New Radio six months after completing the non-standalone variant, which depends on interworking with LTE.
Let’s take a look at a mix of industry reactions to the news, which is a major step toward commercializing 5G NR.
Chairman of 3GPP TSG RAN Balázs Bertényi noted the key role of standalone NR in achieving the “holistic 5G vision,” which is about a lot more than mobile phones. He said the new spec “open[s] the door for new industries beyond telecommunications that are looking to revolutionize their ecosystem through 5G.”
3GPP TSG SA Chairman Erik Guttman highlighted the significant difference between SA 5G and previous generations. “The new system provides the foundation for ongoing specialization for support of new business sectors, for unlike 4G and past generations, 5G supports the very specific requirements and individual service characteristics of diverse communications. Already, 3GPP activities have begun to leverage the 5G system to realize opportunities in areas such as industrial automation. This activity will intensify in the months and years to come, in increasingly many sectors, all on the foundation of the work that has been achieved on this occasion.”
Andre Fuetsch, president of AT&T Labs and CTO, highlighted how AT&T has prepped for 5G with its NFV and SDN initiatives. “Software is vital for managing the complexity and flexibility of 5G’s various technologies, including virtualization and network slicing. We’ll be able to adjust quickly and efficiently on the fly thanks to software. That will result in a network that is faster and more responsive for people around the globe.”
He continued: “I’ve said 5G will be the first network to be born in the cloud. Software already powers our network, delivers videos, music, games and more to our customers, and is a toolbox for developers around the world to create new applications we can’t even imagine yet. By finalizing the first definition of 5G with a software-based management system at its core, the world has a winning combination.”
Sprint CTO John Saw said: “Completion of the spec is a tremendous accomplishment and we congratulate 3GPP and its delegates on this important milestone. We’re honored to help build this next generation of wireless networks that will accelerate new levels of global innovation and progress.”
