While 5G Standalone is often referred to as “real 5G,” is it really making any impact in the real world? Dozens of operators around the world have deployed 5G Standalone networks in an effort to capture opportunities that fit into two major buckets: First, 5G Standalone is at a system-level a more efficient way to provide cellular connectivity as compared to 5G Non-standalone; second, a standalone 5G network can be virtually partitioned to deliver a dedicated end-to-end slice tuned to the quality of service requirements of particular use cases, applications, device types or customers thereby opening up potential new service revenues.
So how are operators using 5G Standalone in the real world and do those efforts map to the aforementioned opportunities?
Vodafone UK dedicated a 5G Standalone network slice for television broadcast
Last year Vodafone UK launched its 5G Standalone network, branded as 5G ultra, in parts of London, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff. Vodafone UK said the new service tier offers to customers “greater 5G coverage and improved phone battery life, more reliable connections in busy locations, as well as amazingly fast 5G speeds.”
During the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Vodafone upgraded its infrastructure to support 5G Ultra at the event and noted enhanced “coverage to the courts and the surrounding outdoor fan zones.”
On the slicing front, Vodafone UK used its 5G Standalone network during the coronation of King Charles III. The operator partnered with ITN to stand up a dedicated slice for live television broadcast production of the coronation and supporting activities. ITN used the dedicated 5G slice to transfer field video to production studios without having to compete with Vodafone UK’s subscribers for network capacity.
More broadly on how network slicing can impact broadcasting, Vodafone UK said in a statement the technology “gives broadcasters a simpler and quicker alternative to deploying a private mobile network for video transmission with no extra heavy-duty equipment, planning, back-office or spectrum licensing needed, and it can all be accessed via a SIM card…As media organizations become increasingly reliant on connectivity for outside broadcast, reliable network performance is essential, but this technology can also go beyond the media sector.”
SingTel puts on its RedCap
As is historically the case, SingTel moved fast and early on 5G Standalone with a May 2021 launch using 3.5 GHz spectrum. By mid-2022 that network covered 95% of the island city-state’s territory, including more than 800 indoor locations, and even some train lines.
In December last year, SingTel completed a trial of 5G New Radio Reduced Capability (RedCap) working with Ericsson and MediaTek. RedCap, also referred to as 5G NR Light, is, as the name suggests, 5G but with reduced capabilities intended to support devices like wearable, low-power sensors and even fixed wireless access consumer premise equipment. The big idea is to prompt further proliferation of 5G by optimizing it for lower cost, less complex device categories.
The month-long RedCap trial took place across five 5G Standalone sites and was focused on supporting IoT “innovations and applications,” according to Tay Yeow Lian, managing director of networks at SingTel. “With RedCap technology, the complexity, size and capabilities of device platforms are considerably reduced, enabling cost-efficient integration into IoT devices. This unlocks opportunities for a multitude of devices to be connected to the 5G network, contributing to the expansion of the 5G ecosystem and supporting new designs for more scalable IoT.”
According to estimates from the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore, the IoT market in Singapore experienced a 20% compound annual growth rate, reaching $1.1 billion in 2022. This growth was driven by smart nation initiatives and Industry 4.0 efforts, particularly in the manufacturing and logistics sector. RedCap technology plays a crucial role in facilitating the transition of IoT devices from 4G to 5G, providing significantly better connectivity and more reliable user experiences which aid the development of more innovative use cases, Singtel said.
Additionally, the migration to 5G Standalone opens up opportunities for network slicing and mobile edge computing, allowing = operators to provide differentiated services tailored to specific use cases such as industrial automation, the Asian carrier added. More on the new service revenue point, Ericsson Head of Network Solutions for Singapore and Philippines Raymond Soh said RedCap “will open up a new world of possibilities for [operators], allowing for the introduction of services beyond enhanced mobile broadband on 5G standalone architecture, broadening the ecosystem and offering new monetization opportunities in both the consumer and industrial spaces.”
T-Mobile US takes on carrier aggregation, VoNR
As T-Mobile US was reinventing itself, both literally and figuratively, in the Sprint merger and integration process, it notched a world’s first with the commercialization of a 5G Standalone network in its low-band spectrum; that was back in 2020. After initially standing up the network and putting customer traffic on it, the carrier has continued to work on increasing capacity through carrier aggregation and delivering Voice over New Radio (VoNR).
In July last year T-Mobile began activating four-carrier aggregation on its standalone network. According to the company, peak speeds could be in the 3.3 Gbps range. “T-Mobile is blazing the trail for wireless customers around the globe, delivering new capabilities that unleash the true potential of 5G,” T-Mo President of Technology Ulf Ewaldsson said at the time. “With the only nationwide 5G Standalone network in the country, T-Mobile is the only provider bringing game-changing technologies like four-carrier aggregation to customers across the country.”
Specifically, T-Mobile US is combining two channels of its 2.5 GHz spectrum, one channel of its 1900 MHz holdings, and one channel of its 600 MHz. The company used this analogy: “That’s like taking four separate highways and turning them into a massive superhighway where traffic can zoom faster than before.”
With VoNR, T-Mobile’s pitch is faster call set-up time and an all-around improved voice experience. VoNR is available in six cities: Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York, Portland, Salt Lake City and Seattle.
For a deep dive into 5G Standalone, the larger move to cloud-native, distribution of compute to the network edge and more, register for the Telco Cloud and Edge Forum.
