The evolution of 5G and its benefits for businesses

Previous generations of mobile communications technology up to and including 4G/LTE were developed primarily for cellphone and smartphone use. The fifth generation of mobile communications and network technology (5G) currently under development aspires to meet the demanding communication requirements in the course of the digitalization of entire industries and our society much more comprehensively than before. 5G is likely to revolutionize our professional and private lives. The fifth generation of mobile communications technology promises faster speeds, shorter latencies, and larger bandwidths, thus enabling new use cases such as networked smart vehicles, augmented and virtual reality, and improved gaming and streaming experiences. 5G makes it possible to roll out automated systems, mobile applications, and managed networks of digital devices and smart objects in the Internet of Things (IoT) faster, on a larger scale, and with greater flexibility than before. Yet 5G is not just a catalyst for business innovation, but also is more ecological than all previous mobile communications generations.

5G lays the groundwork for doing business flexibly, efficiently, and responsibly. It opens cutting-edge possibilities for improving security and sustainability. Ericsson understands that end-to-end 5G network infrastructure vendors are rated on the basis of how well they enable IT provider performance to be competitive, efficient, and effective. A rapid transformation driven by mobile communications technology is underway in every industry, and it is bringing about change in practically every sector through the advent of countless innovative solutions. Any enterprise that harnesses this new degree of connectivity will discover that the possibilities are limitless. The bedrock of this transformation is mobile communications technology, a tool that facilitates a complete digital transformation by enabling fast and scalable connectivity.

Ericsson is driving the buildout of 5G infrastructure in Europe and around the globe as the technological leader. The company currently has 172 commercial 5G agreements with unique communications service providers (CSPs) and powers 121 live 5G networks around the world. Ericsson Digital Services supplies cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core solutions for smarter networks to drive smarter business so that CSPs can offer a multitude of new business opportunities for mobile device users and industries.

New 5G use cases will create new sources of revenue for CSPs and new connectivity possibilities for subscribers. Examples come from an array of different sectors.

Augmented and virtual reality

Ericsson, Deutsche Telekom, and Samsung have successfully completed the world’s first 5G end-to-end (E2E) network slicing trial, which was carried out at Deutsche Telekom’s Bonn lab on a Samsung S21 commercial device tethered to a virtual reality (VR) headset. This customer-focused innovation shows the benefits of network slicing optimized for cloud VR game streaming. The trial used a commercial-grade 5G standalone (SA) infrastructure provided by Ericsson, including radio access network (RAN), 5G Cloud Core, slice orchestration, and ordering automation.

The test was carried out for a cloud VR streaming game use case with two independent E2E network slices consisting of a default mobile broadband slice and a cloud VR gaming-optimized slice. The gaming slice was designed and configured to enable higher throughput and stable low latency while also providing resource isolation between the two slices. The trial case demonstrated a superior experience on the gaming slice even under congested network conditions.

Technology that keeps moving

Cars are no longer static objects that decline with advancing age. Driven by the transformation toward a software-centered solution, connected cars can be updated throughout their entire life cycle. This enables them to improve and evolve with each new update. But as vehicles become software-driven, the ability to solve software-related issues becomes critical. Cellular connection will ensure that the vehicle will always be the best version of itself.

Software OTAs offer clear cost benefits to car manufacturers, one example being a reduction in the need for mass vehicle recalls. According to Thales, 19% of all recalls are related to software. Vehicle manufacturers deploying OTA to avoid physical recalls can reap cost savings of 87% or USD 54 per vehicle.

5G-based technologies thus benefit CSPs and the manufacturing industry. Ericsson helps build and operate the right infrastructure for each new use case so that new applications do not remain merely a vision of the future but become a reality.

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