The trial used Ericsson’s 5G core and radio access network technology to slice BT Group’s network in the UK, with devices that use the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy Mobile Platform.
The trial took place at BT Group’s research and innovation centre in Adastral Park and established network slices for gaming, enterprise and enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB).
The trial showed how, by allocating a portion of the 5G SA network to provide dynamic partitions for specific use-cases, optimal performance can be maintained for bandwidth-heavy activities including mobile gaming and video conferencing even during peak times.
Greg McCall, chief networks officer, BT Group, said, “Network slicing will enable us to deliver new and improved capabilities for customers in the 5G SA era.
“As we work diligently towards the launch of our own 5G SA network, today’s successful demonstration of how slicing enables us to differentiate quality of service to guarantee performance for different segments is a significant milestone, and illustrative of the new services that will be enabled by 5G SA.”
Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president and president, Qualcomm Europe, commented, “We are proud to collaborate with BT Group and Ericsson on the network slicing trial, which used a device powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy mobile platform.
“Together, we showcased the enhanced performance and flexibility 5G Standalone capabilities, such as network slicing, will bring to consumers and enterprise experiences.”
Katherine Ainley, CEO, Ericsson UK and Ireland, added, “5G standalone and network slicing demonstrates that leading operators like EE will be able to offer customers tailored connectivity with different requirements on speed, latency and reliability for specific applications, such as video streaming and gaming.
“This ultimate next step in connectivity will enable new service offerings for consumers and businesses who require premium performance, while helping to drive future market growth and innovation for the UK in a wide range of new industries.”
The trial also validated the potential of network slicing for BT Group’s business customers. Using the enterprise and eMBB slices, configured via URSP rules which enables a device to connect to multiple network slices simultaneously depending on the application, it demonstrated consistent 4K video streaming and enterprise use-cases using the Samsung S23 Ultra device, powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy.