INNOVATION
Bringing network slicing to the 5G network.
What do you do when your network is congested? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a slice of your own precisely configured to your needs?
Slicing the network is a decades-old concept. It’s only been missing one key feature: the programmability to assign each slice of a network its own performance characteristics, security rules, and logical topology.
We recognized that the software-defined architecture of our 5G Standalone (SA) core held the missing piece. Just as we knew that bringing network slicing to market would be groundbreaking. What we needed was an impactful use case we could deliver nationwide to serve as a model for network slicing and its potential. That’s how our vision of delivering a slice of the 5G SA network to first responders began to take shape.
It took years of work and collaboration with others in the telecom space, but in September of 2024,
It’s a testament to our focus
Scenario: optimizing point-of-sale performance at an event.
Network performance is vital to both business outcomes and user experiences. At times, those needs are in conflict.
Take an outdoor music festival, for example. Thousands of attendees are using their cell phones to capture video at the event. Others are queuing up at the concession stands waiting for the lines to move. The issue? Concession workers are trying to process payments, but the high volume of traffic on the network is slowing everything down.
Purchasing a slice of the
With network slicing, everyone gets the network performance they need, when and where they need it.
Network slicing today and in the future.
Optimized edge computing services.
Smart industrial automation.
Ultra reliable telemedicine.
Expansive sensor networks.
Connected smart cars.
Enhanced video calling.
Expanded event connectivity.
Real-time sharing of photos and video.
The technology that makes it possible.
5G network slicing requires a Standalone 5G network. The
It’s this software-defined architecture that makes it possible to create virtualized logical networks that run on top of the physical 5G network infrastructure.
Each slice of a network, with its performance characteristics, security rules, and logical topology, extends from the point of network access, across the 5G core network, to any endpoint device that supports RAN and core capabilities. Provisioning and management are highly automated and orchestrated to scale as more applications and users acquire their own slice.
- In the software-defined 5G SA environment, resources are sliced into virtual segments on the physical network.
- Each slice is configured for capacity, latency, security, and other parameters to meet the required service levels of the application or user.
- Access is prioritized for specific slices to ensure that mission-critical applications, like those used by first responders, get the resources they need.
The vision that brought our partners on board.
Developing standalone technology and launching the world’s first nationwide 5G SA network positioned
We shared our vision with other players in the telecom space to bring them on board. We knew that creating a slice for first responders would resonate. It offered a clear way to solve a real problem that impacts everyone—connecting with help when it’s most needed.
The collaboration is ongoing, and so is the innovation. 5G network slicing could soon become a powerful differentiator that drives new use cases for businesses and consumers alike.
Network slicing in action across industries and communities.
Public safety.
We set a wireless standard for public safety with
Events and venues.
At the 2024 SailGP event, we deployed an innovative network slice solution by bonding a macro 5G network slice with a portable private network slice to provide real-time data to teams and bring fans much closer to the action.
Video calling.
The future of network slicing for consumers.
It’s easy to see the ways industry and the public sector benefit from network slicing. But what about the consumer?
We envision a hybrid solution being shared between neighbors, or gamers purchasing a slice on demand for release parties. We see smart glasses and other VR/AR-enhanced tech delivering optimal experiences for users who purchase a slicing package. The use cases are limitless. Soon, innovation in network slicing will be driven by consumer demand and constrained only by the limits of imagination.