Telstra said it has now upgraded its 5G radio access network (RAN) coverage footprint across Australia, connecting a Cloud Native 5G Core network to handle new 5G Standalone traffic.
The 5G Standalone achievement means that Telstra already has the capability to run 5G independent of existing 4G network technology. 5G SA devices are expected to be commercially available in Australia in late 2020.
Ericsson and Telstra partnered to achieve Australia’s first end to end 5G Standalone call in July 2019. That landmark had in turn followed several 5G achievements by the partners.
Nikos Katinakis, Group Executive Networks & IT, Telstra
Getting the Telstra mobile network to be 5G Standalone-ready is an important step towards unleashing greater capabilities for enterprises and consumers alike.
Emilio Romeo, Head of Ericsson Australia and New Zealand
5G New Radio Standalone and 5G Core is the next evolution in architecture for 5G networks, which will help to increase network efficiency and drive new uses, particularly for Industry 4.0.
