South Korean mobile operator, SK Telecom, Thursday announced that it has successfully demonstrated the fifth-generation (5G) network slicing technology with Ericsson. With 5G network slicing, a single physical network can be partitioned into multiple virtual mobile networks to offer optimal support for different types of 5G services.
In July this year, both companies signed an MOU to collaborate on the development of a 5G core network that leverages the technology.
The demonstration which was held at the company's research center in Bundang, on the outskirts of Seoul, has succeeded in creating different virtual network slices optimized for multi-view, augmented reality(AR), virtual reality(VR), Internet of Things (IoT) services and enterprise solutions, said the operator.
According to SK Telecom, they were also able to completely isolate and protect these virtual network slices from one another, thus successfully resolving one of the biggest challenges that can arise when multiple virtual networks share one physical network.
Choi Jin-sung, the company's Chief Technology Officer
Network slicing is one of the key enabling technologies for SK Telecom's All-IT based 5G architecture, and the successful demonstration of network slicing technology is a significant step forward to achieve the world's first commercialization and deployment of the 5G network system.
Ulf Ewaldsson, Ericsson CTO
The development of 5G is in a very exciting phase right now with important achievements in research and development. The success with the network slicing technology is critical to enable the network to be an innovation platform for new types of applications and thereby meet future expectations.
