Successful interoperability with 5G SA equipment from another manufacturer
Network slicing with modular core equipment
MEC implementation that maintains minimal latency based on location


Is the day not far off when 5G will escape the criticism that it is merely 4.5G?

LG Uplus announced on the 3rd that it successfully demonstrated a 5G service by linking core equipment, base station equipment, and auxiliary equipment made by different equipment companies based on the 5G Standalone (SA) standard.

While there have been successful interoperability tests between SA-based base stations and core equipment from the same manufacturer, this is the first time that equipment from different manufacturers, such as Samsung Electronics and Ericsson, has been interconnected.

Along with this, they also succeeded in demonstrating network slicing and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), which are core technologies of 5G.

LG Uplus has succeeded in implementing network slicing technology through container-based modularized core equipment.

Container technology is a technology that virtualizes an operating system (OS) for software application development. Many manufacturers are adopting this technology because it allows for rapid combination and application by modularizing software into functional units.

MEC is a core technology that achieves ultra-low latency by separating only the data processing unit from the signaling and data processing units of core equipment and distributing them to locations adjacent to customers.

While there have been cases of building edge clouds based on 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) standards, a drawback has been pointed out that latency increases because core equipment handling traffic cannot be changed when the customer's location changes.

The MEC demonstrated this time separates the signaling and data processing units, allowing only the data processing units to be distributed to areas adjacent to customers, thereby minimizing latency.

It was also confirmed that by applying network connection latency reduction technology introduced in SA base station equipment, latency can be significantly reduced compared to edge cloud based on the 5G NSA standard.

An LG Uplus official stated that another feature is the ability to process traffic generated from base stations equipped with upload speed enhancement technology at adjacent core equipment, enabling the provision of the quality required for services such as smart factories that demand ultra-high-speed networks.

The newly applied base station network connection time reduction technology has improved the initial network connection time by 2 to 4 times compared to the existing one.

In 5G SA, the network connection of a terminal is handled exclusively by the 5G base station, thereby reducing the time required for information exchange between LTE and 5G base stations that was previously required in NSA, where initial network connection was made through the LTE network.

In addition, while NSA used only one antenna for data transmission to utilize 5G and LTE networks simultaneously, 5G SA is implemented to use two antennas, boosting upload speeds by up to two times.It suited him.

LG Uplus plans to improve the quality of the 5G SA technology verified through this demonstration and proceed with commercialization next year.

Park Song-cheol, Head of the Network Development Group at LG Uplus, stated, “We have secured additional technologies necessary for the 5G SA network to lay the foundation for providing a wider range of services,” adding, “We will thoroughly prepare for commercialization to ensure that no quality issues arise.”