SKT to commercialize '5G SA' in the first half of 2020
Published2020.01.20 14:35We plan to proceed with commercialization in the first half of 2020.
Application of network slicing, MEC, etc.
SK Telecom announced on the 20th that it had successfully achieved 5G Standalone (SA) data communication on its commercial network.
In progress (Photo = SK Telecom)
SK Telecom implemented 5G SA communication on its commercial 5G network in the Busan region using 5G equipment from Samsung, Ericsson, and others. By successfully implementing 5G SA communication based on 5G base stations currently in operation, SK Telecom demonstrated that it is possible to switch to 5G SA communication solely through a software upgrade, without the need to replace separate base stations.
By successfully configuring a 5G SA network with 5G equipment from different equipment manufacturers such as Samsung and Ericsson, customers can enjoy stable and high-quality 5G communication services even if base stations, switches, etc. are composed of products from different equipment manufacturers.
SK Telecom plans to commercialize 5G SA communication in the first half of 2020. The current 5G network is 5G Non-Standalone (NSA), which shares parts of the LTE system. 5G SA communication does not require interoperability with the LTE network, so communication connection time is twice as fast and data processing efficiency is about three times higher compared to 5G NSA.
International standard network slicing technology has also been applied. Network slicing is an essential technology for separating virtual networks to provide customized traffic quality required by the services used by customers.
In addition to this, many related technologies of 5G networks have been applied, including Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), which can provide ultra-low latency and ultra-high speed communication services regardless of physical distance, as well as functional modularization and data parallel processing technology.
Meanwhile, LG Uplus also succeeded in demonstrating 5G SA with products from different equipment manufacturers last November.
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