Will take the lead in pushing for 5G commercialization in 2020
Intel Announces Plans to Support 5G Mobile Trial Platform Based on NR Standards

(This is a story from Asha Keddy, Intel’s Vice President of Internet of Things Business and Architecture.)

It is very surprising to see how fast the entire industry is moving toward 5G today.

Even as you read this, we are rapidly approaching the first 5G NR (New Radio) milestone. 5G NR is a wireless standard, comparable to LTE in the 4G era. In December 2017, the standardization work for 5G non-standalone NR was completed with the goal of commercial 5G pilot services and deployment, and the final non-standalone 5G NR standard is scheduled to be developed alongside it. This is a significant move toward 5G that will energize technology and services across the board and act as a catalyst.

The days of waiting a year, or even up to a year and a half, with a single semiconductor chip to test the latest technology specifications are over. Talented researchers and engineers have already entered the prototype development phase. And much of their testing and development is being conducted based on the Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform. I am pleased to announce today that the Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform not only supports the new non-standalone NR standard but will also be put into actual live testing and trials starting in the fourth quarter of this year.
When the establishment of specific specifications for non-standalone NR enters its final stage, Intel will already be ready to begin collaborating with industry-leading Telecommunications Equipment Manufacturers (TEMs) to verify that wireless access networks and equipment operate successfully within the initial NR standards. In addition, Intel will collaborate with carriers to test non-standalone NR in the real world outside of research labs.

The Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform features high-performance Intel FPGAs and Intel Core processors to shorten the time required for 5G development. Consequently, telecommunications equipment manufacturers can now test equipment interoperability earlier, carriers can bring platforms to market more quickly, and standards bodies can collect data for final specification determination more rapidly.

However, our work does not end here. We will continue testing, produce results, and lead innovation to establish the full standalone 5G NR standard scheduled for the end of 2018.

However, we must not forget that 5G is more than just wireless communication. For 5G to become a reality, network transformation must accompany it. In other words, static and fixed-function equipment must be replaced by virtualized and software-defined networks. Fortunately, network transformation is already underway. Industry leaders are currently looking toward virtualizing nearly 50% of their infrastructure, realizing total operational cost reductions and faster service innovation and deployment.

5G is possible when networks, the cloud, and devices all come together as a powerful end-to-end solution. Intel possesses the capability to provide solutions in all these areas, and this is what makes Intel special in the industry.

In reality, implementing 5G is not a sprint, but a marathon. A few years from now—when cars are equipped with full autonomous driving capabilities and smart homes make our lives more convenient—we may feel a sense of nostalgia as we look at smartphones and applications. We might feel this nostalgia as we look at the apps and devices that changed our world back then. And by then, there will undoubtedly be yet another wave of new technological innovations racing toward us.