Ericsson, OPPO and Qualcomm test 5G enterprise network slicing

The pre-commercial trial used Ericsson’s Dynamic Network Slicing Selection, a recent addition to the company’s dual-mode 5G Core portfolio, and Ericsson 5G RAN slicing, which together deliver the required new network capabilities for this new solution.

The trial was completed using an OPPO Find X5 Pro powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform with Snapdragon X65 Modem-RF System.

With the OPPO Find X5 Pro running on a customized version of Android 12, ColorOS 12, the solution enables enterprise applications and services with specific requirements to use defined network slices without switching devices. The solution makes it clear what mobile apps and services can use the slicing capabilities with the aid of a small icon displayed next to the main mobile app icon.

The three partners tested the 5G enterprise network slicing solution at OPPO’s 5G Communications Lab, and successfully demonstrated application and network traffic partitioning. The solution can create multiple virtual end-to-end network slices and is intended to be commercialized for communications service providers worldwide.

"5G network slicing enables enterprises to meet their network security, reliability and flexibility needs,“ says Monica Zethzon, Head of Solution Area Packet Core at Business Area Cloud Software and Services, Ericsson. “This solution, created in partnership with OPPO and Qualcomm and underpinned by Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core and 5G RAN Slicing technologies, provides a foundation for CSPs to deliver more tailored 5G services for enterprises.”

It is the latest such collaboration for Ericsson, and part of its commitment to work with the device ecosystem to introduce 3GPP-standards based user equipment route selection policies (URSP) in 5G networks to enable application traffic steering with network slices. This is the element that enables single devices to use multiple network slices and is seen as crucial in bringing the full range of benefits 5G connectivity can deliver to enterprises and consumers.

Viewed as an important part to successful monetization of 5G investments, network slicing enables service differentiation and guaranteed performance to industries, enterprises, and consumers. It allows for dedicated levels of speed, latency, and reliability, tailored to the specific needs of the service or application. With customizable network slices, enterprises can offer multiple services such as high-quality video communication with colleagues or remote control of devices like monitoring drones, as well as low latency cloud gaming.

Ericsson has previously demonstrated the world’s first end-to-end multiple network slicing on several Android devices with Taiwanese operator Far EasTone (FET).