Syniverse, LG Uplus Partner to Offer 5G Roaming between Korea and Finland

Syniverse is working with LG Uplus to offer a 5G roaming service with mobile operators around the world. As part of this, mobile customers of LG Uplus from Korea will be able to access Elisa’s 5G services while traveling abroad in Finland.

LG Uplus recently completed the world’s first commercial testing of 5G roaming in Finland. Elisa Finland’s 5G network is now available for LG Uplus customers, and 5G roaming service has been available on this network by LG Uplus since July 19.

LG Uplus, in partnership with Elisa, Finland’s leading wired and wireless operator with more than 6 million subscribers, provides 5G roaming service to its customers using LG Electronics V50 ThinQ smartphone at 5G data speeds in Finland. LG Uplus has launched the world's first commercialized 5G service in Korea and is leading in wireless and wired technology with 13 million subscribers.

Syniverse is using its IPX Network as a core solution to enable LG Uplus’ 5G roaming service. The solution reduces complexity and delivers end-to-end quality of service to ensure roaming and interworking for mobile services, with a secure and reliable network connected to more than 750 mobile operators in over 150 countries.

Syniverse’s work with LG Uplus on its 5G roaming service builds on a long history of collaboration in which Syniverse has helped enable LG Uplus to go-to-market with other industry firsts, such as voice over LTE (VoLTE) roaming service.

LG Uplus plans to actively collaborate with other mobile operators around the world to gradually expand the number of countries where LG Uplus mobile users can enjoy seamless 5G roaming services. 5G service is rapidly become more prevalent around the world, which now includes more than 24 commercial service launches from mobile operators.

The Syniverse IPX Network and Diameter Signaling Service will serve as the bridge between 4G LTE and 5G since the two technologies will have to interoperate for many years to come. Syniverse provided active mediation services to allow a 4G mobile network, not fully 5G enabled, to launch 5G roaming to 5G ready markets, thereby providing the critical 4G to5G interoperability required for such roaming. Syniverse has also launched a 5G roaming hub and 5G signaling service to help mobile operators launch more advanced services based on the 5G stand-alone architecture.

Enabling cross-network 5G roaming for mobile users is the first step in delivering on the promise that 5G will ultimately foster larger ecosystems of industries and market sectors. A global survey by Heavy Reading shows that 59% of mobile operators expect to shift focus from subscribers to these business ecosystems. In addition, 77% said they expect to offer advanced 5G business services, which will power such innovations as smart cities, smart driving, healthcare systems, factory operations, and virtual reality broadcasting.

Syniverse offers a network readiness service for 5G as part of its Global Services product portfolio. Through its 5G Network Readiness Services, Syniverse evaluates a mobile operators’ network capabilities and their roaming partners to ensure seamless availability of 5G services for mobile users when roaming.