SK Telecom and Samsung has successfully tested their 5G standalone core and commercial network kit as they edge closer to launching SA at the beginning of 2020.
SK Telecom and Samsung jointly developed the 5G standalone (SA) core. The partners stated that it supports a wide array of technologies such as network slicing, function modularization based on 3GPP standards as well as billing, subscriber management and operational convenience system on the operator side of things.
Both companies stated that they have worked on 5G and LTE development for five years. They are in the final stages of their SA interoperability assessment and will soon be ready to launch commercially. The standard prototype is set to be completed and deployed in December.
Once the 5G SA goes commercial, the data processing efficiency will be improved threefold and will be able to efficiently support huge data traffic, said the two companies. It will also be optimized for other 5G services like self-driving cars, smart farming, AR and VR.
Unlike other commercial 5G networks which have already been launched, the 5G SA networks will be supported by 100 percent 5G in both core and radio as opposed to radio on its own.
