Huawei became the first vendor to pass China's 5G standalone (SA) test. The test, which covers key core network technologies and service procedures, is the third phase of 5G R&D trial. The trial was organized by the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group and conducted at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT). The test constitutes an important part of the 5G R&D trial.
This E2E test complies with 3GPP 5G SA specifications released in June 2018 and tested the Huawei 5G Core commercial solution that was developed within a three-month period. The test covers 5G core network's service based architecture (SBA) and key functions such as network slicing. It also verifies 5G core network's key service procedures, including terminal access management, mobility management, session management, policy control and QoS management, data service switching, and 5G-to-4G interoperability. The test provides references for tier-1 operators to plan 5G network deployments.
Starting in 2016, China's 5G R&D trial has been organized and implemented by the IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The trial has three separate phases for verifying a 5G solution: key technologies, technical solutions, and system networking. The Huawei 5G Core solution passed the first- and second-phase tests as well as third-phase NSA tests in the first half of this year.
Huawei 5G Core uses control and user plane separation (CUPS) architecture to deploy the user plane at the network edge, providing subscribers with the ultimate experience of CloudVR/AR and other enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) services that feature ultra-high bandwidth and ultra-low latency. Additionally, Huawei 5G Core adopts Cloud Native software architecture to support microservice-based automatic service rollout, and A/B test, helping operators make agile network operations. Huawei launches a "Slice Mall" for 5G core networks alongside an operator's service development, to help operators create new business opportunities for vertical industries.
Qiu Xuefeng, President of Huawei 5G Core Domain, said: "5G networks will provide richer services and applications. To adapt to service diversity and rapid changes, 5G networks will become more efficient, agile, and open. Huawei's 5G Core commercial solution has been fully verified in this test, laying a solid foundation for commercial deployments."
Huawei has been working with all sectors of the industry to actively promote cutting-edge technology innovation in the core network. At MWC 2018, Huawei 5G Core won the Best Network Software Breakthrough Award, and jointly demonstrated 5G network slicing with Deutsche Telekom (DT) and Telefonica for various scenarios, such as Cloud VR/AR, power grids, autonomous driving, and industrial control. Huawei 5G Core has been deployed in more than 30 pre-commercial sites around the world. Huawei will continue to invest in 5G R&D and promote formulation of 5G standards. Huawei will also strengthen its cooperation with industry partners to ready itself for commercial 5G deployments.