Ericsson, Vodafone, and Qualcomm Technologies demonstrated the initial RAN Reduced Capability (RedCap) data sessions on a European network. The move helps to pave the way for a multitude of IoT and other connected devices to transmit data more simply and efficiently. It also enables the creation of a platform for a potential boom in low-power, low-bandwidth connected devices, from enterprise IoT to consumer applications.
The demo took place in September in the Spanish city of Ciudad Real, running on Ericsson’s RedCap RAN software using Vodafone Spain’s live testing 5G network ‘CREATE’ (Ciudad Real España Advanced Testing Environment).
RedCap enables connectivity for simpler device types, allowing many more devices to connect to 5G networks and transmit data at low power and lower cost, enhancing existing 5G use cases and unlocking new ones. These advantages apply to many different devices, from consumer wearables such as smartwatches to various IoT devices like smart water metres.
The technology, called New Radio Light (NR-Light), works with less complex devices that can be smaller, more cost-efficient, and deliver longer battery life than traditional mobile broadband devices. NR-Light can also complement the network APIs developed by Vodafone for its customers to extend the battery life of their devices.
The joint demonstration in Spain leveraged the Qualcomm Snapdragon X35 platform, an NR-Light modem RF. The Snapdragon X35 platform bridges the complexity gap between high-speed mobile broadband devices, and low-bandwidth, low-power devices. The demo is part of preparations for the introduction of Snapdragon-based commercial devices which are expected in 2024.
“This successful demonstration is an exciting moment for OEMs, network operators, and network users, because it highlights a clear path to new devices and commercial use cases,” Dino Flore, a vice president for technology at Qualcomm Europe, said. “The use of commercial 5G networks for lower-bandwidth applications is an important milestone, not least because this offers a migratory path for low-power devices with a 5G architecture, which also draws on the current and future benefits offered by 5G standalone (5G SA). We will continue to work with customers, industry, and our partners to accelerate the creation of 5G devices which present exciting new use cases for enterprises and consumers.”
“Vodafone is able to continually evolve and improve its network for customers by being first to test the latest technologies. We are delighted that our unique multi-vendor 5G network, CREATE, was able to host and validate such an innovative trial in collaboration with Qualcomm and Ericsson,” detailed Francisco Martín, a head of Open RAN at Vodafone. “The results show that networks will be able to support many more energy efficient connected devices in the future.”
Commenting on the development, Isidro Nieto, global customer unit Vodafone, head of technology networks at Ericsson, said “5G Redcap opens up new use cases for both enterprise and consumer segments such as industrial sensors, lower cost 5G routers as well as wearables. Ericsson embraces new ways to fully realise the value of 5G services and this joint demo shows that the support for RedCap is gaining market momentum.”
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