Samsung представляет полностью виртуализированную сеть 5G RAN, готовую к коммерческому использованию

Новое решение Samsung 5G vRAN, которое станет доступным в текущем квартале, повышает эффективность и гибкость, а также упрощает управление сетями 5G

Samsung Electronics представляет новое полностью виртуализированное 5G-решение радиодоступа (vRAN) операторского класса, запуск в коммерческую эксплуатацию которого планируется в 3-м квартале 2020 года. Новая разработка расширит возможности операторов мобильной связи, которые стремятся к повышению эффективности, сокращению затрат и упрощению управления при развёртывании программной инфраструктуры связи 5G.
Samsung 5G vRAN состоит из виртуализированного центрального блока (vCU), виртуализированного распределённого блока (vDU) и широкого спектра радиоблоков, обеспечивающих плавный переход к стандарту 5-го поколения. Благодаря замене выделенного аппаратного оборудования основной полосы частот, которое используется в традиционной архитектуре RAN, на программные элементы универсальной вычислительной платформы, мобильные операторы смогут с лёгкостью масштабировать ёмкость и производительность сетей 5G, добавлять новые функции и возможность поддержки нескольких архитектур.
Новое решение поможет сократить сервисные затраты после перехода на готовую к коммерческому использованию платформу COTS на базе x86, не менее надёжную, чем традиционные сети RAN. Серверы на базе COTS x86 – это стандартные и легкодоступные вычислительные элементы от обширной экосистемы поставщиков. Сегодня операторы связи применяют их в различных технологических целях.
«Samsung 5G vRAN выступает в качестве программной альтернативы аппаратному обеспечению конкретного производителя, и при этом обладает высокой производительностью, гибкостью и стабильностью работы, – отметил Джэ Хо Чон, исполнительный вице-президент и глава научно-исследовательского направления департамента сетевых технологий Samsung Electronics. – Как только решение появится на рынке, мы надеемся предоставить операторам связи дополнительные архитектурные возможности для построения инновационных и открытых сетей 5G».
Решение Samsung 5G vCU было впервые запущено в коммерческую эксплуатацию в апреле 2019 года и в настоящее время используется коммерческими операторами мобильной связи в Японии, Южной Корее и США. Комбинация vDU и vCU позволяет предоставить полностью виртуализированный доступ 5G vRAN. В сочетании с виртуализированным ядром Samsung 4G/5G, оператор сможет реализовать комплексную программную радиосвязь и базовую сеть, работающую на серверах COTS x86. Samsung продолжит тестирование vDU в Северной Америке во второй половине этого года.

Быстрое расширение 5G

Рост распространения широкополосной связи, высококачественной передачи потокового видео для обеспечения возможностей работы, развлечений и обучения в домашних условиях, подчеркнул необходимость быстрого развёртывания сетевых ресурсов для удовлетворения меняющихся потребностей бизнеса и пользователей. Решение Samsung vRAN с его лёгкой масштабируемостью и управляемостью подходит для операторов, у которых существует потребность расширения ёмкости сети и развития 5G для удовлетворения растущих требований клиентов.
«Сейчас, как никогда ранее, операторы мобильной связи осознают необходимость ориентированных на качество, гибких, масштабируемых и экономичных сетевых архитектур, – прокомментировал Питер Ярич, глава GSMA Intelligence. – Виртуализация RAN станет важным инструментом, который поможет удовлетворить эти требования».
Samsung vRAN работает на серверах COTS на базе x86, с аппаратными ускорителями или без них, в зависимости от таких факторов, как общая пропускная способность.

Проверенная производительность

Samsung продемонстрировал возможности vRAN своим клиентам в апреле 2020 года, доказав возможность полной виртуализации с помощью функций основной полосы частот 5G New Radio (NR) в программном обеспечении, работающем на базе сервера COTS с x86.
Результаты демонстрации соответствовали производительности базовой полосы на базе устаревшего оборудования[1]. В ходе тестирования использовались сотовые алгоритмы Samsung, проверенные в полевых условиях при тестировании технологии Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), которая помогает операторам использовать преимущества 5G в полосах частот 4G и обеспечивает плавный переход к связи следующего поколения.
Samsung – поставщик комплексных решений 5G, от чипсета, радио и базовой сети до облачной платформы, как для среднего, так и для миллиметрового спектра. Вендор предоставляет коммерческие услуги 5G на ведущих рынках, в том числе в Южной Корее, США и, с недавнего времени, в Японии, где на сегодняшний день проживает наибольшая доля абонентов 5G в мире. Кроме того, Samsung продолжает стремительно расширять своё глобальное присутствие благодаря новым рынкам, включая Европу, Канаду и Новую Зеландию.

[1] Основано на внутреннем тестировании Samsung.

Samsung Introduces Fully Virtualized 5G RAN for Commercial Availability

Available this quarter, Samsung’s new 5G vRAN solution improves efficiency and flexibility, and simplifies management of 5G networks; software-based approach matches performance of its hardware 5G solution

Samsung Electronics today announced the company’s new carrier-grade, fully-virtualized 5G Radio Access Network (vRAN) solution, which will be commercially available this quarter. The solution provides a new option for mobile operators seeking improved efficiencies, cost savings, and management benefits from deploying a software-based 5G radio infrastructure.
Samsung’s 5G vRAN consists of a virtualized Central Unit (vCU), a virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU), and a wide range of radio units to enable a smooth migration to 5G. By replacing the dedicated baseband hardware used in a traditional RAN architecture with software elements on a general-purpose computing platform, mobile operators can scale 5G capacity and performance more easily, add new features quickly, and have flexibility to support multiple architectures.
It can also reduce maintenance costs by moving to a COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) x86-based platform, while matching the reliability of a traditional RAN. COTS x86-based servers are standard and readily available computing elements from a large supplier ecosystem. Operators use them today for a range of IT needs.
“Samsung’s 5G vRAN validates a software-based alternative to vendor-specific hardware, while offering high performance, flexibility, and stability,” said Jaeho Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Once the solution becomes commercially available this quarter, we look forward to providing carriers with additional architectural options for building innovative and open 5G networks.”
Samsung’s 5G vCU was first commercialized in April 2019 and is currently in commercial use by mobile carriers in Japan, Korea, and the United States. This new solution adds the vDU in addition to the vCU to deliver a fully-virtualized 5G vRAN. When combined with Samsung’s virtualized 4G/5G Core, the operator will be able to implement an end-to-end software-based radio and core network running on COTS x86 servers. The company will continue to conduct vDU field trials in North America in the second half of this year.

Designed for 5G Expansion

The recent surge in broadband—especially high-quality video streaming to support work, entertainment, and learn-at-home demands—has highlighted the need for carriers to be able to quickly deploy network resources to meet the shifting requirements of businesses and consumers. Samsung’s vRAN solution, with its easy expandability and manageability, is able to support operators who want to rapidly expand their network capacity and features, and also evolve their networks with 5G-powered capabilities to support these demands.
“Now, more than ever, mobile operators recognize the need for quality-driven, flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient network architectures while planning for 5G network success,” said Peter Jarich, Head of GSMA Intelligence. “RAN virtualization will be an important tool in helping to deliver on those demands and Samsung’s continuing vRAN innovation positions it well to deliver.”
Samsung’s vRAN operates on x86-based COTS servers, either with or without hardware accelerators depending on factors such as total bandwidth.

Verified Performance

Samsung demonstrated its vRAN capabilities to customers in April 2020, proving the feasibility of full virtualization by operating 5G New Radio (NR) baseband functions in software running on an x86-based COTS server.
The demonstration results had matched the performance of legacy hardware baseband.1 It used Samsung’s field-proven cellular algorithms while testing Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), a technology that helps carriers take advantage of 5G in 4G frequency bands and advance a seamless evolution to next-generation communications.
Samsung is a pioneer in the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions ranging from chipset, radio, and core network to cloud platform for both mid-band and mmWave spectrum. The company has been supporting 5G commercial services in leading markets, including Korea, U.S., and most recently Japan, where the majority of worldwide 5G subscribers are currently located. In addition, Samsung is further expanding its global footprint rapidly to new markets from Europe to Canada and New Zealand.

1 Based on Samsung internal testing.

Korea Telecom (KT) и Samsung показали гигабитную скорость в коммерческой сети 5G

Крупнейший южнокорейский оператор связи KT Corporation (KT) и лидер мобильной индустрии Samsung Electronics объявили, что им удалось продемонстрировать гигабитную скорость передачи данных в коммерческой сети сотовой связи пятого поколения (5G).
Тесты проводились в столице страны Сеуле, где 5G используется на коммерческой основе с 1 декабря прошлого года. Сеть обеспечивает одновременную поддержку 4G/LTE и 5G.
KT использует коммутационное оборудование Samsung 5G NR, выбрав его как основу для построения своих 5G-сетей. При проведении испытаний был задействован частотный диапазон 3,5 ГГц. В качестве абонентского терминала применялся смартфон Galaxy S10 5G.
В результате, скорость передачи информации в сторону абонента составила порядка 1 Гбит/с. Ожидается, что конечные пользователи смогут оценить преимущества технологии 5G в развёрнутой сети начиная с 5 апреля, когда назначен официальный запуск для рядовых владельцев смартфонов с поддержкой протокола ультраскоростной связи.
Напомним, что Galaxy S10 5G поступит в продажу на южнокорейском рынке 5 апреля. Аппарат оснащён процессором Snapdragon 855, модемом Snapdragon X50 5G, 6,7-дюймовым Super AMOLED-дисплеем с разрешением 3040×1440 точек, 4-модульной основной камерой, двойной фронтальной камерой, а также аккумуляторной батареей ёмкостью 4500 мА·ч. Ориентировочная цена - 1300–1350 долларов США.
26 апреля в продажу поступит первый складной смартфон с гибким дисплеем Samsung Galaxy Fold, одна из модификаций которого также поддерживает работу в сетях 5G. стоимость этой эксклюзивной новинки заявлена на уровне 1980 долларов.

KT and Samsung Achieve 1Gbps Speed Over the Air on the 5G Commercial Network in Seoul

Companies collaborate to showcase real-world service using 5G network commercialized last December on 3.5GHz spectrum

KT Corporation (KT) and Samsung Electronics today announced that they have successfully achieved 1Gbps speed over the air using KT’s 5G commercial network deployed in Seoul, which has been providing 5G mobility commercial service from December 1, 2018, in collaboration with Samsung’s Networks Business unit.
KT has used its 5G commercial network using 3.5GHz frequency deployed in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, which comprised of Samsung’s 5G NR end-to-end network solutions including 5G radio and virtual core (vCore) supporting both 4G LTE and 5G simultaneously, and 5G smartphone (Galaxy S10 5G). The two companies have focused on providing end users with real-world outdoor mobile experiences, achieving overall 1Gbps speed on 5G smartphone connected to 5G commercial network.
This has been one of the key accomplishments for the two companies – proving that 5G commercial network is ready to deliver stable gigabit speed for end-users since last December – signifying the impact of 5G commercialization and promising enhanced user experiences in a real outdoor environment.
After KT selected Samsung as the key 5G network solution provider in November 2018, the companies have jointly built the 5G commercial network, on-air already from last December. Since then, the two companies have been focusing on optimizing the 5G network for both wider coverage and exponential data traffic derived by 5G’s higher speed.
As 5G commercial service for end-users is set to arrive this spring, KT announced today that 5G network will be ready for end-user mobility service in 85 cities nationwide including the Seoul metropolitan area by end of March 2019. This includes 5G service coverage expansion throughout a number of major national highway and high-speed railways (KTX and SRT) connecting cities. In addition, it will gradually cover 464 colleges and universities, subways, landmark buildings and parts of mountainous areas.
“KT has shown unparalleled leadership in technology through its 5G trial services in PyeongChang, which led to early 5G commercialization,” said Chang-Seok Seo, Executive Vice President of Network Strategy Unit and Network Group at KT. “Based on our technical expertise and years of experience working on 5G, KT will continue to establish its 5G network across the nation to provide differentiated services to our valued customers in collaboration with Samsung.”
“Samsung and KT will continue to work closely in collaboration to push beyond the limits of today’s technology and offer a glimpse of the revolutionary world led by 5G,” said Jaeho Jeon, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Harnessing our assets and cutting-edge 5G end-to-end solutions, Samsung aims to be at the forefront to push the limits of 5G even further.”
This achievement is a part of an ongoing collaboration between KT and Samsung of many years toward 5G commercialization. The two companies successfully delivered the 5G pilot services during the winter sports games in February 2018, being the first to bring 5G network and device that utilize 28GHz frequency. Leveraging this experience, they succeeded in live video call conducted with Samsung’s 5G network built in USA and Korea, respectively. Further, the companies achieved 5G NR based interoperability test using both 3.5GHz and 28GHz in February 2018.
These joint efforts have led Samsung to become a major 5G partner of KT in November 2018 and launch 5G mobility commercial service in South Korea on December 1, 2018.

Мир внутри процессоров Samsung Exynos

В шутливой 3-D анимации Samsung показал как работают его мобильные процессоры нового поколения Exynos.
Официальный пресс-релиз поясняет, что Exynos 9610, Exynos 9810, а также модем Exynos 5100, которые установлены в актуальные флагманские модели, способны творить настоящие чудеса производительности.
Благодаря наличию модема 5100 такие аппараты смогут поддерживать ультраскоростную связь 5G NR, работу продвинутой системы искусственного интеллекта, а также потоковое видео формата 4K с 10-битным цветовым охватом (*только 9810).
Геймеры смогут выйти на новый уровень, позволив себе роскошь запускать 3D-игры, которые ранее могли поддерживать только стационарные компьютеры или мощные ноутбуки.
Загрузка больших файлов займёт считанные секунды, а фотографии и видео будут обрабатываться с невиданным доселе качеством.  

Inside the World of Samsung Exynos Processors

Let’s say you want to share funny moments in your life with your friends. You open a live streaming app and start broadcasting what you see via the smartphone camera. But have you ever wondered what happens in the backstage of your phone?
The answer lies in a tiny chip in your smartphone – the mobile processor. Engineered with precision, Exynos provides the foundation for Samsung’s cutting-edge mobile innovations and features.
Just like thousands of mini robots working in perfect synchronicity, the processor seamlessly controls almost all mobile capabilities, whether it’s operating the camera, processing images or transmitting data. With industry-leading features, the processor offers the best-in-class smartphone experience:

* Unmatched Performance: Exynos’ central processing unit (CPU) offers ultimate computing power to enable smartphones complete tasks quickly and efficiently.
* Artificial Intelligence: Featuring advanced AI capabilities1, Exynos enhances our photos and helps organize our day.
* Seamless Connectivity: Exynos’ modem supports diverse mobile broadband, including 5G NR2, for smooth downloading, streaming and browsing.
* Next-Level Gaming: Equipped with a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU), Exynos brings console-like gaming to smartphones.
* Capture Every Detail: Shoot like a master photographer with Exynos’ image signal processor (ISP) which automatically adjusts camera settings.
* Vibrant Videos: Record 4K UHD video and watch back in more than 1 billion colors.3
* Immersive Display: High-resolution display turns your smartphone screen into an immersive experience.

1) AI capabilities are supported by the Exynos 9810 and Exynos 9610.
2) 5G NR is supported by the Exynos Modem 5100.
3) 4K UHD videowith 10-bit color is supported by the Exynos 9810.

Samsung сообщил об одобрении стандарта мобильных сетей 5G консорциумом 3GPP

21 декабря консорциум разработчиков спецификации для мобильной телефонии – 3GPP (The 3rd Generation Partnership Project), в рамках ежеквартальной пленарной встречи в Лиссабоне (Португалия) представил новый стандарт NSA 5G NR финальной версии Release 15.
Стандарт 5G NR (5-е поколение – New Radio) одобрен всеми участниками мирового сообщества телекоммуникационных компаний 3GPP. 
Ранее в этом году представители телекоммуникационной индустрии уже одобрили ускоренную стандартизацию 5G, ради чего процесс было решено разделить на две фазы. Приоритетным стал анонс неавтономной версии Release 15 NSA (Non-standalone).
Этот релиз, по сути, стал объявлением о завершении первой фазы стандартизации 5G, которая считается наиболее важной для разработчиков и производителей оборудования.
Принятие полных спецификаций Release 15 Full (с автономными характеристиками) перенесли на 2018 год, ориентировочно на июнь. В рамках этой версии стандарта будет обеспечена эксплуатация пользовательского и управляющего автономного оборудования 5G NR с базовыми станциями поколения 5G (5G next-generation core network, NGC).
Поскольку автономные и неавтономные (SA и NSA) релизы базируются на одинаковых характеристиках физического уровня, ожидается, что оборудование NSA будет полностью совместимо с техникой SA после её стандартизации в наступающем году.
Так называемый «неавтономный» NSA (Non-standalone) режим стандарта 5G нормирует использование расширенного мобильного широкополосного доступа (enhanced Mobile BroadBand, eMBB) в сетях стандарта LTE. 
В свою очередь, стандарт 5G NR подразумевает использование новых частотных диапазонов, обеспечивающих увеличение скорости обмена данными при снижении латентности. Именно этот режим разработан в качестве фундамента на первые годы развития и внедрения сетей 5G. 
Финальные спецификации 5G описывают поддержку нескольких частотных спектров для мобильных сетей нового поколения. Низкочастотный спектр включает частоты в диапазоне 600–700 МГц. Среднечастотный спектр включает частоты в диапазоне 3,5 ГГц. Высокочастотный спектр располагается в районе диапазона 50 ГГц.
Официально скорости обмена данными для пользовательских устройств нормируются на уровне до 20 Гбит/с на приём и 10 Гбит/с на передачи, при этом сеть 5G должна держать нагрузку не менее 500 тысяч абонентских подключений на один квадратный километр площади.
Принятие финальной спецификации фактически даёт отмашку всей телекоммуникационной отрасли, обеспечит ускорение разработки и внедрения оборудования нового стандарта с целью коммерциализации первых продуктов уже в 2019-м году.
Одной из первых (если не самой первой) будет запущена в коммерческую эксплуатацию мобильная сеть 5G в Южной Корее, её готовят к началу зимних Олимпийских игр в 2018 года. В Японии запуск коммерческих сетей 5G запланирован к началу летней Олимпиады 2020.
Выступая на заседании 5G-консорциума в Лиссабоне, глава мобильного подразделения Samsung Ди Джей Ко (DJ Koh) сказал: «Будучи мировым лидером в мобильной индустрии, Samsung сотрудничает со всей отраслью, чтобы достичь этой важной вехи в стандартах 5G. С завершением стандартизации 5G NSA NR мы сможем ускорить коммерческое развёртывание 5G, включая чипсеты, устройства и сетевое оборудование. Samsung продолжит прилагать все усилия, чтобы доставить полные стандарты Rel-15 NR. Rel-15 NR и его дальнейшая эволюция станут ключевой вехой в отрасли для удовлетворения растущего глобального спроса на расширенные услуги мобильной широкополосной связи и изучения новых бизнес-возможностей и услуг, вдохновлённых 5G».
В саммите ведущих компаний, продвигающих технологии 5G, помимо Samsung, приняли участие представители AT&T, BT, China Mobile, China Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, Intel, KT Corporation, LG Electronics, LG U+, MediaTek Inc., NEC Corporation, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., SK Telecom, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Spitit, TIM, Telefonica, Telia Company, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, ZTE.

Global Mobile Industry Ready to Start Full-Scale Development of 5G NR

Today the 3GPP TSG RAN Plenary Meeting in Lisbon successfully completed the first implementable 5G NR specification. AT&T, BT, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, Intel, KT Corporation, LG Electronics, LG Uplus, MediaTek Inc., NEC Corporation, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Orange, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., Sprint, TIM, Telefonica, Telia Company, T-Mobile USA, Verizon, Vodafone, and ZTE have made a statement that the completion of the first 5G NR standard has set the stage for the global mobile industry to start full-scale development of 5G NR for large-scale trials and commercial deployments as early as in 2019.
On February 27, 2017 in Barcelona, global mobile industry leaders announced their support for the acceleration of the 5G NR standardization schedule, which introduced an intermediate milestone to complete the first implementable specification for Non-Standalone 5G NR operation. As a result of this announcement, the schedule acceleration was agreed at the 3GPP RAN Plenary Meeting on March 9 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. This first specification was completed as part of 3GPP Release 15.
This standard completion is an essential milestone to enable cost-effective and full-scale development of 5G NR, which will greatly enhance the capabilities of 3GPP systems, as well as facilitate the creation of vertical market opportunities. 3GPP plans to continue to develop Release 15, including the addition of support for Standalone 5G NR operation also agreed upon by 3GPP in Dubrovnik. The 5G NR lower layer specifications have been designed so that they can support Standalone and Non-Standalone 5G NR operation in a unified way, to ensure that 3GPP benefits the global industry with a large-scale single 5G NR ecosystem. We express our appreciation for the tremendous efforts that 3GPP has dedicated to accomplishing this challenging standardization schedule.

AT&T

“We’re proud to see the completion of this set of standards. Reaching this milestone enables the next phase of equipment availability and movement to interoperability testing and early 5G availability,” said Hank Kafka, VP Access Architecture and Analytics at AT&T. “It showcases the dedication and leadership of the industry participants in 3GPP to follow through on accelerating standards to allow for faster technology deployments.”

BT

“BT welcomes the first significant step to 5G deployment and we remain excited about the further innovations that 5G will bring.” said Neil J. McRae, Chief Architect at BT, “We are proud to have played a part in this and BT is committed to continuing to drive further 5G standardisation at pace to benefit our customers and communities.”

China Mobile

“The first version of 5G NR not only provides a NSA solution for 5G deployment but also completes the common part of NSA and SA, which lay a solid foundation for a global unified 5G system with global market scale. We believe the next important milestone that is SA standard providing end to end 5G new capability could be completed by June of 2018, which is very crucial to enable the operators to explore the enterprise and vertical markets. China Mobile is actively working with industry partners for 5G commercialization in year of 2020 and providing various services to customer. ” said Zhengmao Li, EVP of China Mobile Group.

China Telecom

“China Telecom is proud of being part of the 3GPP standard efforts that led to the completion of the first implementable 5G new radio specification. We expect that this important milestone, together with the SA part to be completed later, will promote and accelerate the development of 5G products, trials and commercial deployment in the coming years,” said Liu Guiqing, EVP of China Telecom. “With this successful completion of the 5G new radio standard, China Telecom plans to lead the 5G effort by launching field trials in many major cities in China as early as 2018, and prepare for the possible commercialization thereafter.”

China Unicom

Guanglu Shao, EVP of China Unicom Group, said: “It is the significant step for both 3GPP and the whole industry. This first version of 5G NR standardization provides essential functionalities for NSA and SA deployment, which are equally important for operators. We believe in that the industry could joint together further to make 5G more advanced for both human and vertical societies. We welcome the 5G era’s coming, and will continue collaborate with industry partners to make successful 5G commercialization.”

Deutsche Telekom

“We view both the Non-Standalone and Standalone modes of New Radio as equally important for the completeness of the 5G standard specification. This timely finalization of NSA is one important step on that journey and in the development of the 5G ecosystem,” said Bruno Jacobfeuerborn, CTO Deutsche Telekom. “It is crucial that the industry now redoubles its focus on the Standalone mode to achieve progress towards a full 5G system, so we can bring key 5G innovations such as network slicing to our customers.”

Ericsson

Erik Ekudden, CTO at Ericsson, said: “3GPP has done a tremendous job to complete the first 5G specifications according to industry demand and expectations. As a prime contributor to 5G standardization, Ericsson has worked with industry partners in the evolution of mobile technology to a global network platform for consumers and enterprises. Our research team has worked on 5G since 2010 including early 5G testbed efforts created together with these industry partners. The open contribution-driven specification work and the rapid completion of the first 5G standards for global deployment demonstrates the strength of the 5G eco-system.”

Fujitsu

Masayuki Seno, EVP and Head of Network Products Business Unit at Fujitsu, said: “I’m very pleased that the first 5G NR standard has been completed today. Fujitsu will accelerate development of 5G NR products based on the first 3GPP 5G NR specifications and provide them to worldwide markets to support our customers’ trials and commercial deployments.”

Huawei

Yang Chaobin, president of Huawei 5G product line, said: “As one of the key players, Huawei has committed to develop a single global 5G standard. With the a successful cooperation and join efforts with global organizations including governments, regulatory agencies, research organizations, academia, industries, and many more sectors, 3GPP 5G NR standardization Phase 1 has been completed with great progress. Huawei will keep working with global partners to bring 5G into the period of large-scale global commercial deployment from 2018.”

Intel

“We are pleased to work in cooperation and close alignment with global mobile industry leaders to support the new 3GPP Non-Standalone 5G NR standard and to accelerate the first NR trials,” said Asha Keddy, Intel vice president and general manager, Next Generation and Standards. “As part of this coordinated effort, Intel will continue to play a leading role across the network, cloud and client devices; and with our first commercial 5G modems, we will help the ecosystem lead the way to 5G deployments worldwide.”

KT Corporation

Dongmyun Lee, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Institute of Convergence Technology, KT said: “As one of the 5G leaders, we are greatly excited to witness the first ever release of 5G NR NSA specification that the whole industry including KT has endeavored to achieve in recent years and therefore make a strong commitment to finally bring full-scale services of the true 5G standards to commercial market as early as 2019.”
KT expects that such 3GPP’s efforts meeting the market needs will further accelerate the realization of the 4th Industrial Revolution for telecommunication industry.”

LG Electronics

I.P. Park, Chief Technology Officer, said: “LG Electronics is pleased to be one of key contributors to the first global 5G NR standard completed in a timely manner, which will play a pivotal role in enabling innovative IoT services and expediting the convergence of diverse industry sectors. Along with continued contributions to evolved 5G standards, we will make all the efforts to introduce new innovative 5G convergence products and services in the market.”

LG Uplus

Joosik Choi, Head of 5G Strategy Planning, said: “We would like to thank to 3GPP and all companies for great effort on initial 5G NR NSA standard which will accelerate promising future. As one of the big contributor for RF analysis on LTE band, 3.5GHz and 28GHz dual connectivity operation, LG Uplus will keep endeavor for bring 5G NR deployment and advanced standard into industry for this ecosystem.”

MediaTek Inc.

“The milestone reached is significant as it is an important step towards making 5G NR a commercial reality,” said Dr. Kevin Jou, Corporate Sr. Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, MediaTek. “As a leading baseband chip provider, MediaTek has actively contributed to the standardization of 5G NR and will continue to do so. With the standard becoming stable, our focus is now on delivering viable commercial solutions that will enable the use of 5G NR technology to its full potential.”

NEC Corporation

Atsuo Kawamura, executive vice president and head of the Telecom Carrier Business Unit at NEC Corporation, said: “Completion of Non-Standalone 5G NR standardization is a significant milestone for the realization of full-scale 5G services. NEC is strongly committed to driving the progress of standardization for a global mobile system, and believes future 5G services will benefit society in an unprecedented manner by utilizing advanced information and communications technologies. NEC is creating secure and intelligent technologies to realize such services.”

Nokia

Marcus Weldon, president of Nokia Bell Labs and chief technology officer, Nokia, said: “This is a key milestone in bringing 5G to market, and one in which Nokia is proud to have played a significant role. 5G will advance new possibilities for the role of wireless technology in society, leading to dynamic innovation in mobile broadband and in industrial automation for industry 4.0, enabling the creation of exciting new applications that connect and control our physical and digital worlds.”

NTT DOCOMO

Dr. Hiroshi Nakamura, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, NTT DOCOMO said: “ I would like to express my deepest gratitude for 3GPP’s great effort to successfully complete the first release of 5G NR specification six months ahead of schedule. NTT DOCOMO has made tremendous contributions to the standardization as a world-leading mobile operator. We have been collaborating with various partners across industries to co-create 5G services through ‘5G Trial Sites’ since this May. This completion will accelerate these activities and we will launch 5G services with Non-Standalone 5G NR by 2020.”

Orange

Arnaud Vamparys, SVP Radio Networks said: “Orange welcomes this inaugural first release of a worldwide standard for 5G. With subsequent 3GPP releases expected from mid 2018 that will accelerate application and IoT development, Orange sees a myriad of opportunities to deliver a differentiated and high quality network, and is therefore fully committed to working with the industry to roll out 5G. ”

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

“We are excited to be part of this significant milestone, and to once again be at the forefront making the 5G vision a reality in 2019,” said Cristiano Amon, executive vice president, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and president, Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “We look forward to continue working with our mobile industry peers to bring 5G NR commercial networks and devices in 2019 in smartphone and other form factors, for both sub-6Ghz and mmWave frequency bands, and to continue developing 5G technologies to connect new industries and enable new services and user experiences in the years to come.”

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

DJ Koh, President and Head of IT and Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics, said: “As a global leader in the mobile industry, Samsung has been collaborating with the whole industry to achieve this milestone in 5G standards. With the completion of 5G NSA NR standard, we will be able to expedite 5G commercial deployments including chipsets, devices and network equipment. Samsung will continue making every effort to deliver complete Rel-15 NR standards.  Rel-15 NR and its further evolution will be a key milestone for the industry to meet the increasing global demand for enhanced mobile broadband services and exploring new business opportunities and services inspired by 5G.”

SK Telecom

“Having global 3GPP 5G NR standard by 2017 is one of key milestones to bring 5G into early commercial service in 2019”, said Jinhyo Park, EVP, Head of ICT R&D Center, “SK Telecom is proud to be one of key contributors to the accelerated 3GPP 5G NSA-NR standardization. We will continue to work on further development of 3GPP 5G NR to ensure readiness for early 5G commercial deployment.”

Sony Mobile Communications Inc.

Mr. Izumi Kawanishi, Director, EVP, Sony Mobile Communications Inc., said: “Sony has been part of the 5G NR and NSA standardization and recognizes the progress in 3GPP to reach this important milestone with features targeting evolved mobile broadband and ultra low latency communications. Sony Mobile is ready for full-scale development of 5G NR smartphones to take benefit of the opportunities offered by the new standard.”

Sprint

“We’re excited to help usher in the next generation of wireless networks that will drive new levels of innovation and progress around the world,” said Dr. John Saw, Sprint CTO.“We congratulate 3GPP and its delegates on this important milestone, and we look forward to working with our industry partners to deploy 5G NR in our 2.5 GHz (NR band n41) spectrum.”

TIM

Mr. Giovanni Ferigo, CTO, said: “TIM has already defined a sound track towards 5G and is collaborating with key industry players, municipalities and public Institutions to unleash the full potential of 5G for people and vertical markets by 2020 expanding the footprint of LTE-A. The extraordinary work done in 3GPP in a few months to keep the promise of a first set of standards coping with the strict requirements of a new radio interface is a fundamental step in this roadmap. We are looking forward to contributing to the next 3GPP milestones which will complete the work on Release 15.”

Telefonica

Mr. Enrique Blanco, Telefónica’s Global Systems and Networks Director, said: “Telefónica greatly appreciates the efforts made by the industry for completing this major milestone towards 5G. Telefónica acknowledges the full potential of 5G, and encourages the industry to keep developing ambitious ideas in order to deliver outstanding connectivity and bring the best possible experience to our customers. Telefónica is fully committed to working with the industry in this direction.”

Telia Company

“We are happy to see that the acceleration of 5G standardization that we and the whole industry called for in February has been achieved. This allows for the early commercial deployments needed to open up for innovation and new business opportunities that our customers expect from us”, says Mauro Costa, Director Network Architecture & Strategy, Telia Company. “In order for the industry and society to take advantage of the full potential of 5G, it is vital that the standardization now continues with a focus to complete also the stand alone version.”

T-Mobile USA

“This is an important moment and a crucial development toward making 5G NR happen,” said Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer for T-Mobile US. “At T-Mobile, we’re committed to drive a 5G rollout across the US in 2020, and the efforts of 3GPP will help us to realize this great win for our customers.”

Verizon

“Verizon is delighted that the 3GPP is moving quickly to release a global standard for mobile 5G,” said Ed Chan, Chief Technology Architect and Network Planning.“With this important 3GPP milestone, Verizon is once again well positioned to deliver next-generation technology to customers just as we did with 4G LTE.”

Vodafone

Luke Ibbetson, Head of Vodafone Group R&D said: “Completion of the 5G standard six months earlier than originally anticipated is a significant milestone that should enable compliant network infrastructure and phones to be delivered in line with our requirements. This first version of 5G will build on the success of 4G, providing fast and highly efficient mobile broadband services to our customers and setting the foundation for the Gigabit Society.”

ZTE

Mr. Xu Huijun, CTO of ZTE Corporation, said: “The completion of the Non-Standalone 5G NR standardization is a critical milestone in the industry. I really appreciate 3GPP’s efforts in meeting this challenging schedule. As one of the contributors to the 5G standards-making process, ZTE will partner with the fellow mobile industry players to commit to accelerating the 5G NR large-scale trials and deployments.”