Verizon, Ericsson, and MediaTek Achieve Successful Data and Voice Sessions on 5G Network with New RedCap Technology

Verizon, Ericsson, and MediaTek Achieve Successful Data and Voice Sessions on 5G Network with New RedCap Technology

(IN BRIEF) Verizon, in collaboration with Ericsson and MediaTek, has achieved successful data and voice sessions over its 5G network using Ericsson’s new RedCap compatible software and MediaTek’s RedCap testing platform. This breakthrough technology, referred to as NR light functionality, is poised to enable lower-cost and lower-complexity NR devices, ranging from consumer wearables to enterprise IoT solutions like video surveillance and industrial sensors. The successful trials demonstrated efficient paths for these devices to run on Verizon’s 5G network, promising enhanced performance, longer battery life, and paving the way for the development of more affordable 5G devices. The introduction of New Radio (NR) RedCap devices is set to expand the 5G ecosystem by catering to specific use cases with improved resource allocation and performance.

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 25-Aug-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company, announces that in a triumphant collaborative effort with Verizon and MediaTek, the companies have successfully completed data and voice (VoNR) sessions over Verizon’s advanced 5G network, leveraging Ericsson’s pioneering RedCap compatible software with NR light functionality and MediaTek’s cutting-edge RedCap testing platform. This groundbreaking achievement ushers in a new era of possibilities for a range of lower-complexity and cost-effective 5G devices, spanning consumer wearables, fitness trackers, mobile medical devices, and enterprise IoT solutions.

Traditionally, devices such as consumer wearables and enterprise IoT solutions necessitate voice connections for their audio functions, transmitting and receiving smaller volumes of data compared to smartphones and robust enterprise solutions. With the innovative combination of Ericsson’s NR light software and MediaTek’s RedCap platform, engineers have demonstrated highly efficient pathways for these devices, as well as future low-cost, low-power devices, to seamlessly operate on Verizon’s 5G network. This advancement lays the foundation for the development and deployment of more compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient devices with extended battery life.

“The network transformation we have undergone the past few years has brought us to this place of having a highly sophisticated and customizable network able to provide a range of capabilities needed for a variety of devices,” said Adam Koeppe, SVP of Network and Technology Planning at Verizon. “The evolution of this new light software coupled with the technologies deployed throughout our 5G network will allow us to provide the best possible experience for our customers in an efficient manner and will drive the 5G ecosystem with low-cost, energy-efficient devices.”

“Pioneering both data and VoNR calls on both low- and mid-bands on Verizon’s 5G standalone network demonstrates the capability of Ericsson RedCap as a software to boost a whole new range of use cases for both consumers and enterprises,” said Graham Osborne, Vice President and Head of Customer Unit Verizon, Ericsson North America. “This over-the-air demonstration in a live C-Band environment with Verizon and MediaTek is critical to building an ecosystem that will bring multiple types of 5G devices to market.”

“This successful collaboration with Verizon and Ericsson marks another milestone in our development of our 5G RedCap platform,” said Dr HC Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication Systems & Partnerships at MediaTek. “This technology paves the way for cost-effective and power-efficient use cases such as wearables, IoT devices, AR glasses and more, all without taxing current 5G networks that need to accommodate higher performance systems and products.”

The recent trials have triumphantly completed data and voice sessions, a pivotal milestone for consumer wearables and audio-enabled enterprise solutions. These sessions effectively harnessed 5G technology over both C-band TDD spectrum and 850 MHz FDD spectrum, all within Verizon’s production network that employs their 5G standalone core infrastructure. As this technology finds its way into the commercial network, Verizon remains committed to collaborating closely with developers of consumer and business solutions, driving accelerated development of 5G devices and propelling the entire ecosystem forward.

The advent of New Radio (NR) RedCap devices promises to amplify the 5G ecosystem by catering to specific use cases through more streamlined resource allocation. RedCap technology delivers data rates akin to LTE-enabled devices, while concurrently enhancing latency, device energy efficiency, and spectrum efficiency. Furthermore, this technology carries the potential to support advanced 5G NR features, including enhanced positioning and network slicing.

As Verizon, Ericsson, and MediaTek join forces to realize this transformative feat, the world of 5G is poised to embrace a wider array of devices with increased efficiency, setting the stage for an even more connected and dynamic future.

Global Press Office Telephone Number: +46 10 719 69 92
media.relations@ericsson.com

SOURCE:  Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson