Since then, Samsung and KT have been preparing for 5G SA launch through multiple tests and trials in KT’s major offices and in urban areas. Today’s deployment will help accelerate KT’s 5G vision to deliver socio-economic value and enhanced consumer experiences across Korea through the advancement of 5G.

“Our 5G SA service will be an important step in unlocking the full potential of 5G and it will bring new value to our customers,” said Youngsoo Seo, Senior Vice President and Director of Network Research Technology Unit, Network Group at KT. “As a digital platform company, KT will continue to make efforts to help drive Korea’s Digital New Deal and ensure our customers enjoy the best experiences and opportunities that 5G has to offer.”

Unlocking 5G’s Full Potential

The implementation of 5G SA networks opens up new business opportunities for service providers, enabling them to reduce time-to-service, and accelerate a new generation of use cases and opportunities for consumers and businesses.

For this commercial launch, Samsung provided KT its end-to-end 5G network solutions from Radio Access Network (RAN) to Core. KT facilitated a smooth transition to 5G SA by using Samsung’s 5G RAN and Core, which can support 5G SA and NSA simultaneously.

“Samsung is proud to play a leading role in placing Korea at the forefront of network technology innovation,” said Seungil Kim, Vice President and Head of Korea Business, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our reliable and flexible 5G SA architecture, powered by our 5G RAN and Core, will enable KT to offer its users the next generation of enhanced use cases and mobile experiences. By introducing 5G SA services in Korea, we are taking a meaningful step in 5G journey, and look forward to delivering more transformative experiences to customers and businesses with KT.”

For more information on 5G SA, please refer to Samsung’s whitepaper: 5G Standalone Architecture

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

Migration Paths for 5G and Samsung’s Offerings

Mobile operators can take several 5G migration paths, which can be divided into two major categories: Non-Standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA), defined by 3GPP. With 5G NSA, operators can quickly tap into high speed 5G services by utilizing legacy 4G infrastructure. Since 2019, Samsung has been deploying and commercializing 5G NSA networks across the globe.

With 5G Standalone, mobile operators can leverage new, powerful features like Ultra Low Latency (URLLC), Industrial IoT (IIoT) and network slicing to unlock the full potential of 5G. For instance, advanced network services, including connected vehicles, smart factory and VR/AR, can be effectively delivered. Samsung offers the full scope of 5G solutions ranging from RAN to Core that is outfitted with cloud-native features and is ready to support operators to successfully commercialize 5G SA network.

Full-fledged 5G services will not only help mobile operators to capitalize on new revenue stream, but also allow users to enjoy the full benefits of immersive 5G services. To capture these new opportunities, operators need to successfully migrate to 5G SA architecture. By highlighting the migration roadmap from 4G to 5G and the advantages of 5G SA, the whitepaper illustrates Samsung’s capability and its migration strategy to support operators’ needs.

For further information on 5G SA and its use cases and benefits, read our whitepaper here.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core network technologies. Samsung supports 5G commercial services in the world’s leading markets, including Korea, the U.S. and Japan. In addition, the company is rapidly expanding its global footprint to new markets including Canada and New Zealand.