Rakuten Mobile’s selection of Samsung is a testament to the company’s virtualized RAN (vRAN) and O-RAN leadership, honed through years of experience in global, large-scale commercial deployments. Samsung’s O-RAN compliant radios will be seamlessly integrated in Rakuten Mobile’s network, another demonstration of O-RAN’s reliability in a multi-vendor environment.

Samsung will provide a full suite of O-RAN compliant radios, including low-band (700MHz) and mid-band (1.7GHz) solutions, as well as Massive MIMO radios supporting the 3.8GHz band. The company’s compact and lightweight radios can be easily mounted on buildings and poles, enabling seamless installation and capacity enhancements in dense urban environments. Furthermore, Samsung’s advanced, energy-efficient Massive MIMO solutions will accelerate Rakuten Mobile’s network capacity, ensuring high-speed 5G connectivity and a more reliable mobile experience for its customers, even in high-traffic areas.

“Rakuten Mobile has made continuous efforts in delivering best-in-class mobile services to our customers through various endeavors such as expanding 5G coverage and optimizing network performance,” said Sharad Sriwastawa, co-CEO of Rakuten Mobile and President of Rakuten Symphony. “By working together with our leading Open RAN partner Samsung, we are looking forward to our continued collaboration in expanding Open RAN deployment globally, on top of adding momentum to accelerating 5G deployments in Japan.”

“Samsung is proud to join forces with Rakuten Mobile as we harness our collective capabilities to drive next-generation connectivity through industry-leading solutions,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This underscores Samsung’s successful entry into a new customer partnership and further solidifies our Open RAN leadership. We expect to bolster our joint efforts with Rakuten Mobile to make greater strides on the global stage by embracing AI and openness.”

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung is driving the industry to advance 5G networks and paving the way for 6G and beyond with its market-leading product portfolio, from purpose-built RAN, vRAN, Open RAN, AI-RAN and core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

The achievement of this industry-first RedCap end-to-end testing follows Samsung’s successful deployment of the private 5G network in Hyundai Motor’s major manufacturing facility last October. The companies have been working together to transform Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan Plant ― the world’s single largest automobile plant, which produces an average of 6,000, vehicles per day ― as a part of their smart factory innovation.

With Samsung, Hyundai Motor has launched an advanced private 5G network to connect and efficiently manage numerous devices and manufacturing systems across its plant, ensuring real-time data upload and download. A high-performance network with reliable connectivity is crucial for automotive manufacturers to control and optimize smart factory automation systems, as well as properly operate their manufacturing systems and Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), which deliver parts to the designated production lines.

▲ The companies have completed end-to-end RedCap test with Samsung’s private 5G solutions and Hyundai Motor’s Diagnostic SCAN (D Scan) equipment for vehicle inspection.

Industry-First End-to-End RedCap Trial on a Samsung-Powered Private 5G Network

As of January, the companies have carried out end-to-end RedCap technology tests at Samsung’s private 5G network testbed, located at its R&D Center. It was aimed to verify RedCap capabilities and integrated performance across the whole network from vehicle inspection terminal to private 5G core, radios and management system. For this trial, Samsung used its RedCap-powered private 5G network solutions including its virtualized 5G Core, baseband units, radios supporting 4.7 GHz band, and an integrated Network Management System.

The trial also focused on integrating Hyundai Motor’s Diagnostic Scan (D Scan) featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon® X35 5G Modem-RF System into Samsung’s private 5G network. This device is developed by Hyundai Motor to be used at its smart factories via wireless communications between vehicles and D Scan to automatically inspect and efficiently determine whether vehicles have been assembled correctly before releasing finished cars. Compared to the old Wi-Fi system, the companies achieved a more seamless, real-time inspection data transmission with high speed and reliable 5G connectivity.

This successful collaboration is another milestone Samsung and Hyundai Motor are marking, as Hyundai Motor plans to continuously expand RedCap private 5G networks to its newest electric vehicle manufacturing facilities to begin their operation in the first half of 2026.

At its smart factories, a range of small devices are in operation ― sensors, cameras, tablet PCs, automatic logistics robots, compact wireless tools and testing equipment ― which make RedCap on a private 5G network a key driver for cost-effective, efficient and intelligent network automation and monitoring.

RedCap is considered a catalyst for the widespread adoption of private 5G networks at manufacturing facilities, construction sites, academic campuses and more. This technology streamlines 5G connectivity for small-size 5G IoT (IoST) devices such as industrial sensors and wearables by lowering complexity and more importantly, increasing battery life while still ensuring the desired data speeds.

“The recent collaboration with Hyundai Motor represents how the two leaders in their respective industries can creatively drive business innovation and unlock new real use cases by merging best-in-class expertise,” said Simon Lee, Vice President and Head of B2B·B2G Business Development, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s RedCap-powered private 5G network solutions will open up more possibilities for enterprises, manufacturers and public institutions, serving as a gateway to driving more efficient 5G networks.”

“Hyundai Motor was the first Korean company to implement P-5G in mass production,” said Jae Min Lee, Vice President and Head of E-FOREST Center of Hyundai Motor and Kia. “We are also the industry’s first to verify P-5G RedCap technology, reinforcing our global leadership in smart manufacturing solutions. We will continue to accelerate its commercialization.”

“The adoption of RedCap technology will empower private 5G networks to be more efficient and cost-effective, by allowing for devices with smaller form factors, longer battery life and reduced power consumption.” said Pablo Tomasi, Principal Analyst, Private Networks at Omdia. “Thanks to RedCap, private 5G networks will support an increasingly large set of use cases.”

Samsung continues to actively deliver private 5G networks across a range of verticals, including smart factories, hospitals, universities and construction sites, on top of military facilities and local government agencies. With a proven record in commercial deployments, Samsung provides a comprehensive, end-to-end solution backed by long-term R&D leadership.

Also at MWC 2025, Samsung will unveil its innovative next-generation private 5G network, which leverages the company’s virtualization leadership. Supporting current compact and light hardware-based solutions, Samsung will introduce software-centric private 5G solutions – including vRAN software and other software applications on commercial servers (COTS).

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools and applications. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators and enterprises that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics today announced that the company is teaming up with IBM as the mission-critical (MCX) solution provider to the UK’s Home Office, for a User Services deployment as part of the Emergency Services Network (ESN). This selection marks Samsung’s first major mission-critical project in the U.K., reinforcing the company’s continued growth in the region and expanding on its successful multi-generation commercial networks business using virtualized RAN (vRAN) and Open RAN technologies.

This milestone underscores Samsung’s commitment to advancing mission-critical networks globally, supporting government agencies to keep communities safe. Designed to prioritize network access for first responders in emergencies, ESN will deliver reliable and seamless connectivity to over 300,000 first responders in the U.K.

Alongside IBM and other industry-leading partners, Samsung will support the core mission-critical communications systems with its best-in-class MCX solution, which is backed by Samsung’s deep expertise honed from successful nationwide public safety network deployments in the U.S. and Korea. Samsung’s MCPTX solution will enable intuitive multimedia sharing in real-time, allowing first responders to assess emergency situations more accurately as well as act with enhanced responsiveness.

“As mission-critical communications are of the utmost importance for the nation’s security and protection of its citizens, Samsung is proud to take part in this program to evolve public safety networks in the U.K.,” said Everth Flores, Vice President and Head of Samsung Networks Europe. “At the heart of this collaboration lies Samsung’s undisputed technological competence, on top of the solid trust that we have garnered with our successful mission-critical solution deployments around the globe. Harnessing the momentum of this milestone, Samsung will continue to contribute to building a more secure, connected society.”

“We are proud to support the Emergency Services Network (ESN) in delivering a secure and resilient communications platform to empower frontline emergency services,” said Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner at IBM UK and Ireland. “Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver mission-critical services for first responders to enhance safety in our communities across Great Britain. We look forward to working with the Government to deliver this in a timely and cost-effective manner.”

With its full suite of mission-critical solutions, Samsung has accumulated its expertise in the public safety sector globally by working together with leading operators and government stakeholders on successful MCPTX deployments, starting with building the world’s first 3GPP standard-compliant nationwide public safety network in South Korea. The company also worked with one of the largest national operators in the U.S. to bring America’s first-ever nationwide MCPTX solution. More recently in Canada, Samsung teamed up with Tier 1 operator to deploy the country’s first MCPTX solution in 2022.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver boundless connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

• Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, President, CTO of the Device eXperience (DX) Division and Head of Samsung Research
• Younsun Kim, Master at Samsung Research
• Timothy Hospedales, Head of Samsung Research’s Europe AI Center
• Michael Scott Brown, Head of Samsung Research’s AI Center in Toronto
• Yuri Masuoka, Fellow and Head of the SRAM Lab in the Foundry Business of the Device Solutions (DS) Division

The title of ‘IEEE Fellow’ is the highest membership grade and, following a thorough review process, is granted annually to the top 0.1% of IEEE members who have demonstrated significant contributions to societal advancement. Those with at least ten years of experience in their fields are chosen based on seven evaluation criteria, including outstanding research and development achievements, contributions to the industry and expertise in the field.

Achievements in Telecommunications and Standardization of 5G Mobile Communication

▲ President Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun (left) and Master Younsun Kim (right)

Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun was appointed as a Fellow in recognition of his leadership in 5G and virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) technologies.

Having joined Samsung Electronics in 2012 and serving as head of the Network Business Division, Cheun is a telecommunications technology expert who has led the development of core technologies and commercial solutions for 5G. He has contributed to the global network business by successfully commercializing the world’s first 5G mobile communication technology.

“Being appointed as an IEEE Fellow is an honor,” said President Cheun. “Samsung Electronics will dedicate itself more to innovative technology research and development that will lead the future, taking the initiative in technological advancements that add value and provide convenience and enrichment to people’s daily lives.”

Younsun Kim received IEEE recognition for contributions and leadership in 5G physical layer standardization. He has served as both the vice chair and chair of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Radio Access Network Working Group 1 (RAN WG1) for the past seven years, and is currently preparing for 6G RAN standardization which will be fully launched starting from next year.

Newly Elevated Fellows in Machine Learning, Cameras and Foundry

▲ (From left) Timothy Hospedales, Michael Scott Brown and Yuri Masuoka

Timothy Hospedales received Fellowship honors for his contributions to data-efficient machine learning and meta-learning. Hospedales, who joined Samsung Electronics in 2019, is a machine learning and data intelligence expert. Currently, he oversees Samsung Research’s overall research and development of AI across Europe at the AI Center located in Cambridge, U.K..

Michael Scott Brown contributed to in-camera color image processing to a degree that led to the IEEE naming him a Fellow. Brown, joined Samsung Electronics in 2019 and is an expert in computer vision, currently overseeing research and development at the AI Center in Toronto.

Yuri Masuoka was also named to the IEEE Fellow Class of 2025 for her contributions to leading-edge foundry transistor development.

Samsung Electronics has previously had several IEEE Fellows in various fields, including Executive Vice President Sunghyun Choi of the Network Business, Fellow Juho Lee of Samsung Research and Senior Vice President Charlie Zhang of Samsung Research.

¹ The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the largest professional organization dedicated to the advancement of technology related to electricity, electronics, computing, and telecommunications. With over 460,000 members from more than 190 countries, IEEE actively manages over 2,250 ongoing projects.

Samsung Electronics today hosted the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit under the theme “Future Wireless for the AI Era” in Mountain View, California.

Following the announcement of 5G-Advanced standards by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP¹) in March, the industry anticipates an expanded application of AI technology in telecommunications. In particular, as preparations for 6G communications intensify, interest in next-generation communication technologies utilizing AI continues to grow.

In this environment, Samsung Electronics organized the Silicon Valley Future Wireless Summit to share the vision and possibilities that come with a communications system that applies AI technology.

The event attracted approximately 80 distinguished participants, including representatives from major telecommunications operators, manufacturers, government agencies and academia from various countries, who engaged in comprehensive discussions about the trajectory of research and technologies for AI-native² communications.

“Since the introduction of 5G, the telecommunications market has increasingly focused on enhancing user experience alongside performance improvements through innovative technologies like AI and energy efficiency advancements,” said Angelo Jeongho Park, Vice President of Samsung Research’s Advanced Communications Research Center at Samsung Electronics. “Starting with this summit, we will help industry and academic leaders to work together to continue the much-needed research already being carried out on the convergence of AI and wireless communication technologies, making the user experience even better.”

Sharing Developments in AI-Native Communication Technology: The Direction of Next-Gen Communication Research

The summit commenced with a keynote presentation from industry experts titled, “Shaping the Future of Next Generation Mobile Communication,” followed by three main sessions: “AI-Native Communication,” “Sustainability: Energy Saving & Efficiency,” and “Innovations to Drive Future Wireless.” Each session included panel discussions, facilitating dynamic exchanges between participants through Q&A sessions and active debates.

In “AI-Native Communication,” participants carried out an in-depth discussion on the potential benefits of AI-Native being applied to all areas of telecommunications, as well as emerging services and key challenges that require resolution.

“Sustainability: Energy Saving & Efficiency” focused on key technologies and required research for sustainable 6G communication systems that are emerging as major technical trends — including energy savings and efficiency improvements.

Later on, the discussions between panelists at “Innovations to Drive Future Wireless” explored the 6G network architecture innovations needed to provide services and user experiences that are more differentiated than those provided by 5G.

The technical demonstration session that closed out the day introduced AI radio access network (RAN) technology that has been jointly developed by Samsung Electronics and its partners. The cutting-edge technology that applies AI to RAN enhances base station quality by optimizing key performance factors such as spectral efficiency and energy efficiency.

The event facilitated the valuable exchange of information between key players while also addressing the path forward for the industry, which will see the convergence of AI and wireless communication technologies.

Improving User Experiences With AI-Native Next-Gen Communication Technology

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics continues its efforts to expand the global influence of next-generation communication technologies utilizing AI.

In February this year, the company served as a founding member of the AI-RAN Alliance, currently holding board membership and vice chairing the AI on RAN working group. In July, Samsung secured the chairpersonship of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) 6G standardization group in the radio communication sector, demonstrating its commitment to 6G research and ecosystem development. The company has also been reappointed as vice chair of the board of directors at Next G Alliance (NGA), strengthening its leadership in AI-native communications technology even further.

Additionally, the company actively solidified its collaborative efforts in August, when it signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese mobile carrier NTT DOCOMO for joint research on the application of AI in next-generation communications.

¹ 3GPP is dedicated to developing the global unified technical specifications for mobile communications.
² AI-native technologies are fundamentally designed and built around AI from inception, rather than having AI added at a later stage.

QAM is an advanced modulation technology to transmit data or information more efficiently. This directly relates to how many bits of data can be delivered in each transmission. While 256 QAM is widely used in commercial networks, Samsung and Qualcomm Technologies recently accomplished the latest 1024 QAM defined in 3GPP Release 17 specifications. This enhanced QAM technology helps operators maximize their use of spectrum resources and allows mobile users to seamlessly enjoy various mobile services such as live video streaming and online multi-player gaming, which require higher download speeds.

▲ The 1024 QAM test, conducted in Samsung’s R&D lab, resulted in over 20% gain in downlink speeds

The test was conducted in Samsung’s R&D lab in Korea leveraging Samsung’s 5G vRAN software and radios — each supporting 2.1GHz (FDD) and 3.5GHz (TDD) bands — and Qualcomm Technologies’ mobile phone form-factor test device equipped with its latest Snapdragon® X75 5G Modem-RF System.

This is a significant milestone as it is the first time the industry has accomplished 1024 QAM for FDD band. By using 20MHz bandwidth, the companies reached 485Mbps, achieving near-theoretical gain. This downlink speed is more than 20% higher than what is possible with the current 256 QAM.

In addition, Samsung plans to complete its ongoing tests of 1024 QAM in traditional RAN as well, and the technology is expected to be commercially available within this year.

“We believe enhancing spectral efficiency is essential in developing next-generation solutions. This achievement underscores Samsung’s ongoing commitment to push forward the frontiers of mobile technology,” said Ji-Yun Seol, Vice President, Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our collaborative efforts with Qualcomm Technologies have once again yielded impressive results, and we look forward to harnessing our combined expertise to drive network innovation.”

“We are honored to have collaborated with Samsung on this industry first achievement,” said Sunil Patil, Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This accomplishment showcases our unwavering commitment to supporting operators in their efforts to enhance 5G throughput and boost spectral efficiency. By leveraging advanced QAM technology, we are empowering operators to maximize spectrum resources and deliver seamless, high-speed mobile services to 5G users.”

Late last year, Samsung and Qualcomm Technologies accomplished the world’s first simultaneous 5G 2x uplink and 4x downlink carrier aggregation for FDD spectrum. The companies are continuing the collaboration to push the boundaries of mobile 5G technology.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics today unveiled the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G, two smartphones that demonstrate Samsung’s ongoing commitment to making the best of mobile innovations available to everyone. Both devices come with extensive security features such as Knox Vault, as well as new photography capabilities inspired by Galaxy’s flagship camera innovations and a stunning display that adjusts to users’ surroundings with Vision Booster.

“With the Galaxy A series, we are expanding our latest technologies to a wider audience so that more people can benefit from them,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to open up even more possibilities on the Galaxy A series this year, including offering Samsung Knox Vault for the first time on this lineup. We’re proud to enable Galaxy A series users to safely and reliably enjoy outstanding mobile experiences.”

An Entertainment and Creativity Hub With Versatile Photography and Stunning Display

With enhanced Nightography, Galaxy A55 5G takes clearer and more vibrant photos even in poor lighting conditions. That means every nighttime photo can reach epic new levels. Galaxy A55 5G’s advanced AI Image Signal Processing (ISP) produces stunning low-light images never seen before on Galaxy A series. It’s not just scenery that looks amazing. Night Portrait mode and 12-bit HDR video ensure the people in every image look great so that capturing memories with friends and family is never dependent on the perfect lighting.

Both Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G offer the incredible photography capabilities that Samsung Galaxy is renowned for, including features such as optical image stabilization (OIS) and video digital image stabilization (VDIS) that keep photos and videos crisp even when filming on the go.

The new devices also continue the Galaxy A series’ tradition of making fun and immersive mobile experiences accessible to all. Users can enjoy watching the latest shows or browsing social media with Super AMOLED displays, showing astonishing clarity in Full High Definition. They can also count on the 6.6-inch¹ screen on both the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G looking clear and bright in a range of light conditions thanks to Vision Booster.

Democratizing Samsung’s Most Powerful Security Innovations To Intelligently Protect More Customers for Longer

This year, Samsung is bringing one of its most innovative flagship security features, Samsung Knox Vault, to Galaxy A series users for the very first time, including on the new Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G. A hardware-based and tamper-resistant security solution, Samsung Knox Vault offers comprehensive protection against both hardware and software attacks by constructing a secure execution environment that is physically isolated from the system’s main processor and memory. It can help protect the most critical data on a device, including lock screen credentials, such as PIN codes, passwords and patterns. Samsung Knox Vault also protects device encryption keys, encrypting users’ private data stored in the device. Only a user who has the correct lock screen credentials can access their data, even if the device is lost or stolen.

The Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G are also secured by Samsung Knox, Galaxy’s multi-layer security platform. One of the most trusted security platforms in the world, Samsung Knox is designed to safeguard critical information and protect against vulnerabilities with end-to-end secure hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection, taking a holistic approach across the entire Galaxy ecosystem.

For even more ways to stay protected, the Galaxy A series offers Auto Blocker, an opt-in package of additional security measures. When switched on, Auto Blocker can block app installations from unauthorized sources, provide app security checks² to scan for potential malware and block potentially malicious commands and software installations to your device while connected by USB cable. New Galaxy A series users will also have access to Galaxy’s Security and Privacy Dashboard, making it easier than ever to see and control what is happening to their data and withdraw any permissions whenever they choose. They can also enjoy Private Sharing (part of Quick Share), which enables the secure and encrypted sharing of private files containing important personal or financial information. To ensure confidentiality, users can control the recipient’s access permissions and the file’s expiration date, while also choosing to limit screenshots or downloads.

The new Galaxy A series smartphones demonstrate Samsung’s commitment to ensure Galaxy devices remain secure and up-to-date for longer. With the Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G, users will continue to benefit from up to four generations of Android OS and One UI upgrades and five years of security updates, optimizing the lifecycle of the devices by keeping them equipped with all the latest Galaxy and Android features.

Seamless Connection With the Ever-Expanding Samsung Galaxy Ecosystem

The Galaxy A55 5G and Galaxy A35 5G are fully compatible with the Galaxy ecosystem giving users a smooth and integrated experience across a range of Galaxy devices. Users can keep up with their fitness goals by connecting Galaxy Fit3 or Galaxy Watch6 to their Galaxy A series smartphone. And, thanks to Auto Switch, incoming calls will be automatically switched to connected Galaxy Buds FE for enhanced convenience.

To find out more about the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, Galaxy A35 5G and other Galaxy smartphones, please visit: Samsung Newsroom, Samsung Mobile Press and Samsung.com.

Specifications

* Specifications may vary by market.
* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.

¹ Measured diagonally, the screen size is 6.6-inch in the full rectangle and 6.4-inch with accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole.
² Currently not available on US carrier models.

Samsung Electronics, Juniper Networks^® (NYSE:JNPR) and Wind River^® have collaborated on a virtual cell site router (vCSR) to allow service providers to operate their networks with end-to-end virtualization. This software-based network ensures more flexibility, agility, sustainability and faster time-to-market (TTM) for the introduction of new services.

vCSR is part of a new architecture in which the distributed unit and CSR functions coexist as virtualized network elements on one server. In this joint effort, the companies integrated the Juniper Cloud-Native Router, a fully containerized network element, with the Samsung virtualized DU (vDU) on Wind River Studio Cloud Platform. By running multiple network elements on a single virtualized RAN (vRAN) server, the companies are essentially eliminating the need for physical router hardware typically deployed at a cell site and reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) for network deployments of 5G and beyond.

Compared to traditional networks, this software-based infrastructure offers a more resilient and intelligent mobile network. This development plays a pivotal role in realizing the potential of vRAN by fostering flexibility and interoperability among different components. By consolidating multiple software network elements on the same server, operators can benefit from the following:

• End-to-end automation with Samsung’s CognitiV Network Operations Suite: The solution supports plug-and-play deployment, management visibility, and massive software upgrades, delivering a more streamlined and efficient deployment and operation process.
• Greater agility and flexibility: Built on Software-Defined Networking principles, the virtualized architecture enables the greater scalability and flexibility needed to meet operators’ various network configurations and service demands.
• Ability to support diverse applications: With software-centric architecture, vCSR can support security applications such as firewalls and intelligently steer data flows.
• Reduced CapEx thanks to simplified deployment with less hardware: There is no need to purchase legacy hardware since it can be combined within the existing server with the vDU and other software platforms. It also frees up additional rack space.
• Reduced OpEx with energy savings: By eliminating the physical CSR hardware through server consolidation, approximately 30% of energy use can be saved.

“Leveraging our expertise in real-world vRAN deployments, Samsung, along with Juniper and Wind River, are paving the way for end-to-end virtualized networks across the world,” said Ji-Yun Seol, Vice President, Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “With this revolutionary approach, we are giving operators the confidence to transform their networks and embrace virtual and open approaches.”

“The compelling objective of vRAN is the flexibility and agility it can bring to operators. Our Cloud-Native Router enables operational simplicity and economic flexibility, while delivering excellent performance. Today’s operators must focus obsessively on the user experiences they are delivering while managing costs, and Juniper’s collaboration with Samsung and Wind River is creating a solution that helps them to amortize 5G investments, build a sustainable infrastructure and create more attractive service offerings,” said Raj Yavatkar, SVP and CTO, Juniper Networks.

“As a leader in the 5G landscape that powers the majority of 5G vRAN/O-RAN deployments with global operators, our Wind River Studio is a purpose-built distributed cloud being used in production, at scale, for vRAN and Open RAN,” said Paul Miller, Chief Technology Officer, Wind River. “In collaboration with Samsung and Juniper, Wind River delivers on the promise of Open RAN, creating a path for substantial TCO reduction and new revenue opportunities for mobile operators.”

This innovative vCSR technology will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress 2024 at the companies’ respective booths: Samsung (Hall 2, 2M20), Juniper Networks (Hall 2, 2D12) and Wind River (Hall 2, 2F25).

Samsung’s vRAN and Open RAN offer a 100% fully virtualized, cloud-native disaggregated vDU and vCU, proven in the large-scale commercial network deployment across the world. Its industry-leading vRAN software — vRAN 3.0 — boasts a range of smart and sustainable features optimized to satisfy the forward-looking operators’ needs to build next-generation networks. With its robust ecosystem, Samsung’s virtualized Open RAN brings advanced capabilities that improve performance and increase energy efficiency.

The Juniper Cloud-Native Router takes full advantage of container economics and operational efficiencies, giving service providers the flexibility they need to deploy 5G. The performant, software-based router delivers Juniper’s proven routing technology within the Kubernetes Container Network Interface (CNI) framework. This allows seamless integration with the Samsung vDU on the Wind River Studio platform.

Based on the open source StarlingX project, Wind River Studio provides a fully cloud-native, Kubernetes- and container-based architecture for the development, deployment, operations, and servicing of distributed edge networks at scale. It delivers a foundation to manage a geographically distributed network and simplifies day 1 and day 2 operations by providing a single-pane-of-glass, zero-touch automated solution. Studio addresses service providers’ complex challenge of deploying and managing cloud-native infrastructure for core-to-edge distributed cloud networks to provide traditional RAN performance in a vRAN/Open RAN deployment.

About Juniper Networks
Juniper Networks believes that connectivity is not the same as experiencing a great connection. Juniper’s AI-Native Networking Platform is built from the ground up across the AIOps layer and our systems to fully harness the power of AI. From real-time fault isolation to proactive anomaly detection and self-driving corrective actions, it provides campus, branch, data center, and WAN operations with next-level predictability, reliability, and security. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net) or connect with Juniper on X (Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Wind River
Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for mission-critical intelligent systems. For more than four decades, the company has been an innovator and pioneer, powering billions of devices and systems that require the highest levels of security, safety, and reliability. Wind River software and expertise are accelerating digital transformation across industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and telecommunications. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio supported by world-class global professional services and support and a broad partner ecosystem. To learn more, visit Wind River at www.windriver.com.

Samsung Electronics, TELUS and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced today a trailblazing collaboration that will see TELUS become the first telecommunications provider in North America to evolve the architecture of roaming, enabling greater reliability and faster speeds for customers traveling abroad.

Traditionally, roaming traffic (voice, data and SMS) is routed through the provider’s home country, resulting in slower speeds for customers. With this revolutionary new approach, TELUS is able to house their network within AWS Regions worldwide, using virtualized roaming gateways. This means that traffic no longer needs to go through Canada, but will be routed directly to the closest AWS Region that houses TELUS’ network, significantly enhancing speed and responsiveness of mobile services. This process, also known as network cloudification, uses Cloud-native Core technology from Samsung on public cloud for mobile data, and ng-voice for voice calls, optimizing performance and ultimately quality.

“This architecture evolution further strengthens TELUS’ commitment to keeping our customers connected to what matters most, ensuring they are able to enjoy the same award-winning experience they have in Canada from anywhere in the world,” said Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. “Together with AWS, Samsung and ng-voice, we are making roaming more reliable and resilient than ever.”

“We are thrilled to work with TELUS, a company at the forefront of re-inventing the telco customer experience,” said Chivas Nambiar, general manager, telco business unit at AWS. “Alongside our AWS Partners, we are excited about how TELUS is using the cloud to augment their network capabilities to provide consistent and reliable global services for their customers.”

“Samsung’s Cloud-native Core is designed with flexibility and scalability in mind. By ensuring higher stability and reliability, Samsung powers TELUS’ new roaming approach to bring unmatched network performance and customer experiences while traveling,” said Stephen Wiktorski, Vice President and Head of Networks at Samsung Canada. “By working with forward-looking operators like TELUS, we are able to turn never before seen possibilities into reality.”

Virtual roaming gateway trials will begin in Q1 2024, but the possibilities of this collaboration extend far beyond roaming. Leveraging Samsung’s full Cloud-native Core solution on AWS paves the way for further advancements in disaster-recovery and 5G standalone core use cases.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $18 billion in annual revenue and over 18 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare and others.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive healthcare and wellbeing solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering more than 69 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.6 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

Samsung Electronics today announced that its cloud-native Standalone (SA) Core went live supporting KDDI’s nationwide commercial 5G SA services in Japan. Samsung’s 5G SA Core delivers a range of advantages to the operator’s network, including improved reliability and faster response times, required for applications such as cloud gaming, autonomous vehicles, real-time robotics and immersive video.

This milestone follows KDDI’s selection of Samsung to provide its 5G SA Core for the operator’s commercial network in February 2023. Leading up to this launch, the companies have conducted field tests and trials, successfully validating Samsung’s 5G SA Core performance and integrating Samsung’s 5G Core software in a multi-vendor environment. For this launch, Samsung and KDDI have successfully deployed and operated Samsung’s 5G Core software using KDDI’s smart operation system, supporting failure detection, root cause identification, and recovery method decision.

“As we continue to push the boundaries as an innovation leader in Japan, our 5G Standalone network will make it possible to provide our customers with maximum reliability and unprecedented capabilities,” said Toshikazu Yokai, Chief Network Officer, Managing Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager of Technology Sector at KDDI. “In collaboration with Samsung, we continue to offer the best 5G connectivity experience our customers expect, and now we are thrilled to spread the full benefits of 5G nationwide.”

“5G Standalone presents a pathway for future-readiness and this advanced technology opens doors to unprecedented benefits, delivering next-generation capabilities to enterprises and consumers,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As we continue to spearhead 5G innovation, we believe Samsung’s ongoing collaboration with KDDI will lead to game-changing opportunities and transformative experiences for end users.”

Samsung’s 5G SA Core supports:

• Multi-level redundancy. Leveraging the cloud-native architecture, Samsung’s 5G SA Core is designed to have no single point of failure with multi-level redundancy. This ensures high resilience and reliable service continuity in every part of the system.
• Multi-vendor interoperability. It can be easily integrated with third-party 5G core network functions and OSS for flexible deployment and automation.
• Seamless upgrades to SA. With one software package that supports NSA and SA, Samsung’s solution can facilitate a smooth migration to 5G SA.
• Session continuity with geo-redundancy. Deployed at various locations, Samsung’s 5G SA Cores provide session continuity support to ensure stability and reliability. Each SA core is dimensioned to pick up loads in case one of the active core becomes unavailable due to traffic bursts or natural disasters.

One of the key benefits of 5G SA Core is that it allows the dynamic allocation of resources to different applications — known as network slicing. Network slicing divides a single physical network infrastructure into multiple virtual slices, and each slice is dedicated to a specific user case or application. A single network can dynamically support multiple 5G use cases and applications at once, accelerating the delivery of new services and meeting the tailored demands of enterprises and consumers.

Recently, KDDI and Samsung signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a 5G Global Network Slicing Alliance, aiming to introduce an array of commercial 5G network slicing services and to assess new business models. The two companies will continue to collaborate on advancing this technology, to help fulfill emerging enterprise and consumer demands.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Following TELUS’ selection of Samsung as its 5G network vendor in June 2020, this revolutionary approach to infrastructure deployment embodies the essence of collaboration, bringing together manufacturers and providers to create a modular, state-of-the-art wireless network. It is also one of the first truly virtualized Open RAN deployments within a complex, brownfield network environment.

With an Open RAN, TELUS is able to use components from different manufacturers that best meet its needs, while a virtualized radio access network (vRAN) allows the use of software instead of hardware. This provides TELUS with faster access to the latest technologies as they become available, helping enhance customer experiences and fuel network innovation, while increasing opportunities for equipment vendors.

“This is a very exciting milestone for TELUS and the industry overall, as we now have the most flexible way to offer a diversified set of services to Canadians, unlocking new levels of mobile experiences,” said Nazim Benhadid, Chief Technology Officer at TELUS. “We are proud to be the first Canadian telecommunications company to integrate this cutting-edge technology, together with Samsung and our other partners.”

“Innovation is not a result, but a continuous process that transforms our daily lives,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “TELUS and Samsung have been spearheading a meaningful transformation in mobile communications and we look forward to continuing to unleash the full benefits of software-centric innovation, by advancing our industry-leading vRAN and Open RAN.”

The companies have extensively tested both the vRAN and Open RAN rollout in select Canadian markets with excellent results, validating the telco-grade performance and reliability of multi-vendor Open RAN technology, powered by Samsung’s vRAN solutions. Commercial deployment will begin in the first half of this year and a large-scale network rollout is expected to begin mid-2024.

For this expanded collaboration, Samsung will deliver its versatile vRAN software and proven Open RAN compliant solutions, including its 64T64R Massive MIMO radios, as well as the support for third-party radio integration. Samsung’s solutions include its latest vRAN 3.0 for 4G and 5G, which features enhanced capabilities for improved energy savings, optimized performance and intelligent automation via Samsung’s Service Management and Orchestration (SMO). Samsung’s AI-based SMO will help TELUS accelerate vRAN rollouts at scale by enabling automated deployment of thousands of network sites simultaneously. It will also provide TELUS with a comprehensive set of capabilities for end-to-end automation for multi-party solutions, enabling easier deployment, operation and optimization of their network.

TELUS’ bold approach to embrace a multi-vendor Open RAN brownfield deployment leverages other ecosystem collaborations as well. Cloud infrastructure will be provided by Wind River, tapping the company’s experience in real-time operating systems and cloud-native, distributed edge platforms. Additionally, Hewlett Packard Enterprise will deliver HPE ProLiant DL110 Gen11 servers featuring 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor with Intel vRAN Boost, that are workload optimized for Open RAN while being open and flexible, providing the foundation for a Distributed Unit (DU).

“vRAN and Open RAN remain at the forefront of network transformation, with Samsung continuing to demonstrate leadership in proving virtualized Open RAN’s ability to deliver high performance and efficiency in commercial 5G networks,” said Stefan Pongratz, Vice President and Analyst at the Dell’Oro Group. “Introducing vRAN and Open RAN into the Canadian market with TELUS represents another formidable step in the re-shaping of the RAN for long-term advantage.”

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with more than $18 billion in annual revenue and over 18 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 32 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across strategic industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare and others.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare leader, which provides employee and family primary and preventive healthcare and wellbeing solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS’ strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventive and mental health outcomes covering more than 69 million lives, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS and our team to contribute $1.6 billion, including 2.2 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us at @TELUSNews on X and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For the series of tests carried out in Samsung’s lab in Dallas, Texas, the companies used Samsung’s market-leading radios compliant with O-RAN specifications. The tests included multiple Samsung radios including CAT-A radios 4T4R supporting 700/850 MHz and AWS/PCS bands, CAT-B 64T64R Massive MIMO C-Band radios and 16T16R C-band and CBRS dual-band radios.

The tests underscore Samsung’s Massive MIMO leadership, specifically with its 64T64R Massive MIMO radio which Verizon has already deployed throughout its large-scale commercial vRAN networks nationwide. Results from the tests illustrate Samsung’s capability to handle advanced Massive MIMO radio integration, which is more complex for 64T64R Massive MIMO radios compared to simple CAT-A radios.

Using Keysight Technologies’ O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU) emulator, the companies tested O-RAN mandatory and optional beamforming capabilities in the same Massive MIMO unit and delivered promised performance gains. This level of conformance testing helps ensure that new O-RAN networks will perform as expected while delivering the full capabilities that next-generation 5G solutions enable.

“We’re excited to achieve Open RAN conformance across five key radios in our portfolio compliant with the latest O-RAN and 3GPP standards,” said Jisha Hall, Vice President of Operations, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics America. “This joint work shows how Samsung is empowering forerunning operators like Verizon to deploy virtualized Open RAN, backed by our strong ecosystem and proven expertise in commercial networks for Tier 1 operators in North America, Europe and Asia.”

“O-RAN is a very important component of our network evolution strategy,” said Steven Rice, Vice President of Network Planning, Verizon. “By leveraging O-RAN radios and software-driven infrastructure with industry-leading partners like Samsung and Keysight, we continue to drive the industry towards a more open, interoperable environment which will provide greater flexibility, greater innovation and better performance for our customers.”

“Keysight is excited to have partnered with Samsung and Verizon on successful Open RAN testing and looks forward to continued collaboration to advance next-generation network solutions,” said Peng Cao, Vice President and General Manager, Wireless Test Group at Keysight. “Our leadership in O-RAN standards and testing empowers the industry to confidently build, test and deploy cutting-edge, interoperable Open RAN solutions in real-world networks.”

In 2021, Samsung supported the commercial launch of Verizon’s first 5G C-band networks with its vRAN solution. This led to establishing another milestone in 2022, with Samsung successfully building the world’s largest vRAN commercial network. The continued collaboration between Samsung and Verizon reinforces their commitment to O-RAN and leadership in enabling virtualized open networks with greater flexibility, faster time-to-market and unmatched performance.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Samsung Electronics and O₂ Telefónica today announced that the companies will test advanced cloud-native vRAN (“virtualized Radio Access Network”) and Open RAN technologies in Germany. The two technologies enable network operators to set up even more flexible network architectures in which hardware and software are separated from each other and individual components are virtualized. The companies agreed to plan out a roadmap consisting of several tests in both lab and field.

O₂ Telefónica and Samsung will begin conducting initial tests of 4G and 5G vRAN and Open RAN technologies in a lab located at Munich, Germany. The companies will then carry out field tests in a commercial 5G network in Landsberg am Lech, with the goal to achieve technical and operational readiness. O₂ Telefónica, one of the leading mobile telecommunications providers in Germany, is transforming its network architecture towards one of the most efficient and future-proof networks built on modern RAN technologies, open interfaces and automation features.

“We believe cloud-native and autonomous architecture is a central pillar of network transformation to accelerate the adoption of innovative services, and O₂ Telefónica is working with the best players in the field,” said Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer at O₂ Telefónica in Germany. “We are delighted to team up with Samsung as one of the first telecommunications providers in the European Union to test new networking solutions. We look forward to delivering the best-in-class connectivity to bring a host of new benefits to customers in the future.”

“Samsung is leading the charge in advancing vRAN and Open RAN with its proven expertise in large-scale commercial networks across multiple continents,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This collaboration with O₂ Telefónica in Germany represents Samsung’s ongoing commitment to forging new pathways in vRAN and Open RAN, bringing the next-generation networks one step closer.”

The vRAN solution aims to support O₂ Telefónica’s way to have more computation in an elastic cloud environment, which will have positive impacts on automation, availability, deployment speed and flexible capacity steering. It also supports low latency use cases like VR/AR as well as high availability use cases in the business segment.

Open RAN disaggregation will enable more flexibility and automation in the RAN environment, as it offers open interfaces with more possibilities to develop new use cases for customers and network operation. It also provides the opportunity to integrate multiple components from different suppliers in one network.

For this collaboration, Samsung will provide its market leading 4G and 5G vRAN software and Open RAN-compliant radios supporting low- and mid-bands, including 3.5 GHz Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s vRAN solution offers greater flexibility and outstanding performance, backed by its proven commercial track record. Leveraging the advantages of fully disaggregated and software-based architecture, Samsung’s vRAN solution also features enhanced capabilities for intelligent automation and energy savings, which help operators build more efficient and sustainable networks.

As multi-vendor integration is essential in building a robust vRAN and Open RAN ecosystem, industry-leading players — Dell Technologies (Dell PowerEdge servers), Intel (Xeon ® Scalable Processor) and Wind River (Cloud Platform) will also join this commercial pilot delivering best-in-class solutions.

Throughout the trial, the companies will also test intelligent network automation solutions to control life cycle management — from deployment and operation to maintenance — with just a simple click. Leveraging Samsung’s Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), which is an Open RAN-compliant solution, mobile operators can accelerate innovative software-based network rollouts by enabling automated deployment of thousands of network sites simultaneously.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

About O₂ Telefónica
O₂ Telefónica is a leading full-service provider of telecommunications services for consumers and business customers. The portfolio of the core brand O₂ and various secondary and partner brands includes not only traditional telephony and Internet connections but also innovative digital services in the area of the Internet of Things and data analysis. In mobile communications, O₂ Telefónica serves more than 44 million mobile lines (incl. M2M — as of December 31, 2022). No other network operator connects more people in this country. The company’s high-performance, award-winning mobile network reaches over 99% of the population. In the fixed network, O₂ Telefónica offers its customers the greatest technological diversity and geographical availability of any provider in Germany. Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG is listed on the TecDAX and MDax. In fiscal year 2022, the company generated revenues of EUR 8.2 billion with around 7,250 employees. The company is majority-owned by the Madrid-based Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., one of the largest telecommunications groups in the world. 

▲ Toshikazu Yokai, KDDI (left) and Junehee Lee, Samsung Electronics (right)

This announcement follows the companies’ ongoing efforts in the advancement of network slicing, a market that is expected to grow at over fifty percent annually from 2023 to 2030.¹ KDDI and Samsung conducted a field trial in January 2023, which successfully completed Service Level Agreements (SLA) assurance network slicing on a live 5G standalone (SA) network in Tokyo, Japan. The companies also demonstrated network slicing with a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) for the first time in the industry back in 2020.

“KDDI has been at the forefront of network slicing innovation, and we are excited to take another significant step forward with Samsung to show how this technology can augment 5G experiences for consumers and businesses,” said Toshikazu Yokai, Chief Network Officer, Managing Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager of Technology Sector at KDDI. “Through the strategic alliance, we not only aim to create new and immersive use cases, but also explore the infinite potential in transforming industries.”

Network slicing enables multiple virtual networks to be created within a single physical network infrastructure, where each slice is dedicated for a specific application or service—serving different purposes. For instance, operators can create a low latency slice for automated vehicles, an IoT slice for smart factories and a high bandwidth slice for live video streaming—all within the same network. This means that a single network can support a broad mix of use cases simultaneously, accelerating the delivery of new services and meeting the tailored demands of various enterprises and consumers.

“Combining Samsung’s strong technical expertise and KDDI’s business acumen, this new alliance will help us facilitate innovation with a shared commitment to keep advancing 5G to the next level,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with KDDI to fully tap into the numerous opportunities that 5G network slicing offers.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

About KDDI

KDDI is telecommunication service provider in Japan, offering 5G and IoT services to a multitude of individual and corporate customers within and outside Japan through its “au”, “UQ mobile” and “povo” brands. In the Mid-Term Management Strategy (FY23.3–FY25.3), KDDI is promoting the Satellite Growth Strategy to strengthen the 5G-driven evolution of its telecommunications business and the expansion of focus areas centered around telecommunications.

Specifically, KDDI is especially focusing on following five areas: DX (digital transformation), Finance, Energy, LX (life transformation) and Regional Co-Creation. In particular, to promote DX, KDDI is assisting corporate customers in bringing telecommunication into everything through IoT to organize an environment in which customers can enjoy using 5G without being aware of its presence, and in providing business platforms that meet industry-specific needs to support customers in creating businesses.

In addition, KDDI places “sustainability management” that aims to achieve the sustainable growth of society and the enhancement of corporate value together with our partners at the core of the Mid-Term Management Strategy.

By harnessing the characteristics of 5G in order to bring about an evolution of the power to connect, KDDI is working toward an era of the creation of new value.

¹ Source: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/network-slicing-market-107303

▲ (From left to right) Kyeongin Jeong, Jaeyeon Song and Narendranath Durga Tangudu appointed vice chairs in 3GPP.

Samsung Electronics announced that three Samsung researchers have been elected vice chairs in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the world’s largest telecommunications standard development organization. Following the appointment, the company now holds a total of seven officials in 3GPP — two chairs and five vice chairs.

Since its establishment in 1998, 3GPP has united telecommunication companies and organizations around the world, including Samsung, Qualcomm, Apple, Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and more.

Newly-elected researcher Kyeongin Jeong from Samsung Research America, Samsung’s advanced research organization, has been appointed vice chair for 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 2 (RAN WG2). This group is responsible for developing the radio communication protocol standard between 5G handsets and base stations.

Additionally, Jaeyeon Song from Samsung Research and Narendranath Durga Tangudu from Samsung R&D Institute India-Bangalore have been re-elected as vice chairs following the successful completion of their two-year terms.

Jaeyeon Song will continue to serve as vice chair of 3GPP’s Service and System Aspects Working Group 4 (SA WG4), a group focused on advancing technology to support immersive media services, including video streaming and extended reality based on 5G. Narendranath Durga Tangudu will remain vice chair of 3GPP’s Core Network and Terminals Working Group 3 (CT WG3), a group focused on developing the open interface standards that expand 5G networks to third parties, including internet service providers.

In May 2023, Younsun Kim and Andrew Bennett of Samsung Research were appointed chairmen of 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 1 (RAN WG1) and Service and System Aspects Working Group 2 (SA WG2), respectively.

Through its established leadership in 3GPP, Samsung is set to be at the forefront of technological innovation across the entire telecommunications industry. Beyond the 5G-Advanced standard that is currently in development, Samsung has prepared a solid foundation for 6G, which will be created in cooperation with 3GPP member companies for commercialization around 2030.

The demands on uplink performance are increasing with the rise of live streaming, multi-player gaming and video conferences. Upload speeds determine how fast your device can send data to gaming servers or transmit high-resolution videos to the cloud. As more consumers seek to document and share their experiences with the world in real-time, enhanced uplink experiences provide an opportunity to use the network to improve how they map out their route home, check player stats online and upload videos and selfies to share with friends and followers.

While current smartphones and customer premise equipment (CPEs) can only support 2Tx antennas, this industry-first demonstration validated the enhanced mobile capability of 3Tx antenna support. This approach not only improves upload speeds but also enhances spectrum and data transmission efficiency, as well as overall network performance.

The test was conducted in Samsung’s lab, based in Suwon, Korea. Samsung provided its industry-leading 5G network solutions, including its C-Band Massive MIMO radios, virtualized Distributed Unit (vDU) and core. The MediaTek test device featuring its new M80-based CPE chipset began with one uplink channel apiece at 1,900MHz and 3.7GHz, but added an extra uplink flow using MIMO on 3.7GHz. Both companies achieved a peak throughput rate of 363Mbps, an uplink speed that is near theoretical peak using 3Tx antennas.

“We are excited to have successfully achieved this industry breakthrough with MediaTek, bringing greater efficiency and performance to consumer devices,” said Dongwoo Lee, Head of Technology Solution Group, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Faster uplink speeds bring new possibilities and have the potential to transform user experiences. This milestone further demonstrates our commitment to improving our customers’ networks using the most advanced technology available.”

“Enhancing uplink performance using groundbreaking tri-antenna and 5G UL infrastructure technologies will ensure next-generation 5G experiences continue to impress users globally,” said HC Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication System and Partnership at MediaTek. “Our collaboration with Samsung has proved our combined technical capabilities to overcome previous limits, enhancing network performance and efficiency, opening up new possibilities for service providers and consumers to enjoy faster and more reliable 5G data connectivity.”

“With demands on mobile networks rising, enhancing upload performance is essential to improving consumer and enterprise connectivity, as well as application experiences,” said Will Townsend, VP & Principal Analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. “Samsung and MediaTek have achieved an important 5G Standalone milestone in a demonstration which underscores a tangible network benefit and does so in a way that can help operators maximize efficiency.”

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 virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

This expanded private 5G network collaboration follows Samsung’s announcement with NAVER Cloud in 2022, when the companies launched a private 5G network at NAVER’s new headquarters to power autonomous mobile robots.

Wireless communication is an essential part of environments supporting highly mobile workers and machinery. Samsung and NAVER Cloud’s collaboration underlines 5G networks’ ability to significantly improve worksite operations and will include a variety of next-generation applications to enhance Hoban Construction’s workflow. New construction industry-specific 5G applications that will be utilized at the company’s worksite include:

• Drone-based high-resolution monitoring will provide live inspection videos, reducing the need for on-site visits and enabling issues to be detected earlier.
• IoT concrete strength sensors will support real-time monitoring of concrete temperature and strength, providing real-time, accurate information during the curing phase.
• Construction site management solutions will help keep track of construction progress and optimize project outcomes. They will allow workers both on- and off-site to track progress, view floor plans and share updates through visual dashboards.
• Smart safety jackets are equipped with gas detection sensors, 140-degree full HD cameras and safety buttons, creating a safer working environment by enabling potential safety risks to be detected earlier.
• Real-time CCTV video monitoring will help reduce on-site hazards and errors with 4K video streaming capabilities. With wireless transmission support, CCTV cameras can be easily installed throughout worksites.

These 5G applications will streamline communications for human-to-human, machine-to-machine and human-to-machine interactions, helping Hoban Construction improve on-site collaboration and allocate resources more effectively.

“We are excited to partner with Samsung and NAVER Cloud to deploy Korea’s first 5G private network in the construction sector,” said Kap Moon, Vice President of Management Division, Hoban Construction. “We look forward to using this advanced technology to enhance safety at our worksites, improve construction workflow and provide workers with real-time data to allocate resources and deliver better outcomes for our projects.”

“This collaboration with Samsung and Hoban Construction represents an exciting milestone in our efforts to bring 5G to various industries in Korea,” said Sang-young Han, Executive Director at NAVER Cloud Strategy and Planning. “As Korea’s first private 5G common carrier, we are confident that the benefits of private 5G networks will be transformative for the entire construction sector, and we look forward to showcasing these benefits to the wider industry.”

NAVER Cloud has a license for private 5G dedicated spectrum in Korea, making the private spectrum available to enterprises. NAVER Cloud is also leading the project, managing partnerships with the IT companies providing various solutions.

For this project, Samsung provided its outdoor radios, baseband units and advanced core solution — 5G Standalone Compact Core. These solutions support the mid-band (4.7GHz) spectrum dedicated to private 5G networks in Korea. Samsung’s 5G SA Compact Core is a “one box” solution that can run on a single server hardware, ideal for quick deployments and less complex operation.

“We are delighted to build on our collaboration with NAVER Cloud to bring new 5G innovations to Hoban Construction,” said Yong Chang, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our advanced network technology will help construction companies in expanding what’s possible, by bringing forth new tools and applications that will optimize their operations and improve safety on-site.”

Private 5G networks have the potential to transform and improve business operations in many industries by enabling new use cases for automation, productivity and safety.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung continues to drive the industry to advance 5G networks with a market-leading product portfolio ranging from RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

Established in 1998, 3GPP is dedicated to developing the global unified standard for mobile communications. 3GPP is comprised of companies and organizations around the world — including Samsung, Qualcomm, Apple, Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei and more.

Younsun Kim and Andrew Bennett from Samsung Research, Samsung’s advanced R&D hub, have been appointed as the Chairs of 3GPP’s Radio Access Network Working Group 1 (RAN WG1) and Service and System Aspects Working Group 2 (SA WG2), respectively.

Younsun Kim was first appointed as the Chair of RAN WG1 in May 2021, and has been entrusted with the role again after completing his two-year term. Andrew Bennett has been elected the Chair of SA WG2 after he served as the group’s vice chair during four years.

As RAN WG1 and SA WG2 are fundamental to 3GPP, the two chairs are expected to play an important role in developing standards for 5G-Advanced, the next version of 5G and preparation of the next generation of mobile communications (i.e., 6G). RAN WG1 is responsible for the development of technical specifications for the physical layer of radio access network. SA WG2 is responsible for 5G system architecture standards.

“The two researchers being appointed as the chairs of key 3GPP Working Groups is a reflection of Samsung’s discernible global leadership in developing mobile communications standards,” said Paul (Kyungwhoon) Cheun, CTO, Samsung Electronics. “Going forward, Samsung will proactively contribute to the standard development for 5G-Advanced, the next evolution of 5G technology and 6G.”

“3GPP is developing the standard for 5G-Advanced in order to further improve 5G technology. We’ll make an effort to make sure that the 5G-Advanced standard incorporates innovations that can have crucial impacts on consumers’ experiences,” Kim said.

“We’ll work together with 3GPP member companies for, not just the 5G-Advanced standard that is currently being developed, but also the preparation of 6G. We expect 6G discussion would start around the mid-2020s to provide 6G networks and devices fulfilling the demands of our society around 2030,” said Bennett.

This builds upon the two companies’ initial network collaboration, including Vodafone UK’s successful launch of the first 5G Open RAN site in Bath, U.K. in January 2022, using Samsung’s virtualized RAN (vRAN) solution. Vodafone and Samsung are proving stable performance and capacity in Vodafone UK’s commercial network, exceeding targeted performance level and power savings in its strategic Open RAN sites (also known as its ‘Golden Cluster’), located in Exmouth and Torquay, England.

“As we grow and scale our network, we are excited to jointly drive collaborative Open RAN innovation and continue our groundbreaking work together with Samsung,” said Santiago Tenorio, Director of Network Architecture for Vodafone. “We look forward to continue bringing fundamental improvements to our wide-scale next-generation network, to further accelerate our open network approach for 5G expansion across Europe.”

New Europe 5G Initiatives

Building on their collaborative advancements, the two companies continue to grow their Open RAN footprint in Europe. New developments and projects include:

• In the U.K.: The companies implemented Samsung’s O-RAN compliant Massive MIMO radios in Vodafone UK’s commercial network, efficiently expanding 5G coverage in the U.K. With this, Samsung’s 64T64R Massive MIMO radios are now successfully integrated with 5G vRAN, carrying commercial data traffic. Recently, the companies also completed a data call using Samsung’s vRAN and NEC’s Massive MIMO radio, demonstrating multi-vendor interoperability for Vodafone’s commercial network. This illustrates how Open RAN technology can enable multi-vendor integration of vRAN, not only with single-band radios but also with more complex Massive MIMO radios.
• In Germany: Vodafone will carry out comprehensive pilot projects for Open RAN using Samsung’s 2G/4G vRAN and O-RAN compliant radio solutions. In these commercial pilots announced in October 2022, Vodafone will use Samsung’s mature solutions — proven in large-scale commercial networks — to demonstrate outstanding performance, stability and reliability.
• In Spain: Samsung joined Vodafone’s testbed in Ciudad Real, which was created to benchmark mature RAN providers and compare performance across both traditional and Open RAN. Samsung will deploy its Massive MIMO radios and 4G/5G vRAN in CREATE (Ciudad Real España Advanced Testing Environment) to evaluate and verify their performance in Spain’s urban environment.

“Samsung’s virtualized Open RAN solutions are successfully running in Vodafone’s commercial network in the U.K., delivering performance on par with traditional mobile radio networks and providing Vodafone with an agile network on which to deploy new services and features,” said Thomas Riedel, Head of Samsung Networks Europe. “Vodafone has been a pioneer in the Open RAN space and they continue to break new grounds. We are excited to deepen our collaboration with Vodafone by extending our capabilities across Europe, and taking vRAN innovation to the next level.”

Continuing to claim deployment milestones, the two companies remain as strong partners in leading 5G Open vRAN innovation. Vodafone and Samsung are collaborating with other Open RAN leaders, to drive acceleration of Open RAN with wider diversity and multi-vendor, open architecture.

The evolution of mobile network technology has changed our lives gradually and dramatically. Such progress has seeped into our everyday lives and changed the way we communicate, spend our free time, and how we work.

Until the year 2010, communication was mostly voice and text-based. Over the past 13 years, we’ve seen consistent technology advancements from 4G to 5G and beyond, and we’re now able to enjoy ultra-high-definition, large-capacity multimedia content, anytime, anywhere.

Mobile network technology has redefined the cultural landscape of connections at all levels — between people to people, business to business and industry to industry.

Software Is at the Heart of Mobile Network Evolution, Moving Toward Virtualization

At Samsung, we have been focused on identifying the key technology that will drive mobile network transformation and we think the answer is software.

Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen once said, “software is eating the world.” Just like this famous phrase, global industries are being ‘eaten’ by software and this dynamic transition is called ‘virtualization’ in the network infrastructure world. Whereas hardware is the foundation for traditional networks, virtualization is all about shifting to software.

Virtualization lets you transform many hardware functions and features into software, allowing various services to run on a single hardware platform. Simply put, it works similar to downloading and regularly updating a range of apps on your smartphone.

vRAN Will Eat up the Network Infrastructure World

Samsung has been spearheading the shift toward network virtualization and openness. We introduced the first fully virtualized Radio Access Network also known as vRAN. Although vRAN currently accounts for just 3 percent¹ of the global RAN market, it is a pioneering technology that the industry is watching closely.

Samsung has been a forerunner in the innovative path to vRAN, proving our outstanding performance and wide-scale commercialization capabilities in the real-world, leading expansion in major 5G markets, including Asia, Europe and North America.

We supported the largest-scale commercial vRAN for the first time in the world with Verizon in 2020, and since then, have been providing stable and reliable 5G services to millions of customers. We also began our collaboration with DISH Wireless and Vodafone Group, actively expanding our vRAN footprint to new markets, including the U.K., Germany and beyond.

With the innovations that we are bringing to virtualization, we are creating the blueprint for next-generation networks. We are not only committed to advancing our technology, but more importantly, onboarding and growing the best software talents, which we believe is a central pillar to our achievements.

Samsung Networks Chipset: Packaging the Essence of Our Innovation and Technological Capabilities

The power of chipsets not only radiates through hardware-based networks, but also in software-centric virtualized architectures. While most functions and features are being turned into software, there are still integral parts of the network that remain as hardware. Therefore, the ability to pack advanced features into a tiny chipset is one of our invaluable asset.

Our competitive advantage stems from our unique combination of expertise in innovative software solutions and our comprehensive portfolio of hardware combined with our 5G network chipsets.

Samsung is the only major network vendor that has the capability to design, develop and manufacture 4G and 5G network chipsets in-house.

With the rising market demand for higher energy efficiency, as well as support for complex spectrum bands and reduced hardware footprint, there has been a stronger emphasis on chipset technologies.

Compared to previous generations, our latest 5G chipset reduces base station energy consumption by about 40 percent and antenna size by nearly half compared to previous products, and also includes support for multiple spectrum bands.

With a strong foundation built on over 40 years of experience in network technologies, we have managed to stay ahead of evolving market demands, introducing a compact and lightweight radio with high performance and energy efficiency.

Building a Better Tomorrow With Energy Savings Technology

The true value of innovation is not just about advancing technology, but it’s also about pursuing a better tomorrow. Ranging from software to AI and chipsets, sustainability has always been at the core of our product development strategy. Bringing our sustainability vision to life, we are introducing our newest energy saving features for vRAN at MWC this year.

As legendary hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said, “a good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”

As we continue along our exciting journey, Samsung will always think a step ahead, anticipating future needs of our customers. And, as a pioneer in the mobile network industry, Samsung will continue to drive this paradigm shift by jumpstarting the next wave of unforeseen innovation.

¹ Source: Dell’Oro (3Q, 2022)

“This milestone builds on our rich legacy in wireless communications technologies, following the introduction of the industry’s first commercial 4G LTE modem in 2009 and the industry’s first 5G modem in 2018,” said Min Goo Kim, Executive Vice President of CP (Communication Processor) Development at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung aims to take the lead in advancing hybrid terrestrial-NTN communications ecosystems around the world in preparation for the arrival of 6G.”

NTN is a communications technology that uses satellites and other non-terrestrial vehicles to bring connectivity to regions that were previously unreachable by terrestrial networks, whether over mountains, across deserts or in the middle of the ocean. It will also be critical in assuring operability in disaster areas and powering future urban air mobility (UAM) such as unmanned aircraft and flying cars.

By meeting the latest 5G NTN standards defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP Release 17), Samsung’s NTN technology will help ensure interoperability and scalability among services offered by global telecom carriers, mobile device makers and chip companies.

For highly reliable NTN communication with low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Samsung has developed and simulated 5G NTN standard-based satellite technology using its Exynos Modem 5300 reference platform to accurately predict satellite locations and minimize frequency offsets caused by the Doppler shift. Based on this technology, Samsung’s future Exynos modems will support two-way text messaging as well as high-definition image and video sharing.

Additionally, Samsung plans to secure a standardized NB-IoT NTN technology for use in its next-generation modem platforms. With integrated satellite connectivity, Samsung’s NB-IoT solutions will eliminate the need for a separate high-power wireless antenna chip inside smartphones, providing mobile device makers with much greater design flexibility.

“Samsung is a key player in the DISH Wireless Open RAN ecosystem, created in collaboration with additional Open RAN leaders like Dell, VMware, AWS and others,” said Marc Rouanne, EVP and Chief Network Officer, DISH Wireless. “Samsung’s 5G vRAN solutions and our shared innovation process allow DISH Wireless to continue the DISH 5G multi-vendor, open and interoperable cloud-native network buildout, as we progress to covering 70 percent of the U.S. population.”

▲ Deployment and testing of the Samsung-supported sites for the DISH 5G network is underway.

Since the announcement of their multi-year agreement in May 2022, DISH Wireless and Samsung advanced their collaboration — progressing from field tests to successfully activating the first live Samsung sites within the DISH Wireless 5G network. For this rollout, Samsung provided its comprehensive portfolio of 5G solutions, including its virtualized distributed unit (vDU), virtualized central unit (vCU) and Open RAN-compliant 5G radios, which support the DISH spectrum bands. Samsung also built new dual-band and tri-band Open RAN-compliant radios specific for this deployment.

“DISH Wireless is an innovator in mobile technologies and we are thrilled to reach new heights of connectivity together, validating the immense potential that virtualization and openness can bring to the industry,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “This milestone advances the wide-scale deployment of Samsung’s vRAN in the U.S. and we look forward to continuing our work with DISH Wireless to accelerate 5G expansion and lead the delivery of next-generation connectivity across the country.”

DISH Wireless and Samsung will continue to innovate within the DISH Open RAN architecture to provide their customers with reliable fast service and set the stage for DISH Wireless to offer enterprises a broad range of new services and enhanced capabilities.

About DISH Wireless

DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation, is changing the way the world communicates with America’s First Smart Network. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation’s first virtualized, O-RAN 5G broadband network, and is inclusive of the Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile wireless brands. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.

¹ 24,000 delivered as of 12/31/2022

Samsung’s 5G Core solution supports both 4G and 5G networks, offering seamless migration from 4G to 5G. The company’s 5G Core is also designed with critical features to ensure the stability and reliability of the network such as an overload control feature to counteract sudden traffic spikes as well as geo-redundancy support. For geographic redundant deployment, Samsung and KDDI are operating multiple cores in various locations, with each core dimensioned to pick up loads in case one of the active cores becomes unavailable due to traffic bursts or natural disasters.

“We strive to provide the best mobile experiences to our customers through network innovation and our advanced 5G SA network will offer immense capabilities,” said Toshikazu Yokai, Managing Executive Officer, General Manager of Mobile Network Technical Development Division at KDDI. “With Samsung’s 5G SA Core, we will offer unprecedented speed, instantaneous connectivity and high reliability which could bring numerous new experience value for consumers and enterprises. We look forward to continue advancing 5G networks to stay ahead of our customers’ needs.”

“KDDI has been at the forefront of opening up the next frontier of 5G services and we are proud to see our long-term collaboration deepen with new opportunities as we drive continuous innovation and realize technology vision together,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with KDDI to reshape the 5G services landscape in Japan and achieving new 5G milestones.”

The standalone architecture will enable KDDI to create an independent 5G network, enabling lower latency capabilities that are essential to high-performance use cases such as smart factories, automated vehicles, cloud-based online gaming and multi-camera live streaming at sporting events.

Samsung’s 5G Core will also enable KDDI to optimize network slicing — a feature that requires a full 5G SA Core. Network slicing divides a single physical network infrastructure into multiple virtual slices, where each slice is dedicated for a specific user case or application. With this feature, a single network can dynamically support multiple 5G use cases and applications at once, accelerating the delivery of new services and meeting the tailored demands of enterprises and consumers. For instance, operators can create a low latency slice for automated vehicles, an IoT slice for smart factories and a high bandwidth slice for live video streaming — all within the same network.

With the deployment of 5G SA Core, Samsung is providing a wide portfolio of its 5G solutions to KDDI — ranging from RAN to Core. In their collaboration, Samsung has been providing its 5G network solutions which support the operator’s low-, mid- and mmWave spectrum bands — including Massive MIMO radios.

For more than a decade, the two companies have been working together, hitting major 5G networks milestones including KDDI’s selection of Samsung as a 5G network solutions provider and 5G network rollout on 700MHz. Recently, KDDI and Samsung announced the industry’s first demonstration of Service Level Agreements (SLA) assurance network slicing using a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) on a live 5G SA network and the initiation of the commercial deployment of Open virtualized RAN (vRAN) sites in Osaka, which is also the world’s first commercial MU-MIMO implementation with O-RAN compliant multivendor interoperability.

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 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.

Samsung 5G RAN products to be provided include radios for CBRS and 600MHz, baseband units, and a newly developed 5G CBRS Strand Small Cell that can be deployed on Comcast’s aerial cable lines (i.e. strand). Using the new compact and lightweight small cell product, cable operators like Comcast can more easily and cost-effectively provide 5G cellular connectivity by leveraging their existing DOCSIS infrastructure without having to build or acquire additional cell sites.

“Our capital-light approach to providing enhanced 5G connectivity in service areas where we have a high concentration of traffic and cable infrastructure is smart for our business and even better for customers who will benefit from broader coverage and industry-leading speeds and prices,” said Tom Nagel, SVP of Wireless Strategy at Comcast. “Partnering with Samsung and leveraging their leadership in 5G network innovation will help us seamlessly deliver more next-generation applications and services to our consumer and business mobile customers.”

“We are excited to collaborate with Comcast on their journey to deliver the most enhanced 5G experiences available to their customers,” said Mark Louison, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America. “With this partnership, Samsung continues to build on its wireless technology leadership in commercial 5G rollouts. We look forward to helping Comcast advance its goals in delivering best-in-class 5G mobile services for their Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business customers.”

As the demand for reliable Internet access inside and outside of the home and office rapidly increases, Comcast’s mid-band (CBRS) and low-band (600MHz) spectrum enable the company to supplement its existing Xfinity WiFi network and cellular network partnership with additional 5G coverage in certain high-traffic areas within its service areas. Comcast and Samsung are conducting field trials of their new 5G network solution and are currently expanding these trials to include Comcast employee testing.

Xfinity Mobile and Comcast Business Mobile services are built for the way people use mobile today, with the Internet at the core of the experience. Calls and texts are free, and customers can experience the freedom of paying by the gig at $15 for 1GB, $30 for 3GB, or $60 for 10GB, or by going unlimited at $45 for one line or $30/line for two to four lines — some of the most competitive pricing on the market. Customers can switch between payment options at any time for any line on their account. For complete pricing and availability details, please visit Xfinity Mobile or Comcast Business Mobile.

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 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.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on connectivity, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

“Private 5G networks will enable progressive changes across all industry verticals. Applications like digital twins, autonomous vehicles, AI and AR are only a glimpse of the plethora of use cases Samsung’s 5G can bring to life,” said Yong Chang, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung understands the unique needs of enterprises and is capable of delivering optimized network experiences. We are excited to help drive the private 5G ecosystem in Korea.”

Samsung will provide its advanced private 5G network solutions to an array of entities in the public and private sectors — including energy, safety, water resource management, medical services and medical education.

In the public sector, Samsung will collaborate with three major government agencies to help them ensure workplace safety and efficiency by applying smart, AI-enabled connectivity solutions:

• Korea Electric Power Corporation, the largest electric utility in Korea, plans to deploy smart grid technologies and build digital twins to enhance safety and efficiency in the workplace. A digital twin technology is a virtual replica of an electrical substation, and will help with remote monitoring and inspection around the entire premises. This not only saves time and resources spent on actual site inspections but also enables real-time monitoring on the safe working environment of the employees. 5G-powered wearable cameras and autonomous robots will also boost control and monitoring capabilities at various sites.

• Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, a government agency that manages and supports industrial complexes, will deploy a 5G-driven digital safety platform at various work sites. Samsung will help them build a robust, AI-based smart monitoring system for detection of fire hazards and any other security risks or emergencies in real-time.

• Korea Water Resources Corporation, a government agency for comprehensive water resource management, will build digital twins — virtual models of real-world river basins — to precisely visualize water flow and predict water-related hazards such as flood damages. Also, the digital twins of water purification plants will provide accurate AI-based simulations of the water purification process, improving accuracy in water management and predictive capabilities.

In the private sector, Samsung will also work with two of the largest and most technologically advanced hospitals in Korea, to implement enhanced medical services and immersive use cases, transforming the healthcare industry:

• Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital will introduce smart medical services, such as a 3D rendering of computed tomography (CT), rapid reconstruction of medical images and real-time, long-distance surgical collaboration using virtual interaction.

• Samsung Medical Center will leverage 5G to enhance its medical education program. Some examples will include remote training using AR glasses, virtual simulation of live surgical conditions and live-streaming of 360-degree recordings of surgical operation.

For private 5G network expansion in Korea, Samsung will deliver its advanced private 5G network solutions, including Compact Macro, Compact Core and radios supporting 4.7GHz and 28GHz bands. This new project follows Samsung’s recent deployment of Korea’s first private 5G network at Naver’s new headquarters.

Samsung’s private 5G radios are capable of delivering improved uplink performance with optimized uplink feature, which can increase the ratio of network uploads to up to 40 percent. This latest feature is designed to help enterprises upload vast amounts of data across numerous devices simultaneously, which is required in many private networks.

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.

NAVER Cloud operates the global IT infrastructure and enterprise solution services for NAVER and its subsidiaries while providing its public cloud services, NAVER Cloud Platform, to a myriad of companies and organizations in diverse industries.

Samsung Electronics and NAVER Cloud signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in March 2022 for a private 5G network collaboration. The companies will continue working together to develop new business models and use cases to expand private 5G networks globally, helping support the buildout of secure and dedicated networks for enterprises using Samsung’s private 5G network solutions and NAVER’s cloud technology.

“NAVER’s new headquarters serves as a test bed to explore technologies of the future, where 5G network and cloud play a central role,” said Sangyoung Han, Executive Director at NAVER Cloud Strategy and Planning at NAVER Cloud. “Together with Samsung, we will continue to develop new private 5G networks business models and cooperate to help more companies achieve digital transformation with cloud technology.”

Private 5G Network Enables Cloud-Based Autonomous Mobile Robots

NAVER’s autonomous mobile robot services leverage both NAVER and Samsung’s technologies to introduce a private 5G use case, bringing immediate benefits within the building. Serving as assistants for employees, the robots provide convenience services such as delivering packages, coffee and lunch boxes to employees throughout the building. There are 40 robots moving around three floors within the 1784 headquarters, with plans to expand to hundreds of robots traveling around the entire 36-floor building this year.

The cloud acts as a shared brain for the robot, named “Rookie,” instead of a built-in chipset. Samsung’s private 5G network plays the role of a neural network that connects the robots and the cloud, enabling the cloud to control and support tens of thousands of robots in real-time and allowing them to be smarter together. In addition, advanced technologies such as digital twin, 3D/HD mapping and AI are applied to help robots learn to find their way inside the building by creating a virtual space that replicates the real world.

The Private 5G Network Solutions

Private 5G solutions are necessary to support enterprises like NAVER that require secure and reliable communications for data-intensive mobile applications. The commercial private 5G solutions powering NAVER’s application includes Samsung’s Compact Core and 5G radios supporting 4.7GHz and 28GHz spectrums, which are dedicated for private 5G network in Korea. The private 5G radios from Samsung include an optimized uplink allocation feature, with an allocation ratio of up to 40 percent. This latest feature, which nearly doubles the upload capabilities of today’s commercial 5G radios, is designed to help enterprises upload vast amounts of data across many people and machines simultaneously, which is required in many private networks. Additionally, the new radios help enterprises with optimal frequency use by leveraging New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) technology, allowing devices or end users to connect to mid-band and mmWave frequencies simultaneously.

“Our collaboration with NAVER highlights how we creatively drive business innovation by future technology convergence. We are thrilled to work with NAVER to successfully realize our vision with private 5G network solutions,” said Yong Chang, Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will continue to work with public institutions and enterprises to deliver diverse use cases for transportation systems, hospitals, schools, SOC facilities and more.”

Samsung Networks Business 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.

¹ With a total floor area of 165,000 square meters, the 1784 headquarters based in Korea can accommodate over 5,000 people.

“Samsung’s 5G solutions will play an integral role in our network expansion, giving us the flexibility to deploy our cloud-native network with software-based solutions that support advanced services and operational scalability,” said John Swieringa, president and chief operating officer, DISH Wireless. “We look forward to working with Samsung, whose industry leadership in vRAN and O-RAN innovation will help support our vision of delivering open, interoperable cloud-based 5G services to consumers and enterprises across the U.S.”

“Samsung is excited to join this 5G journey with DISH, a pioneer in bringing new experiences to households and businesses around the country, leveraging openness and virtualization that sit at the heart of network evolution,” said Mark Louison, executive vice president and head of the Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America. “Our advanced 5G vRAN and radio solutions bring telco-grade quality and cloud-based agility together, building on these benefits to enable more customers to experience the full value of commercial 5G Open RAN.”

Samsung Networks Business will supply DISH Wireless with its 5G and RAN solutions, vRAN software and a variety of O-RAN compliant radio units, including Massive MIMO radios. Samsung’s vRAN can operate on any commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) server, while still delivering performance on par with traditional hardware-based equipment. With its cloud-native architecture, DISH Wireless’ Open RAN deployment is based on open interfaces, allowing for multi-vendor interoperability and various deployment scenarios. The Samsung radios will also support all of DISH’s Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum bands (including n71, n29, n66, n70, n48 and n77).¹

Samsung and DISH 5G Network Collaboration

Handsets and Devices

DISH and Samsung’s collaboration will extend to retail wireless customers, providing them with leading-edge 5G devices, connecting customers to DISH Wireless’ SMART 5G network.

“Our work with DISH Wireless is bringing many of Samsung’s innovative mobile products and services to even more customers on the DISH network,” said Jude Buckley, executive vice president of the Mobile Business, Samsung Electronics America. “We are excited to continue to work together to bring Samsung’s powerful mobile products and services, which are compatible with the DISH network, to more customers.”

“Together, we’ll create solutions to bring DISH Wireless’ smart network to life for retail and enterprise customers, enhancing their productivity, enriching their connection to people and smart technology, improving their business operations and giving our customers control over their 5G services,” said Stephen Bye, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, DISH Wireless.

DISH is currently testing its 5G network using the Samsung Galaxy S22, and plans to continue using Samsung phones as a reference platform throughout the network deployment process.

About DISH
DISH Network Corporation is a connectivity company. Since 1980, it has served as a disruptive force, driving innovation and value on behalf of consumers. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides television entertainment and award-winning technology to millions of customers with its satellite DISH TV and streaming SLING TV services. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. DISH continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation’s first virtualized, O-RAN 5G broadband network. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is a Fortune 200 company.

¹ n71 (600MHz), n29 (700MHz), n66 (AWS: 1.7GHz/2.1GHz), n70 (AWS: 1.7GHz/1.9GHz), n48 (CBRS: 3.55GHz-3.7GHz), n77 (C-Band: 3.7GHz-3.98GHz)

Field trials were jointly carried out on the sites — located in Tamworth and the Peak District, England — since the start of this year. They followed successful lab tests conducted in October 2021, validating the capability and performance of Samsung’s 4G and 5G solutions on Virgin Media O2’s commercial network.

In addition, these field tests demonstrated interoperability between Virgin Media O2’s 2G/3G/4G networks and Samsung’s latest 4G and 5G solutions, and validated use of Samsung’s Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) capabilities, should they be required.

Samsung provided its latest network solutions for trials — including 4G radios, 5G Massive MIMO radios and baseband units. The solutions cover a wide range of Virgin Media O2’s spectrum holdings, from low- to mid-band (800MHz, 2.1GHz and 3.5GHz). Specifically, Samsung delivered its 5G 64T64R Massive MIMO radios for the 3.5GHz spectrum, a major 5G spectrum band for the operator’s network.

Samsung’s 5G 64T64R Massive MIMO radios are commercially deployed on a large scale in global markets, currently providing mobile service to millions of customers. This solution, in combination with Samsung’s baseband unit, will deliver improved coverage and higher data capacity to enhance 5G customer mobile experiences.

The Samsung radio solution used for this trial can also be O-RAN compliant with some configuration changes and additional support, making it ready to leverage the multiple benefits of the new technology in the future.

“Samsung is excited to extend our network collaboration with Virgin Media O2 in the U.K., advancing from lab trials to now delivering 4G and 5G in commercial networks out in the field,” said Francis BJ Chun, President and CEO, Samsung Electronics U.K. “We look forward to playing a major part of the diversification of the network equipment supply chain in the U.K. market.”

“We are pleased to build on our previous collaboration with Samsung, delivering another 5G milestone in our push to developing Open RAN technologies,” said Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2. “We will continue our collaborative efforts with Samsung to explore the possibilities of 5G and push the technology further to deliver superior end-user experiences for our customers.”

Open RAN technology has been at the forefront of Virgin Media O2’s network infrastructure strategy for over two years, with its first trials announced in early 2020.

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.

The CTO’s Choice Award is selected by a panel of industry experts comprised of 21 CTOs from leading mobile network operators around the globe. Chosen among the six winners in the Best Mobile Technology category — recognizing distinguished leaders in networks and technology — this is the highest recognition at the prestigious industry awards and a top honor in the global telco industry.

“We are honored that Samsung Networks’ fully-virtualized 5G RAN was recognized as the supreme champion with the CTO’s Choice Award, representing our dedicated efforts in network advancement,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung believes vRAN is a powerful enabler for network transformation and will pave the path towards next-generation networks. As a global leader in virtualization with successful commercialization experiences, we continue to lead the journey, redefining what is possible for 5G network innovation.”

“In one of the most fiercely contested categories in the GLOMOs, the judges felt that the Samsung entry showed innovation in one of the most exciting parts of the market,” said Shaun Collins, Chair of the Judges, GLOMO Awards (Executive Chairman, CCS Insight). “It was clear the 21 carrier CTOs also thought that and selected Samsung’s entry for the prestigious CTO Choice Award this year.”

This award is backed by Samsung’s commercial track record of vRAN deployments in wide-scale in North America, Europe and Asia. Samsung delivered its 5G vRAN solutions for a large-scale commercial network service in the United States that launched in December 2020, providing reliable mobile services to millions of users. The company was also the world’s first in commercializing 5G 64T64R Massive MIMO radios on 5G vRAN using C-band spectrum (3.5GHz).

With a fully disaggregated architecture, Samsung’s vRAN runs on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers, offering features and performance that are equivalent to traditional hardware-based equipment. The company’s vRAN brings reliability, scalability and flexibility to mobile operators’ networks.

For detailed information on Samsung’s vRAN and Open RAN leadership, please refer to the recent announcement.

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.

In June 2021, the companies announced that Vodafone UK selected Samsung as a leading vendor to support a wide-scale 5G commercial deployment based on an Open RAN architecture powered by vRAN in Europe.

“Open RAN can radically evolve the telecoms industry, and we are excited to champion the technology in the UK,” said Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone UK. “This is an ecosystem which is only a few years old but the progress we have made so far is quite remarkable. Not only have we begun the first scaled deployment in the UK, but we have also installed the first 5G Open RAN site. Open RAN is now a real-world technology and it is truly exciting to see this technology flourish.”

“Samsung is proud to collaborate with Vodafone UK to switch on the UK’s first 5G Open RAN site,” said Thomas Riedel, Head of Samsung Networks Europe at Samsung Electronics. “This will help deliver the benefits of our carrier-grade 5G vRAN solutions to millions of Vodafone UK customers. Through our accumulated commercial 5G vRAN experience with leading operators across major markets globally, we look forward to pushing the boundaries of technological innovation and supporting the 5G journey across Europe.”

In the coming months, Vodafone and Samsung will be testing Samsung vRAN’s telco-grade performance metrics and features, such as security, inter-Radio Access Technology (inter-RAT) mobility and inter-frequency handover, as well as ensuring compliance with Open RAN specifications. Samsung’s fully virtualized, software-based RAN runs on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) servers, offering features and performance that are equivalent to traditional hardware-based equipment. Using a cloud-native and container-based architecture, the company’s vRAN enables more flexible deployments and network management efficiencies for mobile operators, while helping them meet the demands of deploying new and existing services.

The companies will also test other advanced network technologies that leverage both LTE and 5G technologies to help enhance mobile user experiences. This includes Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which assigns time-frequency resources based on traffic demands to accommodate users of both LTE and 5G in the same frequency band, and E-UTRAN New Radio Dual Connectivity (EN-DC), which boosts 5G speeds, reliability and coverage by combining the resources of 4G and 5G networks. Testing will occur in the first half of 2022.

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.

As one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators, Orange provides mobile services to 222 million users in 26 countries including Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The group plans to deploy O-RAN Alliance-compliant base stations starting with indoor and rural configurations and expand to new deployments in the coming years.

“Open RAN is a major evolution of radio access that requires deeper cooperation within the industry. With our European peers, we want to accelerate the development of Open RAN solutions that meet our needs. After the publication of common specifications, Orange’s Open RAN Integration Center will support the development and tuning of solutions from a broad variety of actors,” said Arnaud Vamparys, Senior Vice President of Radio Access Networks and Microwaves at Orange.

Samsung’s vRAN solutions can help ensure more network flexibility, greater scalability and resource efficiency for network operation by replacing dedicated baseband hardware with software elements. Additionally, Samsung’s vRAN supports both low and mid-band spectrums, as well as indoor and outdoor solutions. Samsung is the only major network vendor that has conducted vRAN commercial deployments with Tier one operators in North America, Europe and Asia.

“We are pleased to participate in Orange’s innovative laboratory,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through this collaboration, we look forward to taking networks to new heights in the European market, enabling operators to offer more immersive mobile services to their users.”

By opening its Open RAN Integration Center in Châtillon, near Paris, Orange will enable the testing and deployment of networks capable of operating with innovative technologies, which will serve as the backbone of the operator’s future networks. At the center, Samsung and Orange will conduct trials to verify capabilities and performance of Samsung’s vRAN, radio and Massive MIMO radio.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end infrastructure 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.

To power immersive mobile experiences in 5G, Samsung has introduced advanced 5G solutions that include new baseband units and radios. Among these 5G radios, Massive Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) radios are one of the most attractive options for mobile operators looking to deploy or enhance their 5G networks. The massive MIMO radio is a breakthrough solution that is equipped with a lot of antennas for better coverage and more capacity than a radio. As 5G networks continue to expand around the world using mid-band spectrum, 5G Massive MIMO radios with hundreds of antennas are commonly deployed in the market to help handle the growth in mobile data traffic.

To develop these powerful 5G Massive MIMO radios, numerous tests must be conducted to inspect the products for performance and reliability. One of the tests is conducted at a special facility called an anechoic chamber. Samsung Electronics has several anechoic chambers that are used to analyze and test the antenna performance of its radios. Recently, the company opened a large anechoic chamber at its Digital City campus in Suwon, Korea in order to enhance its ability to introduce more advanced and compelling 5G solutions to its customers.

Testing in Anechoic Chambers

The term “anechoic” comes from “an-echoic”, meaning non-echoing or non-reflective in Greek. As its name suggests, this room can emulate a non-reflective environment by using special walls and ceiling and floor designs to completely absorb all reflected electromagnetic waves. This is extremely important since even a small electromagnetic wave can disrupt an accurate antenna measurement. The interior walls are built with a number of absorbers that have a pyramid shape and help to minimize interference in the shielded room. This concept is very similar to how a stealth aircraft evades radar detection by absorbing and scattering radar signals.

The chamber’s interior is also equipped with a parabolic reflector. This reflector is used to collect radio waves from a generator and re-project the waves to the 5G radios placed inside the chamber. By collecting and re-projecting the waves at different angles, the parabolic reflector can simulate long distances, making it seem as though the 5G radio were transmitting radio waves to a mobile device from a far-off location. While the size of the chamber is relative to the simulated distance, Samsung’s chambers can simulate a distance of as much as hundreds of kilometers, creating what is called a “far field condition”. To measure the accuracy of radio performance, the size of the chamber is critical.

The newly added non-reflective chamber in Samsung’s Digital City is the size of a basketball court. Beneath the reflector, the engineer looks as small as an insect!

Samsung’s anechoic chambers are also able to cover a wide range of spectrum across low, mid and high-bands. This is especially useful in evaluating 5G radio performance since 5G spans various spectrum bands. Specifically, Samsung’s facilities have the ability to test mmWave antennas, which power high-capacity 5G mobile services. The mmWave spectrum is not used in 4G technology but is crucial to supporting immersive 5G use cases due to its wide-bandwidth.

By enabling tests to be conducted using a range of spectrum, the data sets collected in this way will help Samsung’s engineers verify and analyze a very high number of radio patterns. Based on the findings, engineers are able to refine and improve 5G radio performance to deliver best-in-class solutions for mobile services.

“We are extending our capabilities by developing powerful 5G solutions with the newly added anechoic chamber,” said Seunghwan Yoon, Vice President and Head of the RF Lab at Samsung Electronics’ Networks Business. “With vigorous quality control and verification processes, we look forward to bringing the full benefits of cutting-edge 5G solutions to more users for immersive mobile experiences.”

Better, More Powerful and Reliable 5G Solutions

The establishment of anechoic chambers is part of Samsung’s ongoing efforts to provide superior, reliable 5G solutions that deliver ultra-fast connectivity to users. These chambers help Samsung develop innovative antenna systems tailored to advanced 5G solutions in a wide array of spectrum bands. By leveraging a range of tools and facilities like anechoic chambers, Samsung looks forward to delivering leading-edge 5G solutions that offer consumers and enterprises around the globe new and immersive mobile experiences.

With the growing interest in private networks, Samsung explores how enterprises can successfully deploy private 5G networks to meet business goals and service demands. The whitepaper outlines various architectural options for building private networks that enable 5G services — such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low Latency Communications (URLLC) and Massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC) — which can bring new innovation to a range of sectors rapidly transitioning to Industry 4.0.

The paper spotlights Samsung’s complete set of private 5G network solutions, which enable enterprises to simplify network deployment and operation. With a portfolio and capability to build highly reliable private 5G networks, Samsung offers solutions for small, medium to large-scale enterprises. Its comprehensive set of end-to-end private 5G network solutions include Radio Access Network (RAN), cores of all scale, intuitive management systems, AI/ML based analytics solutions and applications for a variety of services. Specifically, its RAN portfolio — covering low, mid and high frequency bands—consists of baseband, radios including Massive MIMO, mmWave and small cell, fit for various business environments.

The company’s solutions are designed to satisfy the high demands private networks face in ensuring the highest levels of performance and reliability as well as low latency — which are required to power advanced use cases such as remote factory monitoring, virtual education, AR/VR, drones and autonomous vehicles.

For more details on Private 5G Network architecture, features and Samsung’s end-to-end private 5G network solutions, please refer to the new whitepaper: Private Networks Vol.2 Architectures and Features for Industrial Scenarios. For additional information on Samsung’s configuration options for its private 5G network solutions, please refer to the first edition: Private Networks Vol.1 Transforming Private Networks with Samsung 5G.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end infrastructure 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.

Samsung and Ciena will collaborate to offer hardware and software solutions to telecom operators, enabling them to support the increasing volume of 5G data traffic at the edge and within an increasingly distributed 5G architecture.

“As 5G proliferates, immersive services like AR/VR and HD video streaming are becoming the center of our daily mobile lives. In order to deliver more powerful 5G services, the current network architecture needs to evolve,” said Wonil Roh, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s ability to couple our best-in-class 5G solutions with a leader in transport technologies like Ciena will give customers a solution to address this need, and do so with the confidence to scale and evolve their networks to support the future of 5G.”

Combining Samsung’s 5G RAN and Core with Ciena’s xHaul Routing and Switching portfolio and next-generation Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller will give customers an optimized offer that takes full advantage of 5G services, while providing efficient ways to manage massive data across networks and to the cloud. This will help accelerate the deployment of advanced applications enhanced by 5G, such as network slicing, IoT and automation through AI. The combined offer will deliver a validated solution, providing more compatible, faster and simplified implementations of 5G networks.

“Together with Samsung, we’re fueling the next generation of mobile connectivity to unleash the full potential of 5G,” said Matt Cook, Vice President, Global Partner Organization, Ciena. “As both companies are leading innovators in our respective spaces with strong customer bases for these portfolios, this powerful collaboration leverages our collective leadership to create best-in-breed 5G networks that are open, scalable and adaptive.”

The combined offer will comprise an end-to-end solution set including Ciena’s xHaul Routing and Switching portfolio and next-generation MCP domain controller, and Samsung’s Core and RAN portfolio, including virtualized RAN (vRAN) solutions, baseband units and radios. The resulting solution set is available immediately.

Samsung has pioneered a successful delivery of 5G solutions which include 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.

Ciena is an industry leader in coherent optical, routing and switching and analytics-driven automation. The company’s innovations underpin many of the world’s largest mobile backhaul networks, including the world’s largest mobile network operators.

About Ciena

Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a networking systems, services and software company. We provide solutions that help our clients create the Adaptive Network in response to the constantly changing demands of their users. By delivering best-in-class networking technology through high-touch consultative relationships, we build the world’s most agile networks with automation, openness and scale. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.

In this relay series, Samsung Newsroom is introducing tech experts from Samsung’s R&D centers around the globe to hear more about the work they do and the ways in which it is directly improving the lives of consumers.

The fifth expert interviewed for the series is Ratnakar Rao V R, who heads the Beyond 5G Team at Samsung R&D Institute India – Bangalore (SRI-B). Rao is soon to complete a decade at SRI-B, and the bulk of his experience has been in the research and development of wireless communication technologies like 4G and 5G. Check out the interview below to find out more about the promising technologies Rao and his team have been working on.

Q: Advanced system software plays a crucial role in activating all kinds of technologies developed to provide better user experiences. How has research into applied AI been factoring into your work within the communications field?

Traditionally, all cellular communication systems were implemented using mathematical models and were strictly rule-based. However, this is now changing in the 5G era due to a few key factors.

Firstly, since a single network has to cater to a number of diverse use cases simultaneously, such systems cannot operate to the best of their capabilities if implemented based only on traditional modeling. Secondly, advances in computation algorithms and processor architectures are making it easier to run AI and machine learning models on a wider range of devices. Thirdly, wireless networks are being virtualized and are getting split into micro-services that run in the cloud. On-Device AI capabilities are also being added to wireless terminals. From 5G onwards, networks will be closely integrated with applications, making it necessary for them to be more contextually aware of users and applications in order to deliver personalized network experiences to all.

All these factors enable and necessitate broader use of AI and machine learning in next-generation wireless networks and terminals.

Q: Can you please briefly introduce SRI-B and the kind of work that goes on there?

The Samsung R&D Institute in Bangalore (SRI-B) has established five Centers of Excellence (CoEs) with the focus areas of Communication, Camera and Multimedia, On-Device AI, IoT and Services. SRI-B has experience executing projects from the research to market stage in each of these areas, and makes impactful contributions to Samsung product lines on the backs of these CoEs every year.

At the Communication CoE, SRI-B has dedicated teams working on mobile terminals, network RAN/core development and wireless standards. Strong synergy between these teams has resulted in the establishment of end-to-end domain expertise. In addition to this, we have recently seeded advanced communication research in a bid to make impactful contributions to Beyond 5G and 6G evolution.

Q: What kind of communication-related work are you and your team engaged in now?

Firstly, our team specializes in radio, data networking protocols and embedded modem system software. We craft the 5G radio experience for different markets around the world. Our team is engaged in the product development of 5G mobile terminals for a range of world-wide markets.

Secondly, we are engaged in advanced research and development surrounding communication protocols. Some of this work makes it into Samsung products as differentiating features and solutions. The rest of our work is aimed at creating standards and implementation IP (intellectual property) pertaining to Beyond 5G and 6G systems.

Q: How do you expect the Beyond 5G era to change the way users interact with technology in their day-to-day lives?

The early launches of non-standalone 5G have unlocked a lot of hitherto unused spectrum in mid and high bands and also enabled the re-farming of the existing 4G spectrum for use with 5G. Thus, the transition to a very high-capacity communication system is underway.

This massive addition of capacity will enable more users to connect more devices to the internet and bring the benefits of connectivity to the masses who live in rural areas. For regular users, these benefits will be evident in terms of very high-resolution streaming, faster downloads and uploads and real-time interactive gaming. They will also see mixed-reality experiences in video streaming and video calls.

The subsequent enhancements to 5G in the coming years will unlock consumer infotainment and a lot of other use cases. For example, the low-power, low-bandwidth features of IoT devices will help public services, the agricultural industry and factories automate for better efficiency. Likewise, satellite-based 5G will provide ubiquitous coverage all over the globe. The highly reliable, low-latency optimizations applied to 5G networks will also enable better remote delivery of services like healthcare and education.

Q: Which of SRI-B’s achievements in the communications field are you most proud of?

We at SRI-B are proud to have played a critical role in the launch of the world’s first 3G, 4G and 5G smartphones. Recently, SRI-B has enabled standalone 5G and 5G carrier aggregation in mobile terminals for commercial use, developed 4G and 5G network software and helped establish MC-PTT (Mission Critical Push to Talk) capabilities.

SRI-B has also been an IP powerhouse for several years. Every year, a number of IPs are created by SRI-B engineers from across the various domains. We have created more than 200 implementation IPs in the area of wireless communication, and more than 100 standard essential IPs in the areas of 4G and 5G.

Q: How does collaborating with other institutes like Samsung Research America, Samsung R&D Institute UK and Samsung Research in Korea complement your work and research capabilities?

We have worked closely with Samsung Research on early technology development and realization of 5G, and are now collaborating on nascent 6G technology development. I strongly believe that a lot of potentials can be unlocked by further collaboration between SRI-B and the teams at Samsung Research America and Samsung R&D Institute UK.

SRI-B has a very large pool of communication engineers, including innovators and domain experts. It is therefore possible to build high-quality teams and execute research promptly. We are actively exploring these possibilities by interacting with R&D leaders at global research centers to enable breakthrough innovations.

Q: How are AI and machine learning being applied to Beyond 5G and 6G wireless communication technology? How do you expect these technology combinations to evolve going forward?

It is widely agreed that AI and machine learning will have a significant influence on network management and radio resource management for Beyond 5G and 6G networks. We envisage AI and machine learning applications being present in block-level AI, procedural AI and system software AI, and are actively researching along these lines.

• • Block-level AI: A specific block in the terminal or network could be added with AI/machine learning without impacting the rest of the system, resulting in performance improvements and/or computation savings. For example, a channel decoder could decide to terminate the decoder iterations early if it is able to predict whether the block decoding will eventually pass or fail.
  • Procedural AI: This is where at least two entities in the end-to-end system exchange information to enable accurate use of AI and machine learning techniques. For example, meta-data needs to be exchanged between the terminal and network for an auto encoder or decoder to work within a margin of error. Another example is mobility management for terminals.
  • System software AI: Most entities in next-gen communication systems will have to operate in several modes. The embedded system software should be able to scale up or scale down system resources very dynamically. AI-assisted embedded system software is expected to learn context-specific requirements and adapt accordingly.

Q: You are a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). What kind of activities are you involved with in this role? How does your position in the IEEE inform your other work?

In this role, I deliver invited lectures and talks on various technology topics for the student communities and teach fraternities at regional engineering colleges. The role has also enabled me to seed new study items internally, allowing us to initiate new collaborations with student communities and faculties from reputed universities.

The aim is to influence as many people as possible to improve their domain expertise and pursue advanced research in the communications field. I also represent Samsung in various talks and discussions with industry, government and academia. My interactions help me stay in touch with the latest trends in various areas adjacent to my area of expertise.

I also encourage my team members to publish their results in outstanding conferences and journals. This year and last year, we have published more than 20 papers in various outstanding forums.

According to the Best Global Brands list announced by the global consulting firm Interbrand on October 20 (local time), Samsung ranked fifth with a brand value of USD 74.6 billion, a 20% increase compared to last year. On the back of its strong financial performance, which has recovered to reach pre-pandemic levels, the company’s brand value surged by 20% this year, twice the average brand value growth rate among the top 100 brands in 2021.

Since entering the top five for the first time last year, Samsung has maintained its position for two consecutive years with its largest increase in brand value since 2013.

According to Interbrand, major factors that played a critical role in Samsung’s growth include:

• Its transition to a customer-centric management system, highlighted by the establishment of a new CX (customer experience) team dedicated to prioritizing customer experience and values
• Its ongoing efforts for sustainable development, including various campaigns guided by its CSR vision, ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People,’ as well as company-wide initiatives that promote sustainability, such as the use of eco-packaging for TVs and the Galaxy Upcycling program
• The launches of innovative products including the Galaxy Z Flip3, Neo QLEDs and the Bespoke lineup of home appliances
• Technology leadership as a solid number one in the Memory market and the launches of innovative System LSI products
• Leading the development of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, automotive and robotics through consistent investment

“It is very encouraging to see Samsung Electronics reach the top five in the world last year and then achieve enormous double-digit growth this year — our biggest leap in brand value since 2013,” said YH Lee, CMO of Samsung Electronics. “We promise to leverage our customer-centric management model to keep listening to our customers. This is how we will repay the massive support we have received from customers around the globe.”

Interbrand evaluates businesses’ brand value based on a comprehensive analysis of multiple factors including financial performance, brand influence on purchase and brand competitiveness.

Meanwhile, on October 12, Samsung was also ranked No.1 by Forbes as the World’s Best Employers 2021 for the second consecutive year. As a global organization with employees and businesses around the world, Samsung has, once again, been chosen as the number one employer.

Each year, Forbes surveys around 150,000 employees from 58 countries working for businesses with operations in multiple nations or regions, and this year asked respondents to rank their satisfaction with their employers’ COVID-19 responses and score their employers on image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility.

※ Reference: Samsung Electronics’ growth in brand value (Interbrand)

Virgin Media O2, which launched in June 2021, is a joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica in the U.K. The new business has become one of the U.K.’s largest, with 47 million connections across broadband, mobile, TV and home phone, and offers connectivity services, applications and digital solutions to tens of thousands of U.K. businesses and public sector organizations.

For the trial, Samsung will provide its advanced solutions which include its baseband unit, 5G Massive MIMO radios, as well as 4G radios on both low-band and mid-band spectrums, while being Open RAN compliant with some configuration changes and additional support in the future. The company’s latest baseband unit offers improved performance with industry leading capacity and throughput, while supporting both 4G and 5G technologies in a single unit. Moreover, Samsung’s 5G Massive MIMO radios have a slim and lightweight design, which ensures easy and quick installation for operators, as well as increased coverage and data speeds for driving enhanced 5G end-user experiences.

“With this trial, we are excited to join hands with Virgin Media O2 to demonstrate the readiness of our 5G network solutions for deployment in the U.K. and our capabilities in bringing immersive and reliable 4G and 5G mobile experiences to users,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “At Samsung, we are continuously enhancing mobile experiences through powerful network solutions that advance and drive 5G to new levels.”

“Vendor diversity is crucial to developing safe, secure and more efficient networks,” said Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2. “We look forward to undertaking these initial trials with Samsung, which is another milestone in our continued journey to provide the best possible 5G experience for our customers, as well as boosting our 4G network, as we look to upgrade the U.K.”

Julia Lopez, Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure, said, “We’re investing £250 million to put the UK at the forefront of 5G innovation so more people and businesses can benefit from improved and secure connectivity. It is fantastic to see industry supporting this push with Virgin Media O2 and Samsung working together to increase competition, resilience and choice in the 5G supply market.”

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.

About Virgin Media O2
Virgin Media O2 launched on 1 June 2021, combining the UK’s largest and most reliable mobile network with a broadband network offering the fastest widely-available broadband speeds. It is a customer-first organisation that brings a range of connectivity services together in one place with a clear mission: to upgrade the nation. Virgin Media O2 is the corporate brand of the 50:50 joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica SA, and one of the UK’s largest businesses.

Powered by Samsung’s vRAN, KDDI’s 5G network will deliver exceptional performance, enabling KDDI users to experience the full potential of 5G.

“We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Samsung and to become the first operator in Japan to use their 5G vRAN solutions, which are currently delivering superior performance in commercial networks,” said Kazuyuki Yoshimura, Chief Technology Officer of KDDI. “We believe in the power of virtualization, and this collaboration serves as a meaningful catalyst for driving the next phase of 5G innovation, and advancing our networks to offer best-in-class 5G services.”

With its latest 5G vRAN technology, Samsung brings a range of improvements to KDDI’s network. By replacing dedicated baseband hardware with software elements, vRAN offers more deployment flexibility, greater scalability and improved resource efficiency in network operation. With its cloud-native, container-based architecture, Samsung’s vRAN also simplifies end-to-end network management through automation, allowing operators to quickly introduce new services with minimal impact on deployment.

“With commercially-proven performance and reliability, our vRAN is an attractive technology option for operators — from both the deployment and operational perspectives,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to mark another milestone with KDDI, following previous network collaborations that include the commercialization of 5G in 2020, and the rollout of 700MHz 5G in 2021. We look forward to our ongoing work with KDDI to bring new 5G innovations to their customers.”

Virtualized networks will play a key role in supporting KDDI’s pursuit of new 5G use cases and next-generation capabilities. Last year, for instance, Samsung and KDDI demonstrated how 5G end-to-end network slicing could play a key role for mobile operators by enabling the creation of multiple virtual networks within a single physical network infrastructure.

Samsung and KDDI will begin trials in Q1 of 2022, and start commercial deployment in the second half of 2022.

Leading vRAN Innovation

Samsung has been at the forefront of vRAN leadership around the world, unveiling its fully virtualized 5G RAN in 2020, followed by successful commercialization with a Tier 1 operator in the U.S. In June 2021, the company was selected by a major European operator to bring vRAN to the U.K.

Samsung recently demonstrated its vRAN capability to support Massive MIMO radios on mid-band, reaching multi-gigabit speeds. The company also teamed with a Tier 1 U.S. operator to complete an end-to-end 5G vRAN trial over C-Band in a live network environment, demonstrating vRAN performance equal to that of traditional hardware-based equipment.

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.

VoNR technology supports both voice call and data service using the 5G network while the current 5G network approach switches into 4G network when making voice calls. Without the need for switching between networks, VoNR provides a higher chance of maintaining connection in voice call as well as faster call connection times. Users can also enjoy true 5G speeds when playing high-performance games or streaming high-quality videos even while staying on a call.

Samsung’s VoNR solution includes key technologies such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), Quality of Service (QoS), and handover.

The Exynos Chip, which applied the comprehensive VoNR solution

IMS is the key technology for VoNR that enables all multimedia services – such as audio, video, and extensive data services – within a single IP (internet protocol) network. Samsung’s 5G NR (New Radio) communication protocol stack for the IMS used in 4G voice calls (VoLTE) is designed for stable compatibility with VoNR services as well. The protocol stack is an aggregation of software layers that implement the communication protocols needed for different devices to communicate data with each other.

Samsung has also developed the QoS that provides stable support for 5G VoNR and the technology that assists uninterrupted handover between nearby network base stations. QoS analyzes the flow of data using the network and determines the priority of services in real-time. Additionally, Samsung’s protocol stack places the highest priority on voice calls anytime, anywhere, thereby enhancing the quality of VoNR.

“With a surge in the number of 5G smartphone users, there is a higher demand for various 5G technologies and services,” said Jonghan Kim, Vice President of System LSI Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will continue to deliver next-generation mobile communication technologies, including VoNR service support, that will bring users together, faster.”

Samsung’s prolific journey in 5G includes the launch of the Exynos Modem 5100 in 2018, which was the industry’s first multi-mode chip that is fully compliant with the 5G telecommunication standard (5G NR Release-15). The momentum continued in January this year, with the launch of the Exynos 2100, Samsung’s first premium mobile SoC with an integrated 5G modem.

Being a part of the industry’s first commercial VoNR deployment in Singapore back in July and building on that momentum, Samsung is currently providing its 5G VoNR-integrated solution to global mobile device manufacturers while conducting focused localization and automation tests for VoNR deployment with global network companies.

Samsung reached Wi-Fi downlink speeds of 1.8Gbps using a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra on a moving subway train in the trial. This speed is approximately 25 times faster than the current average speed of 71Mbps on Seoul’s subway lines. The use of Samsung’s 5G Compact Macro helped boost Wi-Fi data speeds by leveraging the ultra-high capacity of 5G mmWave spectrum as a backhaul.

This trial took place in parts of Seoul Metro, covering five stations on the subway line circulating through major downtown areas. The enhanced Wi-Fi service was powered by Samsung’s 5G mmWave Compact Macro, installed along the railways and utilizing 800MHz in the 28GHz spectrum band.

In addition to delivering faster Wi-Fi speeds, the wide bandwidth of mmWave enables exceptional mobile experience on smartphones and tablets in hotspots, such as sports stadiums and shopping malls. 5G use cases have expanded to various business areas including public transportation, such as high-speed trains, buses, and more.

“We are pleased to deliver an enhanced mobile experience, with faster download speeds and connections for subway passengers, leveraging our advanced 5G mmWave solution,” said Seungil Kim, Vice President and Head of Korea Business, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our successful speed trial on public transportation proves the high potential of 5G mmWave, demonstrating its capability to complement existing wireless technologies, and boosting the performance of legacy networks, all while providing a foundation for future telecommunication services.”

Samsung’s Compact Macro brings together a baseband unit, radio and antenna in a single form factor. This compact and lightweight solution can be easily installed on the sides of the buildings as well as on utility poles for a swift buildout of 5G networks. Samsung’s Compact Macro is the first 5G product to be listed on the U.S. National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) Product Compliant List (PCL) and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security’s Certified Product List.

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end infrastructure 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.

Besides the company’s hardware-bound RAN solutions, the development process of Samsung’s fully virtualized RAN (vRAN) was also verified by the NESAS. The company’s vRAN has been widely deployed to Tier-1 U.S. operator commercial networks, and selected to power Europe’s extensive virtual network project.

To pass the assessment, Samsung’s product development and lifecycle management processes for its network solutions underwent an independent audit to confirm how security is integrated into their design, development, implantation and maintenance processes.

The NESAS provides an industry-wide security assurance framework and defines the security requirements for product development and lifecycle processes, using 3GPP-defined security test cases. The audit of Samsung’s networks solutions, completed in July 2021, enables the company to increase the transparency of its entire development process, reaffirming its commitment to network security.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the NESAS security audit for our dedication to building secure and reliable networks,” said Sohyong Chong, Senior Vice President and Head of S/W R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As a trusted partner to global operators, we will continue to ensure our product development and full lifecycle management processes of network equipment to achieve the highest security standards. This will be essential as the world evolves to a 5G framework that meets the high-performance and security demands of customers.”

This NESAS assessment follows Samsung’s continued achievements in network security, which include receiving the Common Criteria (CC) certification for its 5G solutions and the ISO/IEC 27001 certification earlier this year.

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.

With 5G networks, a self-learning AI-based tool’s ability to manage operations and optimize performance offers clear benefits for mobile operators. That said, we believe that complementing such tools with human creativity and decision-making will help bring the technology’s enormous potential to reality. With this in mind, Samsung has developed an AI tool known as CognitiV Analytics, which can collaborate with human counterparts to help mobile operators resolve various issues related to managing 5G networks.

I’d like to share how Samsung’s latest human-AI collaborative tool helps mobile operators optimize services and manage 5G networks more effectively.

Quality and Collaboration Are Key

CognitiV Analytics represents a big step forward for 5G network management. The solution’s ability to swiftly identify technical issues and accurately analyze network quality stems from two key features. The first is its ability to analyze the performance and quality of services across entire networks, while the second is the collaboration it fosters with its human counterparts.

In order to properly analyze network performance, it requires the collection and evaluation of entire service flows for each and every user. For example, in order to determine the service quality that a subscriber is experiencing when streaming videos, mobile operators need to know how various elements of their 5G networks, including RAN and Core, are operating together, and whether any issues have arisen. This is no small task. Because the sheer amount of raw data from each element is so massive, analyzing that data requires an extremely powerful AI tool.

To aid this process, Samsung and Zhilabs, a Samsung Company, created CognitiV Analytics. This powerful solution collects data from various sources from networks and uses that data to create a big-picture snapshot of the network’s status.

The solution offers comprehensive analysis, making it easier for mobile operators to evaluate and view network performance, services and other valuable information, eliminating the need to utilize multiple analytics solutions to obtain the same information. CognitiV Analytics tool offers the ability to offer fast analysis and also minimizes human error that can come with moving complex data across multiple tools.

By working closely with human counterparts and providing them with detailed explanations of its actions, our CognitiV Analytics solution offers greater transparency on how AI addresses particular problems. Over time, these interactions will help increase the tool’s accuracy and efficiency while enabling mobile operators to become more familiar with and trusting of AI.

The Importance of Strengthening AI Tools

CognitiV Analytics not only showcases what our AI technology is capable of, but it also demonstrates how AI can be used to solve important issues, and proves just how easily it can be incorporated into commercial networks. Included among the solution’s key features are its abilities; to learn using diverse data sets; to apply rule-based analysis; and to implement automation.

CognitiV Analytics’ AI has proven capable of quickly ascertaining important information about mobile operators’ networks even at the initial stage of its implementation, when only small data sets have been available. In order for AI to learn, it must be able to work with both labeled and unlabeled data. A typical data label might indicate whether a photo contains a horse or a cow, or what type of action is being performed in a video. Labeled network data, however, is expensive to obtain, since a few highly trained engineers can perform sophisticated labeling process. Therefore, in order for AI analytics tool to offer meaningful insights even at the initial stage, its AI must be capable of learning from unlabeled data. Our AI has the capability to learn from both labeled and unlabeled data, being able to support mobile operators from day one.

While most 5G network data sets can be analyzed with AI, some data features distinct characteristics that make it unsuitable for AI-based analysis. Such cases require users to apply their own rules, based on their experience and expertise, to assess their data. This is called rule-based analysis. CognitiV Analytics incorporates this analysis by enabling users to mix and match AI-based and rule-based analysis. This streamlines connections by offering mobile operators more accurate evaluations of network performance.

When we talk about automation in 5G networks, we’re talking about a process that typically features four phases: (1) discover the problem, (2) identify the root cause, (3) find the solution, and (4) apply the solution to the network. Some mobile operators tend to prefer to take some time to understand how AI-based analytics tools manage issues in each phase. Those of us in the industry believe this boils down to the familiarity and reliability of AI. Our CognitiV Analytics solution is designed to address the issue by applying each phase in steps, so mobile operators can take time to understand the AI in managing their 5G networks.

Samsung’s CognitiV Analytics is already being utilized in commercial networks that enable connections for hundreds of millions of mobile users. What is notable about this is the fact that our solution supports closed-loop automation, automatically offering recommended configurations for each element of a particular network. It features automatic KPI monitoring and fallback functions to guard against KPI degradation, which helps keep service levels constant across entire networks. In addition, based on its analysis of real-time data, CognitiV Analytics automatically adjusts network configurations to better manage fluctuations in traffic patterns and environmental changes.

Harnessing AI for Future Networks

For today’s mobile operators, proper network management is a complicated and essential part of keeping the world connected. It’s also an aspect of their operations that features no room for error. As the number of connected devices increases and more immersive use cases are introduced, mobile operators require simple tools that aid managing commercial networks and allow them to quickly respond to pressing issues. Powerful, AI-based management tools working closely with human counterparts make this possible.

We look forward to creating a future in which fully automated mobile networks behave like living organisms, promptly identifying issues and resolving them like our body would heal a wound. This means that if, for example, we found ourselves unable to stream a movie on our smartphone, the network’s AI-based management tool would fix the issue on its own. When AI expects an increase in traffic, it would expand network capacity by automatically adding network resources. While it will take some time to make these experiences a reality, we can make them possible by continuing to advance AI the right way.

CognitiV Analytics is a reflection of Samsung’s ongoing commitment to harnessing AI, which will bring incredible opportunities to enrich our everyday lives. Combining the power of AI and human creativity can provide mobile operators with the solutions they need to simplify operations and better manage network resources.

“We have been driving the industry to large scale virtualization using the advanced architecture we have built into our network from the core to the far edge. This recent accomplishment paves the way for a more programmable, efficient, and scalable 5G network,” said Adam Koeppe, Senior Vice President of Technology Planning at Verizon. “Customers deserve more than mere access to 5G. They deserve 5G built with the highest, gold-standard engineering practices that have positioned Verizon as the most reliable industry leader for years.”

Why Virtualization Is Important for 5G Performance Optimization

The trials, conducted over Verizon’s network (using C-band Special Temporary Authority granted to Verizon by the FCC) in Texas, Connecticut and Massachusetts, used Samsung’s fully virtualized RAN (vRAN) solution built on its own software stack and C-band 64T64R Massive MIMO radio in coordination with Verizon’s virtualized core. The trials achieved speeds commensurate with traditional hardware-based equipment.

Virtualization is critical to delivering the services promised by advanced 5G networks. Key 5G use cases such as massive scale IOT solutions, more robust consumer devices and solutions, AR/VR, remote healthcare, autonomous robotics in manufacturing environments, and ubiquitous smart city solutions, will heavily rely on the programmability of virtualized networks.

Cloud native virtualized architecture leads to greater flexibility, faster delivery of services, greater scalability, and improved cost efficiency in networks, paving the way for wide-scale mobile edge computing and network slicing. This technology enables Verizon to rapidly respond to customers’ varied latency and computing needs. Virtualization will also lower the barrier to entry for new vendors in the ecosystem. New entrants will accelerate innovation, reduce operating costs, and lay the groundwork for flexible network and cloud infrastructure closer to the customer, eventually leading to single digit millisecond latency.

“We’re proud to mark another milestone following our first large-scale commercial 5G vRAN deployment for Verizon, which is currently servicing millions of users. This trial reinforces our commitment to helping operators evolve their advanced 5G networks,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This achievement represents our dedicated efforts in leading the transition to virtualization, and helping Verizon realize greater efficiency, scalability and flexibility. vRAN is a powerful enabler for network transformation, and we aim to continue leading this journey.”

Why Massive MIMO Is Important for 5G Performance Optimization

Massive MIMO is an evolution in antenna arrays that uses a high number of transmitters which enables more possible signal paths between a device and a cell tower. It also reduces interference through beamforming, which directs the beam from the cell site directly to where the customer is resulting in higher and more consistent speeds for customers using apps and uploading and downloading files. This trial used Samsung’s C-band 64T64R Massive MIMO radios that support digital/dynamic beamforming, SU-MIMO, MU-MIMO and dual connectivity and carrier aggregation.

“Incorporating full, cloud-native virtualization, Massive MIMO and beamforming into our network design and deployment will result in so much more than our customers merely seeing a 5G icon on their devices. This is 5G service optimized for peak performance,” said Koeppe.

Today’s milestone follows Samsung’s recent announcement on expanding its vRAN capability to support mid-band Massive MIMO radios—a first for the industry. Samsung’s C-band Massive MIMO radio is part of a complete C-band solutions portfolio.

Verizon on Track To Deliver 5G Over C-band

This virtualization work comes on the heels of other work to speed the expansion of 5G Ultra Wideband service using C-band spectrum including:

• successful trials integrating C-band with mmWave licensed spectrum,
• securing new agreements with Verizon’s tower partners, which provide for process improvements including standardizing and reducing forms and minimizing legal reviews, and…
• installation of C-band equipment.

These combined efforts, along with ongoing lab and field trials to optimize 5G technology on C-band spectrum will allow Verizon to offer expanded mobility and broadband services to millions more consumers and businesses as soon as the spectrum is cleared.

In the first quarter of 2022, Verizon expects to put into service the new 5G C-band spectrum in the initial 46 markets and to provide 5G Ultra Wideband service to 100 million people. Over 2022 and 2023, coverage is expected to increase to more than 175 million people and by 2024 and beyond, when the remaining C-band spectrum is cleared, more than 250 million people are expected to have access to Verizon’s 5G Ultra Wideband service on C-band spectrum.

About Verizon Communications Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

Topics covered during the event included Samsung’s 5G vision and latest network innovations; its industry leading virtualized solutions to bring innovation for mobile operators and enterprises; its new range of chipsets to be embedded in the Samsung’s next generation 5G solutions; and the company’s complete lineup of private network solutions to transform industries.

Check out some highlights from the event below.

At the event, Samsung Networks highlighted key developments in its global expansion, which includes delivery of over four million 5G-ready radios around the world. Samsung focused on how it is advancing virtualization to drive next-generation networks, and leading 5G radio innovation by embedding its radios with the company’s latest in-house chipsets.

“We are delighted to discuss the infinite possibilities of wireless technology, as we continue our 5G journey, and pave the way towards the next phase of 5G,” said Paul (Kyungwhoon) Cheun, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung’s 5G vision includes bringing together the best global expertise and technical insights that can help operators and consumers take full advantage of 5G benefits. We’re grateful that our customers and partners have joined us on this journey, and look forward to achieving many more 5G milestones together.”

The following are key areas of advancement that Samsung Networks leadership covered at the virtual event:

Virtualization

Virtualization of an entire network from Radio Access Network (RAN) to Core will offer multiple benefits to operators, bringing greater efficiency, scalability and flexibility in network management, as well as easier upgrades through software implementations. Recent vRAN accomplishments include the following solutions:

• Samsung vRAN has virtualized all elements of a baseband unit. Backed by years of R&D, Samsung deployed the industry’s first fully-virtualized commercial 5G RAN delivered end-to-end (Link). Recently, the company demonstrated the capability to support multi-gigabit speeds of Massive MIMO radios on COTS servers (Link), showing how the performance of vRAN technology is now near the performance of custom hardware solutions.

• Samsung vCore is built with a cloud-native containerized architecture, enabling operational automation while ensuring optimized performance. With high adaptability and scalability, Samsung 5G vCore allows network operators to quickly launch new services and upgrade per business needs. Since introducing its first virtualized Core in 2015, the company has successfully commercialized the world’s first 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) vCore, and achieved a significant milestone in data processing capacity on its 5G Standalone (SA) Core (Link).

• Network management solutions help optimize operational efficiencies in virtualized networks. Samsung Cloud Orchestration, known as SCO, coordinates an entirely automated process of network deployment and optimization. Samsung’s Network Slice Manager supports simplified management of slice resources, while AI-based analytics provides intelligent analysis of network performance.

5G Radios

Samsung has been pioneering 5G technology to support RAN solutions for more than a decade, through research, standardization and commercial rollouts of its highly competitive 5G solutions. New developments are:

• In-House Chipsets: Samsung continues its leadership in chipset research and development, with an expanded line-up of new chipsets, including a 3^rd generation RFIC, 2^nd generation 5G modem and DFE-RFIC integrated chip (Link), part of the company’s initiative to help foster compact and efficient, yet high-performing 5G solutions.

• New Solutions: Samsung continues to expand its 5G radio lineup. The company recently unveiled its wideband radio (Link) supporting 400MHz of bandwidth in mid-band, and designed to help operators drive more flexible and cost-effective deployments. Also introduced are the next generation 5G Compact Macro and baseband units, as well as its new One Antenna Radio (Link), a solution that delivers a more compact form factor with antenna integration, offering simplified installation and deployment efficiencies.

Private Networks

Samsung has the capability to build reliable and secure private networks, leveraging its comprehensive solutions portfolio. The company’s industry-leading 5G solutions offer a resilient backbone to private 5G networks, introducing use cases such as smart factories (Link) and a real-time 4K video monitoring system (Link). Samsung also provides end-to-end PS-LTE solutions, from network equipment to applications and devices. The company is powering the world’s first 3GPP-compliant nationwide PS-LTE network in Korea (Link), and accomplished the demonstration of the industry’s first MCPTX video call on a cloud platform (Link).

6G Future Vision

As part of its networks overview, Samsung Networks: Redefined shares Samsung’s vision of 6G technology, and the world it will help create. Samsung stays ahead in preparing for new generations of wireless technologies. The company led 5G research and development even before 4G deployments, and is already preparing for 6G. Now, the company is set to accelerate 6G innovation, bringing hyper-connected experiences to users (Link). Samsung recently explored the potential of the Terahertz (THz) spectrum application for 6G wireless communications, demonstrating an end-to-end 140GHz wireless link using a fully digital beamforming solution (Link).

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.

The new chipsets were announced today at “Samsung Networks: Redefined,” the company’s virtual public event highlighting notable 5G accomplishments and new solutions for network transformation. At the event, Samsung emphasized its experience in developing in-house chipsets for more than two decades and reiterated the significant investments behind the launch of multiple generations of chipsets starting from 3G, leading to today’s cutting-edge 5G solutions.

The newly introduced chipsets are designed to take Samsung’s next generation 5G lineup to a new level, boosting performance, increasing power efficiency and reducing the size of the 5G solutions.

Samsung’s newly-introduced chips are:

• 3^rd Generation mmWave RFIC:
  This new chip follows prior generation RFICs from Samsung. The first generation, introduced in 2017, powered the company’s 5G FWA solutions supporting the world’s first 5G home broadband service in the U.S. Two years later, the second generation powered Samsung’s 5G Compact Macro, the industry’s first mmWave 5G NR radio, which has since been widely deployed in the U.S.
  
  Samsung’s 3^rd generation RFIC chip supports both 28GHz and 39GHz spectrums, and will be embedded in Samsung’s next generation 5G Compact Macro. The chip incorporates advanced technology that reduces antenna size by nearly 50%, maximizing the 5G radio’s interior space. Moreover, the latest RFIC chip improves power consumption, resulting in a more compact-sized, lightweight 5G radio. Lastly, output power and coverage of the new RFIC chip have increased, doubling output power of the next generation 5G Compact Macro.

• 2^nd Generation 5G Modem SoC:
  Samsung’s first 5G modem SoCs, introduced in 2019, powered the company’s new 5G baseband unit and Compact Macro. To date, more than 200,000 of these 5G modem SoCs have been shipped.
  
  This new second generation chip will enable Samsung’s forthcoming baseband unit to have twice the capacity, while cutting power consumption in half per cell, in comparison to the previous generation. Moreover, supporting both below-6GHz and mmWave spectrums, it offers beamforming and increased power efficiency for Samsung’s next generation 5G Compact Macro and Massive MIMO radio, while reducing the size for both solutions.

• DFE-RFIC Integrated Chip:
  In 2019, the first Digital/Analog Front End (DAFE) chip was introduced by Samsung, serving as an essential component of 5G radios (including Samsung’s 5G Compact Macro), by converting analog-to-digital and vice versa, and supporting both 28GHz and 39GHz spectrums.
  
  This new chip combines RFIC and DFE functions for both below-6GHz and mmWave spectrums. By integrating these functions, the chip not only doubles frequency bandwidth, but also reduces the size and increases output power for Samsung’s next generation solutions, including 5G Compact Macro.

“This newly unveiled chipset is the fundamental component of our state-of-art 5G solutions, developed through a long-standing R&D effort that enables Samsung to be at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge 5G technologies,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, we are committed to developing the most innovative chips for the next phase of 5G advancement, integrated with the features mobile operators seek to stay competitive.”

“5G chipsets are critical to achieving the performance capabilities required for next-generation network deployments,” stated Anshel Sag, Moor Insights & Strategy. “Samsung’s long-standing expertise in developing chipsets in-house is a key differentiator, positioning it as a leader in the delivery of 5G network solutions with the features and benefits operators seek to advance their 5G strategies.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. This includes the creation and shipment of innovative chips from Samsung’s manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas. 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.

As operators continue to extend their 5G coverage, a key challenge they face is the space and footprint restrictions at sites and on towers. Samsung’s all-in-one radio will address varied environmental and site demands–easing installation, saving space and reducing OPEX for operators. The new solution will become part of Samsung’s Radio Access Network (RAN) portfolio in early 2022, initially targeting the European market.

Key benefits of Samsung’s One Antenna Radio are:

• Site Simplification: The streamlined solution uses compact hardware to blend into a municipality’s environment, and reduces cabling and hardware elements to minimize visual impact in dense urban areas.
• Simplified Installation: Deployment is made simple by eliminating the need to install and connect radios and multiple antennas separately, accelerating installation and reducing labor costs.
• OPEX Savings: By requiring less space on sites or towers, and with a smaller footprint, operators can save on expenses, including rental and maintenance costs.

“We are proud to introduce our One Antenna Radio to provide industry-leading performance that’s designed to address various deployment environments,” said Wonil Roh, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Recognizing that mounting hardware, cabling, crew site time and space limitations are a challenge for most operators, we created a solution to help tackle this issue, and expand deployment boundaries.”

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.

On June 22, Samsung Electronics will reveal how it is leading the evolution of next-generation networks at the event of “Samsung Networks: Redefined.”

Join us to discover how the company’s cutting-edge technologies will help unleash the full power of 5G, ultimately creating a more seamlessly connected society.

The event will be available at Samsung Newsroom, Samsung Networks’ YouTube channel beginning at 10:00 EDT(16:00 CEST / 23:00 KST).

C-Band refers to mid-band spectrum ranging from 3.7GHz to 4.2GHz, of which a total of 280MHz between 3.7GHz to 3.98GHz was auctioned by the FCC earlier this year. The spectrum will play a critical role in helping operators provide 5G service with high performance, advanced features, and wide coverage for users in the U.S. Samsung’s new C-Band portfolio includes the latest advanced radios, such as Massive MIMO radio, indoor solutions and network optimization tools.

Backed by Samsung’s commercial experience delivering 5G network solutions in the mid-band spectrum in leading markets, the company offers U.S. operators a full range of C-Band solutions to deliver on the promise of 5G. Samsung’s C-Band portfolio includes:

• Massive MIMO Radio: Samsung’s C-Band Massive MIMO radio 3D beamforming and supports the full range of the auctioned spectrum range, 280MHz. The radio will support the latest MIMO technologies including tripling the bandwidth capacity and doubling the output power compared to prior generations. In addition, the radio enables flexible installation for operators deploying 5G. Samsung’s C-Band Massive MIMO radio is commercially available, and thousands of units have already been shipped to the U.S.
• Outdoor Radio: A new compact, lightweight radio with eight antennas – which can operate in bi-sector or tri-sector modes – will be introduced as our new 8T8R radio. By bringing greater flexibility in deployment to operators, this new radio is best suited for rural deployments. The product will be available in the second half of 2021.
• Micro Radio: To address various C-Band deployment environments and scenarios, Samsung is introducing a micro radio, designed for dense urban environments. Through easy installation, such as on light poles in cities, the radio will offer operators the ability to fill coverage holes and gain broader 5G coverage with more efficiency. The product will be available in early 2022.
• Indoor 5G Solutions: Last year, Samsung revealed its Link portfolio, a complete range of 5G indoor solutions that includes Link HubPro and Link Hub. Both will be expanded to support C-Band to bring 5G indoors. Samsung’s Link HubPro is an active antenna solution with indoor radios and hub, supporting scalable indoor deployment, while Samsung’s Link Hub is for places with an existing Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), providing coverage in public venues (i.e. offices, stadiums and shopping centers). It uses legacy passive antenna systems for fast, easy 5G upgrades. These indoor solutions will be available early 2022.
• C-Band Network Optimization Tools: Samsung introduces two new C-Band network deployment and management solutions. First, the Earth Station Protection Solution, commercially available now, enhances C-Band networks by preventing interference between a base station and a satellite earth station. Second, Samsung’s Time Division Duplex (TDD) Interference Manager is a central coordinator that manages remote interference between cells in TDD networks, enhancing the performance of the C-Band network. The TDD Interference Manager will be available early 2022.

“Samsung is proud to help operators deploy 5G networks in the C-Band spectrum with our expansive portfolio of solutions,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “C-Band spectrum is foundational for delivering 5G networks with high performance and wide coverage. Our complete C-Band solutions portfolio offers U.S. operators greater flexibility in 5G deployments, which will help drive new business models and opportunities.”

C-Band Acceleration

With Samsung’s C-Band Massive MIMO radio commercially available, units have been shipped for use in Verizon’s state-of-the-art network.

“Verizon has been leading the way with building our 5G Ultra Wideband service on mmWave spectrum using Samsung’s robust mmWave equipment offerings and now, by adding C-band spectrum to this portfolio, we are perfectly positioned to deploy the fastest, most powerful 5G experience to the most people – or as we call it, 5G built right,” said Adam Koeppe, Senior Vice President of Technology Planning at Verizon. “We are accelerating our deployment efforts with the support of our partners like Samsung so that our customers will see the benefits of expanding 5G Ultra Wideband service very shortly after the C-band spectrum is cleared later this year.”

“The arrival and deployment of mid-band frequencies like C-Band in the US market is going to lead to an explosion of 5G usage and new applications,” said Bob O’Donnell, president and chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research. “Samsung’s industry-leading C-Band portfolio will be critical in helping operators accelerate the buildout of their 5G networks to provide enhanced 5G experiences to users, covering indoor and outdoor applications, as well as urban and rural deployments.”

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.

The SoC is designed to help implement new technologies, which improve cellular radios by increasing their capacity and coverage, while decreasing power consumption and size. The new SoC is equipped to support both 5G and 4G networks simultaneously, and it can also save up to 70 percent in chipset power consumption compared to previous solutions.

“We are excited to extend our collaboration with Marvell to unveil a new SoC that will combine both companies’ strengths in innovation to advance 5G network solutions,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung prioritizes the development of high-impact 5G solutions that offer a competitive edge to our operators. We look forward to introducing this latest solution to the market shortly.”

Samsung and Marvell have been working closely to deliver multiple generations of leading network solutions. Last year, the companies announced a collaboration to develop new 5G products, including innovative radio architectures to address the compute power required for Massive MIMO deployments.

“Our collaboration with Samsung spans multiple generations of radio network products and demonstrates Samsung’s strong technology leadership. The joint effort includes 4G and 5G basebands and radios,” said Raj Singh, Executive Vice President of Marvell’s Processors Business Group. “We are again honored to work with Samsung for the next generation Massive MIMO radios which significantly raise the bar in terms of capacity, performance and power efficiency.”

“Marvell and Samsung are leading the way in helping mobile operators deploy 5G with greater speed and efficiency,” said Daniel Newman, Founding Partner at Futurum Research. “This latest collaboration advances what’s possible through SoC technology, giving operators and enterprises a distinct 5G advantage through optimized performance and power savings in network deployments.”

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 connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

About Marvell
To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we’re building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world’s leading technology companies for 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world’s data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers’ current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, Marvell is ultimately changing the way tomorrow’s enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better. For more information, please visit www.marvell.com