At the recent workshop on Terahertz communications at the IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC 2021), researchers from Samsung Research, Samsung Research America, and the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) introduced the potential impact that THz could have on next-generation 6G technology, demonstrating an end-to-end 140GHz wireless link using a fully digital beamforming solution.

“Samsung has been at the forefront of technological innovation and standardization of 5G and 6G. As we shared in our 6G vision white paper last year, we believe new spectrum opportunities at the THz spectrum will become a driving force of 6G technology. This demonstration can be a major milestone in exploring the feasibility of using the THz spectrum for 6G wireless communications,” said Senior Vice President Sunghyun Choi, an IEEE Fellow and Head of the Advanced Communication Research Center at Samsung Research.

The THz band in­cludes an enormous amount of available spectrum, which will enable wideband channels with tens of GHz-wide bandwidth. This could potentially provide a means to meet the 6G requirement of terabits per second data rate. The peak data rate can be 50 times faster than 5G and the over-the-air latency could potentially be reduced to one-tenth. These improvements will enable 6G hyper-connectivity services and ultimate multimedia experience, such as extended reali­ty (XR), high-fidelity mobile hologram, etc.

△ 16-channel 140GHz phased-array module (middle), dual-channel 140GHz RFICs (left), 128-element antenna array (right)

The end-to-end prototype system the researchers demonstrated consists of a 16-channel phased array transmitter and receiver modules, driven by CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) RFICs (Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits), and a baseband unit to process signals with 2GHz bandwidth and fast adaptive beamforming. In the over-the-air test, the prototype system achieved real-time throughput of 6.2 Gbps over a 15-meter distance with adaptive beam steering capability at the Terahertz frequency.

Samsung and UCSB researchers have been working closely on the THz phased array module development, which is a key to the success of the test. The module requires sophisticated packaging technology to allow research test chips to be used in a large-scale array module. The precise digital beamforming calibration algorithm, developed by Samsung, enables these modules to achieve high beamforming gain.

△ Samsung researchers: Wonsuk Choi, Shadi Abu-Surra and Gary Xu with the THz proof-of-concept system

“Working together with UCSB, we have been able to overcome many technological challenges and develop this new THz proof-of-concept system to explore 6G use cases and deployment scenarios,” said Senior Vice President Charlie Zhang, an IEEE Fellow and Head of the Standards and Mobility Innovations Team at Samsung Research America. “Samsung and UCSB researchers will continue to push the technological boundaries to bring 6G and THz communication closer to reality.”

△ Professor Mark Rodwell, University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)

UCSB’s group, led by the Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Mark Rodwell, first developed the 140GHz transmitter and receiver RFIC in 2017, as part of a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the U.S.

“We bring our knowledge of advanced mmWave technologies, in particular the THz spectrum above 100GHz, focusing on devices and integrated circuits, while Samsung provides its expertise in wireless systems and cellular networks,” said professor Mark Rodwell, an IEEE Fellow and winner of the IEEE Sarnoff Award and the IEEE Marconi Prize Paper Award.

Samsung released a white paper in July 2020 titled “The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All” outlining the company’s 6G vision, which is to bring the next hyper-connected experience to every corner of life. To accelerate research for 6G, Samsung Research, the advanced R&D hub within Samsung Electronics’ end-product business, founded its Advanced Communications Research Center in May 2019.

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).

The Linux Foundation Networking Fund (LFN) is a new entity that integrates the governance of participating projects in order to enhance operational excellence, simplify member engagement, and increase collaboration across open source networking projects and standards bodies.

“I am confident that the Linux Foundation Networking Project will serve as a huge source of innovation for next generation networks, including 5G,” said Woojune Kim, Senior Vice President of North America Business, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “As a member of the project, Samsung will work with the open source community to ensure that new carrier-grade solutions based on new technologies such as cloud data centers are available.”

“We are delighted to welcome Samsung to the LFN,” said Arpit Joshipura, General Manager of Networking and Orchestration at the Linux Foundation. “We are building a strong community of ecosystem partners all committed to operational excellence and collaboration that will ultimately enable faster integration and upstreaming across open source and open standards. I look forward to working closely with Samsung and the rest of the community in this endeavor.”

The race for next generation communications is on. As a result, the need for a flexible and software-centric network platform that can provide a diverse range of services based on 5G and IoT is growing by the day. Open source stands out as a key technology in the industry because it can satisfy this demand by removing the difficulties that come with hardware-centric legacy network equipment. What open source will ultimately enable is flexible network management, enabled by optimized resource allocation and network slicing.

In line with the telecommunications industry’s growing awareness of open source, Samsung has been actively participating in a range of open source communities such as Open Platform for NFV (OPNFV), Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP), Open Network Operating System (ONOS) and OpenStack to come up with virtualization solutions that meet all the criteria for commercial use. These measures display Samsung’s effort toward artificial intelligence-based automated network platforms that will deliver simple, flexible and cost-effective network management.

To learn more about the Linux Foundation Networking Fund, please visit: https://www.linuxfoundation.org/.

Powered by Samsung’s 5G network solution and customer premises equipment (CPE), and using Arqiva’s 28GHz millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum, the 5G FWA system consists of three main components:

A Radio Access Unit located on the rooftop of Arqiva’s Fitzrovia office wirelessly links to an easily installable CPE – or router – located by a window inside Arqiva’s nearby headquarters. Samsung’s system – which implements intelligent beam-forming technology and high-frequency mmWave spectrum – then provides high bandwidth connectivity. In commercial implementations, the compact access unit can be mounted on lampposts or similar street furniture to provide reliable gigabit-per-second service to neighbourhoods and businesses alike. The final component is Samsung’s virtualized core – responsible for managing user connections and data routing from Arqiva’s network to the internet – which is running on Arqiva’s data centre servers.

The primary aim of the trial is to demonstrate the stability of the FWA service, and its potential as a fast-to-market and cost-effective alternative to fibre for connectivity to homes and businesses. Despite a link distance of several hundred meters, the system has established a stable two-way mmWave link with downlink speeds of around 1Gb per second at the CPE. Allowing for simultaneous streaming of more than 25 UHD 4K TV channels as an illustration, this more than meets the needs of today’s typical household with considerable room for future growth.

As the trial progresses, both companies look forward to further maximising the performance capability of the system, improving the value of future network infrastructure and spectrum investments.

Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of the Next Generation Communications Business Team at Samsung Electronics, said: “One of the most exciting prospects that 5G is expected to bring to the table is the exploration of powerful new use cases outside of traditional smart device mobile connectivity. Our trial efforts with Arqiva give us the chance to demonstrate this first hand, and we view this demonstration as a door-opener for new and compelling connected service opportunities in the UK, Europe and worldwide.”

Simon Beresford-Wylie, CEO of Arqiva, said: “This trial is the first of its kind in Europe, let alone the UK – and we are hugely excited about the high data rates, low latency and growth potential we’re going to be able to demonstrate. Though only a proof of concept at this stage, we are confident that this trial with Samsung will showcase not only 5G FWA’s potential for delivering ultrafast broadband but also the value of the 28GHz band in helping achieve this.

“We’ve seen a great level of response so far from our entire customer base, including leading mobile operators, fixed broadband providers, broadcasters and media companies. This trial will be particularly interesting for this audience as it looks to a future of ubiquitous UHD, and the file sizes that go with it.”

The showcase consists of a series of six stations. These include an overview of FWA technology and how it works, examples of 5G use cases, demonstrations of 4K UHD and Virtual Reality (VR) content streaming, and a look at possible applications of 5G in the future.

The trial will run for a four-month period, during which time anticipated visitors include representatives from the UK Government, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Fixed Network Operators, media companies, analysts and more. There are also plans to extend the trial’s coverage to additional nearby buildings over its duration.

For more information visit Arqiva5G.com or samsungnetworks.com. To register interest visit Arqiva5G.com.

About Arqiva

Arqiva is a leading UK communications infrastructure and media services provider dedicated to connecting people wherever they are through the delivery of TV, radio, mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT). We are an independent provider of telecom towers, with circa 8,000 active sites across Great Britain, and are also the only supplier of national terrestrial television and radio broadcasting services in the UK. Our advanced networks support the exponential growth of connected devices and the ever-increasing demand for data from smartphones to tablets, connected TVs, smart meters, cars and medical devices.

For more information, news and insights from Arqiva, please visit the website at: www.arqiva.com

During the 5G trial test in Beijing, the key technologies like spatial modulation and FBMC (Filter Bank Multicarrier) are validated for the low-frequency (3.5GHz), the performance of throughput, outband emission are tested. With Samsung’s ultra-high frequency 5G prototype system and devices powered by advanced beam forming technology, Samsung and China Mobile Research Institute sought to verify mmWave technology’s performance and frequency characteristics jointly, including mobility, peak throughput, and multi-user scheduling capacity, as well as mmWave transmission at indoor, penetration loss, etc.

“Over many years of research and development, Samsung has accumulated a wealth of technology and experience related to 5G technology and product development,” said Dai Jun Zhang, Vice President and Head of Samsung R&D Institute China – Beijing. “To accelerate the realization of 5G standardization and commercialization in China, we will continue to strengthen our joint efforts with the Chinese government, as well as operators in the future.”

Since the late 2000s, Samsung has continuously been investing in R&D of 5G key technologies and, since 2014, has primarily focused on 5G commercialization technologies. Through its efforts, Samsung has achieved great milestones on 5G technology development, including the handover demonstration in a multi-cell mmWave network, Radio Frequency (RF) technology essential in miniaturizing devices and equipment. Samsung has also played a key role in contributing to the formation of 3GPP standards, and strive for a global and unified 5G standard, expected to be finalized in 2018.

The collaboration includes initial testing later this year of 5G mobility in an outdoor environment using T-Mobile’s 28 GHz (mmWave) spectrum and Samsung’s 5G proof of concept system, which will be enabled by Samsung’s advanced beam forming technology. In early 2017, additional in-depth trials will continue using a Samsung pre-commercial 28 GHz system.

“We are excited to work with Samsung to see how we can bring to life key attributes of emerging 5G technology, including extreme speed, low latency and massive connectivity,” said Neville Ray, Chief Technology Officer, T-Mobile. “Our collaboration with Samsung’s networks technology will enable us to enhance 5G development and availability.”

“Applying Samsung’s 5G leadership to assist T-Mobile in developing their next generation network is an exciting opportunity,” said Mark Louison, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics America. “We are well-positioned to deliver the 5G ecosystem to leading operators like T-Mobile, given our years of experience and development across our semiconductor, device and networks divisions.”

Samsung network equipment and devices offer an attractive pathway to meeting ever-growing consumer demand for data in an emerging 5G world. 5G technology is expected to drive the next wave of mobile application development and the Internet of Things (IoT), connecting billions of devices and accelerating low latency gigabit speeds for richer content and experiences. Samsung is a key contributor and holds a host of essential patents related to the new 5G standards, which are expected to be finalized in 2018.

To hear more about Samsung Networks and see demonstrations of its networks business and wireless enterprise solutions, visit Samsung’s booth at the CTIA Super Mobility 2016 event in Las Vegas, Booth #3122.

“The White House initiative provides an ideal platform for Samsung to help create a blueprint for the future of communications network development through collaboration with a diverse range of experts,” said Charlie Zhang. Vice President, Samsung Research America. “Supporting U.S. wireless leadership and next generation networks continues to be a priority for Samsung, and we look forward to helping expedite 5G innovation to enable more people to benefit from the next level of enhanced communications.”

With the AWRI, Samsung will provide guidance and assist in the development of new wireless testbeds, enabling researchers to examine and validate 5G technologies, spectrum usage paradigms, application performance and service behavior. As a board member, Samsung will also provide direction on future research initiatives.

Pioneering 5G Innovation

Samsung brings over 35 years of experience in developing innovative mobile telecommunications technologies and plays an active role in working with international standards organizations on standardizing 5G network development. The company has driven a wide range of 5G breakthroughs in the mmWave spectrum including:

• In 2013, Samsung recorded the world’s first gigabit per second throughput benchmark to a distance up to 2 kilometers using next-generation prototype technologies in mmWave spectrum.
• In 2014, Samsung set a speed record at 7.5Gbps in a stationary environment and became the first to demonstrate stable and uninterrupted mobile connections at 1.2Gbps from a vehicle traveling at over 100km/h.
• In March 2016, Samsung announced the success of world’s first multi-cell handover maintaining a gigabit data transmission, demonstrating a vehicle-in-motion maintaining a gigabit data transmission while moving between three transmitters.
• Recently, Samsung developed 5G-ready antenna and power amplifier technologies enabling smaller, more energy efficient 5G equipment and devices using 28GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum.

For more information, please visit here.

Samsung Electronics is continuing its efforts to pioneer the next generation of mobile telecommunications, 5G, with its latest achievement: the first multi-cell handover in March, 2016. As demonstrated in the above video, a vehicle traveling at 25 kilometers per hour was able to move between three transmitters, maintaining a gigabit data transmission.

Rather than blanket the area with each radio signal, as current telecommunications do, Samsung’s approach to 5G uses adaptive beamforming technology to tightly focus the radio waves into a beam that is targeted at each user’s device. Narrow, directly focused beams help overcome the inherent limitations of the ultra-high frequencies used for 5G, which have shorter transmission ranges and naturally suffer from greater signal loss. The need to precisely manage beamforming during handover adds additional complexity to the transition process – a challenge that Samsung has now completely overcome.

With Samsung demonstrating the ability to handover between base stations in a moving vehicle while maintaining transmission speed, the future of 5G has moved significantly closer to reality.

The finding is based on the “Results of Research on Telecom Technology Patent Trends and Patent Litigation Analysis” study, released on April 8 by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO).

The report stated that Samsung accounts for 12.7 percent (954 in total) of the LTE/LTE-A SEPs owned by 66 telecommunications businesses around the world.

The study was conducted over the course of three years by 35 experts, including patent attorneys, professors, and others from the National Applied Research Laboratory, a Taiwanese government-owned institution. The study chose and analyzed 7,516 U.S. patents related to LTE and LTE-A, which were declared as SEPs (Standard Essential Patents) to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

Samsung was also ranked No. 1 in the 2015 report, which surveyed 43 telecommunications businesses.

With the LTE patents portfolio, Samsung is expected to be an industry leader in the area of 5G technology.

ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute)
ETSI produces global standards for Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), including fixed, mobile, radio, aeronautical, broadcast and internet technologies, and is officially recognized by the European Union as a European Standards Organization.

The implementation of 5G as a viable alternative to wired broadband is one of the major focus area for Samsung, particularly in urban and suburban areas where fibre drops to the home or office would be a barrier to subscription.

As the digital age moves from individual devices to expansive digital networks, the Samsung Networks Booth at MWC 2016 explores the power and possibilities of connectivity. Through its display of its 4G LTE and advanced mobile technologies and solutions that will both pave the way towards the 5G era, and fulfill the potential to create a more sustainable future, Samsung is demonstrating its commitment toward developing innovations that push beyond today’s existing technologies.

In a demonstration of the potential capabilities of 5G technology, Samsung shows how eight members of a musical group can each transmit a separate 4K Ultra High-Definition video over the air without delay and synchronizes perfect harmony.

Thanks to the seamless mobility, higher throughput and low latency of 5G technology, new services like hologram calls, live virtual reality broadcasting and self-driving cars will soon enrich our lives.

Samsung showcases the world’s first mobile handover test using the mmWave radio system and hand-held smartphone with multiple antenna modules integrated.

Samsung introduced an end-to-end solution from chipsets, devices to radio access networks (RAN).

To address challenges operators face to efficiently manage heterogeneous networks(Smallcell/Macrocell, Licensed/Unlicensed, 3GPP/Non-3GPP), Samsung offers a range of new solutions that effectively utilize multiple links, including Inter-site Carrier Aggregation, LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) Small Cell; LTE & Wifi Aggregation; and Smart Multi-link & Unified Cloud.

As the amount of data services and smartphone devices dramatically increases, more spectrum is required to accommodate fast growing data traffic and help ensure a great user experience. LTE in Unlicensed spectrum includes a key family of technologies that allows aggregation of licensed and unlicensed spectrum bands to efficiently and timely increase network capacity and speed.

The Samsung LTE-U eFemto cell is designed to enable plug-and-play deployments with easier installation and a high capacity for enterprises. A single small cell unit can support three carriers of 20 MHz each, across both licensed and unlicensed spectrum, offering a peak download throughput up to 450Mbps.

The key lineup of Samsung’s IoT solutions include IoT Core, Gateways and various radio access solutions such as a standalone IoT base station, IoT integrated Digital Unit (DU) and LoRa based Unlicensed Low Power Wide Area (LPWA).

PS-LTE enables more effective communication by sharing precise emergency information in the form of real-time video streaming and high quality images.

Samsung’s PS-LTE network is the first in the world to be commercialized using the 3GPP telecommunications standard.

All of these latest technologies and solutions will be exhibited at the Samsung booth (Exhibit Hall 2 Stand 2M10) during Mobile World Congress 2016 from February 22-25 in Barcelona. To find more images of Samsung’s exhibition at the MWC 2016, please visit Samsung Newsroom Flickr.

“The evolution of communication technologies has transformed the way people live their lives,” said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “5G technology will offer us a new level of experience, which is immersive, tactile and ubiquitous. Thanks to seamless mobility, higher throughput and low latency of 5G technology, new services like hologram calls, virtual reality broadcasting of live football games and self-driving cars will enrich our lives.” he added.

5G Technology

At MWC 2016, Samsung will make 5G technology a reality by introducing reliable mobility and feasibility to utilize spectrums above 6GHz. Samsung will demonstrate the capability of the technology by transmitting eight Ultra High-Definition 4K videos over the air without delays. The company will simultaneously use its mmWave radio system for spectrums above 6GHz. This will show a low latency of less than one millisecond and a high speed data communication in gigabit throughput.

In addition, Samsung will introduce world’s first mobile handover test using the mmWave radio system and smartphone-integrated, multiple antenna modules in a small form factor. It is another footstep toward realization of 5G technology into reality that no one has not yet introduced.

Multi-link Connectivity Solution

The explosive growth in demand for mobile data is forcing operators to find new ways to make their network architecture simple and flexible. Operators face challenges to efficiently manage heterogeneous networks that include LTE/WiFi, macro/small cells, licensed/unlicensed spectrums and even different generations from 2G to 5G.

To address these challenges, Samsung will present a range of new solutions, including LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) / License Assisted Access (LAA), Multi-Path Transfer Control Protocol (MP-TCP), D-RAN Inter-site Carrier Aggregation and Samsung Smart Multi-Linktm.

Multi-Path Transfer Control Protocol (MP-TCP) technology is currently one of the key priorities for Samsung. This technology allows aggregation among independent networks using different technologies, such as WiFi, IoT, 3G, 4G, 5G and more. Distinguished from other technologies such as Dual/Multi connectivity, MP-TCP enables the merging of data streams from each independent network, including non-3GPP standard based networks, at the Internet Protocol (IP) layer, which makes aggregation much simpler and faster. This technology has already been successfully commercialized in Korea, one of the world’s most data-centric countries, last year.

Samsung is also introducing Smart Multi-Linktm for the first time, based on its Unified Core architecture. This is designed to support backward and forward compatibility, incorporating 2G to 5G technology, in addition to embracing non-3GPP standard technologies. Using Network Function Virtualization (NFV) and Self Defined Network (SDN), Smart Multi-Linktm enables the transformation of distributive networks into one unified and flexible network.

Internet of Things (IoT)

The key lineup of Samsung IoT solutions will be seen at this year’s MWC as well; including IoT Core, Gateways and various radio access solutions such as a standalone IoT base station, IoT integrated Digital Unit (DU) and LoRaTM based Unlicensed Low Power Wide Area (LPWA).

Samsung will also introduce its Mission-Critical IoT service, a new use case incorporated with Public Safety-LTE. As a total solution provider of consumer electronics and carrier solutions, Samsung can provide a complete package of Mission-Critical IoT services, even including a diverse range of sensors and devices.

Not only will Samsung fulfill its requirements for 3GPP standards such as CAT-0, CAT-1, CAT-M, NB-IoT in 2016, but the company will also unveil its ‘standard beyond’ technologies in 2017, which will be especially optimal for Mission-Critical IoT.

Public-Safety LTE

Samsung will demonstrate its live Push-to-Talk services with multiple handheld devices, to show a typical emergency use case. In particular, this demonstration will be showcased with Evolved Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (eMBMS), which enables HD videos and images to be broadcast to multiple devices instantly with minimized network resources. And with a virtualized core solution, a single PS-LTE network can be configured and operated independently for each government agency such as the police, fire services and national railways, while being controlled efficiently from a single point at the main control center.

Furthermore, Samsung will be deploying the world’s first 3GPP standard based PS-LTE network in Korea as the only end-to-end solution provider—from devices to core and radio solutions.

Centralized-RAN Evolution: C-RAN 2.0+

With commercial deployment of C-RAN in Korea, Samsung has already undergone two cycles of upgrades. This year, Samsung will enhance its C-RAN platform once again by introducing C-RAN 2.0+. Retaining the benefits from Samsung’s Smart SON and Smart Scheduler, base stations will detect the interference at the cell-edge and control radio transmission power in real time and maximize the total data throughput by 40~50% on average.

C-RAN is already considered a revolutionary part of the cellular industry’s future. Samsung’s continuous C-RAN evolution will be an important asset for operators preparing for 5G networks.

All of these latest solutions will be exhibited at the Samsung booth (Exhibit Hall 2 Stand 2M10) during Mobile World Congress 2016 from February 22-25 in Barcelona, Spain.

Samsung Electronics, a leading provider of mobile broadband networking solutions, announced that it has successfully demonstrated the capabilities of Telco Software-Defined Networking(SDN) in a proof of concept test deployment with South Korean operator SK Telecom.

The proof of concept demonstration was composed of Samsung technology, including a test-scale LTE network provided by Samsung, a virtualized EPC along with the addition of several SDN switches and an SDN controller to manage traffic flow. The test network simulated multiple transport routes within the network, and allowed for traffic to be dynamically anchored to optimal routes for an application or user. Even in simulated node overloads and failures, the SDN system showcased the ability to re-route traffic to maximize operating efficiency and prevent degradation in the quality of user experience.

Critically, the system also enabled separation of user and control planes, allowing more appropriate and direct routes for each. This will play a very important role in enabling dense IoT (Internet of Things) traffic, where rapid growth in device and sensor communications has the potential to overburden unprepared telecommunications networks. Multiple types of traffic were also simulated, including web and video data, in order to demonstrate the system’s routing and data-plane separation capabilities.

“The results of this demonstration show exciting promise for the capabilities that SDN can bring to the mobile network, and we are looking forward to the next phase of this project slated for early next year.” Said Seongyong Park, Vice President and Head of Next Generation R&D, Network Business at Samsung Electronics. “With the help of partners such as SK Telecom, Samsung is delivering on its commitment to next-generation mobile technologies; together with our leadership in other areas, such as 5G radio and NFV, it shows the innovation potential that Samsung bring to the mobile industry.”

“Efficient transport of data traffic through the mobile network is a key area of interest as we strive to meet growing demand for mobile data and differentiated network services,” said Jin-hyo Park, Senior Vice President & Head of Network Technology Center at SK Telecom. “This feasibility demonstration represents an important first step, and SK Telecom remains committed to taking a leadership position in the development of future generation mobile telecommunication technologies.”

Software-Defined Networking, in parallel with Network Functions Virtualization, has been identified by Samsung and SK Telecom as key technologies for the enablement of 5G networks, and is expected to contribute significantly to improvements in network capacity, latency, flexibility and total cost of ownership. This demonstration closely follows on the heels of commercial deployments of Samsung’s AdaptiV Core platform for SK Telecom, including its AdaptiV vEPC and AdaptiV vIMS solutions in August and September, respectively.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Samsung on our NFV solution for SK Telecom’s IoT services,” said Jong-bong Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Network Division at SK Telecom. “SK Telecom is preparing for the IoT era through active business collaboration. Through the application of virtualized network technologies, we are confident that we can deliver a truly consistent and innovative network as well as superior service quality.”

The IoT network, driven by Samsung’s AdaptiV Core, is scheduled to go live  in the first half of 2015, and will see initial applications targeting package delivery tracking, CCTV monitoring and city-wide sensor monitoring.

“We are honoured that SK Telecom has selected Samsung as the sole vendor to support SK Telecom’s sophisticated mobile network,” said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. ”NFV is one of the core technologies of next-generation mobile networks and will play a critical role in helping telecom operators in terms of network deployment, management and operation as well as service efficiency and rapid scalability.”

Samsung successfully completed its virtualized EPC Proof of Concept (PoC) and subsequent trials with SK Telecom in late 2013, and was chosen by SK Telecom in 2015 for deployment in the mobile carrier’s dedicated network for IoT services.

Samsung’s AdaptiV Core scored the highest among vendors competing for the contract with SK Telecom, particularly in the areas of product performance, functionality, stability and ease of management. The solution emphasizes a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) and the ability to easily manage virtualized resources.

Samsung’s AdaptiV Core

Samsung’s AdaptiV Core includes a virtualized Evolved Packet Core (vEPC), which runs on a KVM-based hypervisor on a common server hardware platform, and Samsung’s CognitiV Cloud Manager System.

The vEPC will be responsible for managing traffic to and from IoT-type devices, leveraging its ability to scale network functions as needed to provide a dynamic balance of capacity, performance, power consumption and resource availability. The CognitiV Cloud Manager will be responsible for managing this process, keeping track of available resources and network load, while also providing SK Telecom with a powerful and straightforward interface with which to customize the behaviour of each Virtualized Network Function (VNF). It will also determine network status and easily manage hardware resources as needed.

Samsung’s LTE solutions are supported by over 30 years of experience and leadership in developing and commercializing telecom technologies. With years of proven field experience in LTE technologies, Samsung has successfully partnered with dozens of mobile service providers, facilitating the implementation of the most advanced LTE networks available on the market today.