KIANEWS Orange Belgium deploys 5G SA Core with partners Nokia, Oracle and Ericsson
22. 09. 2022 Thursday / By: Robert Denes / Industrial / Exact time: BST / Print this page
T ogether with Ericsson, Nokia and Oracle, Orange Belgium is deploying a standalone 5G core network on a cloud-based architecture that enables virtualized end-to-end networks and combines the best of technical, IT and data management solutions. Together, they will demonstrate the full potential of 5G while investing in next-generation services.
Orange Belgium's 5G self-contained core network with a cloud-based architecture enables network slicing, a network feature where each isolated slice is independent and can have its own resources. Each slice is designed to meet the changing characteristics of applications as efficiently and flexibly as possible. Orange Belgium's technical team works closely with the Orange Group Innovation Network team, which jointly prepared the integration, as well as with Ericsson for the Packet Core, Oracle Communications for signaling and routing network functions, Nokia for subscriber data management and the new Radio.
5G Stand-alone (5G SA) is the final form of 5G. Radio access, transport and core network are all dedicated to 5G, which can maximize the potential of 5G networks. 5G SA increases network resilience and quality of service control for business applications.
The deployment of 5G SA solutions in Orange Belgium enables the future development of value-added, on-demand and customized services for consumer markets and Industry 4.0 services, such as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency communications ( URLLC) and Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC) services. Thus, Orange Belgium maintains its position as a next-generation network operator and moves forward with the use of multi-gigabit networks.
5G SA provides end-users with increased performance in terms of upstream data transfer rates and lower latency, and enterprises meet the need for flexible, scalable, reliable and secure connectivity for real-time use. It is possible to virtually slice the Orange 5G network (also known as “network slicing”), to specific slices to meet critical usage areas or special needs, offering different levels of quality and security. 5G SA and network slicing enable Orange to develop its virtual mobile private network solutions. According to the needs of corporate customers, the first option is to create a virtual private network on Orange's public network. Another solution is to create a hybrid private network that relies on shared equipment from the Orange network and dedicated equipment at the customer's premises for critical flows and data.
Following the inauguration of the first 5G lab in Antwerp and the soon-to-open new 5G Lab in Liège, Orange Belgium has stepped up its activities to deliver 5G services to its customers. In June 2022, Orange Belgium acquired the maximum amount of new 5G spectrum bands offered for auction. With the acquired 200 MHz spectrum, the operator can provide high-quality coverage and capacity for 5G network services.
With the gradual roll-out of the better-performing 5G network in Belgium, Orange Belgium also expects to develop more energy-efficient technology at the same time. The fifth generation of mobile networks is designed to be more sustainable than previous generations. For example, smart antennas can be activated on demand. Therefore, 5G antennas require only half as much energy per gigabit as 4G. By 2025, 5G will be up to ten times more efficient than the 2019 generation.
CTO Stefan Slavnicu said: "Our biggest ambition is to support the progress of the telecommunications sector in the best possible way. Orange Belgium is constantly investing in cutting-edge technology to deliver best-in-class performance to its customers. On the network side, we are moving towards a more customer-centric approach. We would like pave the way for next-generation services that we will deploy to all our customers, whether on their own or third-party infrastructure."
Via LinkAri Kynäslahti, Head of Strategy and Technology, Nokia Mobile Networks, said: "The stand-alone 5G radio is the last stage of the 5G new radio and is the basis for more transformative use cases such as cloud gaming or augmented reality. Nokia's industry-leading 5G AirScale network portfolio and subscriber data management provides best-in-class connectivity and supports mobile operators who are rapidly transitioning to 5G stand-alone networks. We are proud to continue our successful long-standing partnership with Orange and support their goal to provide their customers with a world-class 5G infrastructure."
