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      Realizing differentiated connectivity with 5G technology

      Discover how to design, configure, and scale performance-driven services
      Download the handbook

      Differentiated connectivity: Turn 5G SA capabilities into unique user experiences

      What differentiated services will you bring to market? Whether you’re targeting premium consumer experiences or demanding enterprise use cases, success depends on how effectively you translate 5G technology into real, deployable services. Here’s how to make it happen.

      One network meeting diverse needs

      What is differentiated connectivity?

      Differentiated connectivity refers to the capability of service providers creating multiple levels of connectivity over a common network infrastructure to deliver deterministic performance at scale, matching the needs of diverse applications at consistent levels of quality and enabling service providers to capture the full value of emerging business.

      Today’s consumers, enterprises and public sectors expect more from their connectivity than ever before. New mobile applications such as cloud gaming, extended reality and remote operations place new performance, resilience and predictability demands on networks. Traditional best-effort mobile broadband connectivity cannot deliver to this need, impacting subscriber’s service experience and limiting service providers ability to innovate and grow revenue.

      This is made possible by 5G standalone network capabilities such as network slicing, User Equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP), advanced RAN features, and OSS/BSS and API exposure capabilities. Through network slices that are designed and configured to serve a defined purpose – and are dynamically orchestrated across the networks end to end – diverse experiences can be delivered at specific times and locations over the same physical infrastructure with performance levels that meet service level agreements (SLAs). This means that network resources could be optimized to meet a wider range of applications, while unlocking new revenue opportunities enabled by performance-based business models.

       

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      Benefits and opportunities

      Grow revenue through enhanced user experiences

      Differentiated connectivity enables service providers to plan, build, package and sell services in new ways, providing more reliable and enhanced experiences anchored by service-level agreements (SLA) that targets varied needs of emerging consumer and enterprise applications.

      Move into performance-based and platform-based business models

      Based on standardized network APIs, platform business models will more dynamic pricing based on when, where and how much a network capability is used, including. Such models will grow in coming years leveraging new possibilities to monetize network investments across global developer markets.

      New revenue streams and innovation

      Additionally, differentiated connectivity allows service providers to capitalize on exposing APIs related to differentiated connectivity to application developers and aggregators. This not only opens new customer segments but also drives innovation and sets new industry standards.

      Your guide to move from ambition to execution

      Differentiated Connectivity Handbook

      The Ericsson Differentiated Connectivity Handbook guide in turning 5G standalone (SA) capabilities into scalable differentiated services. It explains the key technologies, how they translate into measurable business outcomes, and how to design and operationalize at scale.

      Combining clear concepts, practical guidance, and real-world examples from leading operators, the handbook helps move from ambition to execution—enabling differentiated, high-value connectivity services across consumer, enterprise, and public sector use cases.

      Download the handbook
      Differentiated connectivity chapter 4 cover_graphic
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      Our three-stage blueprint to get started

      Leveraging expertise acquired through collaborations with the majority of early 5G SA pioneers, Ericsson has identified a proven cyclical framework for accelerated progress while realizing the value of differentiated connectivity along the way.

      Build your knowledge with a live “sandbox” deployment and an open mind. Identify one or more use cases that can be explored in relatively confined segments of your network, ensuring that your wider network remains unaffected.

      A small-scale, real-world deployment that offers consumers a choice of connectivity levels will provide clearer, defined value propositions for each target segment as part of your future go to market strategy.

      The challenge here is striking the balance between providing the required efficiency for the use cases served by differentiated connectivity without impacting any commercial service to the existing network users, all while navigating the network’s conditions and resource availability.

      Effective monetization begins during exploration. From the outset, business support systems (BSS) capabilities allow CSPs to define and manage product offerings, bundle services, and establish eligibility rules for different customer segments. This ensures that differentiated connectivity can generate revenue from initial deployments.

      The primary focus is on achieving a significant return on investment as enterprises and consumers realize their CSP can deliver connectivity which meets their precise needs, and that they can start paying accordingly for its value. Offer a service that the market needs, and the customers will follow.

      The scene is now set for growth. The initial wins in the exploration and monetization stages will have built a foundation of confidence and knowledge. At this point, the focus is on scaling up deployments in a controlled way to a wider location and multiple target user groups.

      The scaling phase means starting to offer multiple connectivity options with differing characteristics to address specific audiences, locations and/or use cases with optimized network resources.

      So, CSPs must build on the differentiated service offerings implemented in the previous phase, broadening its coverage, extending its usage to other similar locations, and/or increasing its user base.

      Realizing differentiated connectivity service offerings

      This infographic provides a structured view of the steps to realize differentiated connectivity, along with the essential network capabilities—from defining service requirements to enabling delivery and scaling operations. It brings together the building blocks needed to turn 5G standalone (SA) capabilities into tangible differentiated services tailored to specific customer needs.

      Download the infographic
      Differentiated connectivity handbook cover_graphic

      Individual chapters

      Differentiated connectivity chapter 1

      Chapter 1: The journey toward differentiated connectivity

      Explore, monetize and scale – discover our proven three-stage blueprint to transform your 5G SA networks into a launchpad for unique and premium experiences, all while optimizing network resource utilization.

      Download the handbook
      Differentiated connectivity chapter 2

      Chapter 2: Unlock the value of differentiated connectivity

      Learn the steps to realize differentiated connectivity service offerings, its essential network capabilities and go-to-market alternatives to transition from proof-of-concepts and trials to scalable, long-term profitability.

      Download the handbook
      Differentiated connectivity chapter 3

      Chapter 3: Performance levels: from theory to practice

      Find actionable guidance for planning, building and applying performance levels, and learn from real-world success stories demonstrating how concepts translate into measurable business outcomes.

      Download the handbook
      Differentiated connectivity chapter 4 cover_graphic

      Chapter 4: Monetizing and scaling differentiated connectivity

      Takes a closer look at how automation, orchestration, and intent-based operations enables faster time-to-market, stronger SLA-backed offers, and efficient large-scale adoption.

      Download the handbook

      Customer success stories

      EMR June 2026 DiffConn web thumbnail_graphic

      Global market traction: Global momentum in commercial differentiated connectivity services

      Report front cover image, Singtel and Ericsson

      Singtel: transforms connectivity services business model

      Cosmote installation

      Cosmote Telekom: From best-effort to best-in-class premium FWA

      EMR November 2024

      T-Mobile USA: Taking network slicing from pilots to real-world scenarios

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      SoftBank: Multi-network slicing use cases at the Japanese Formular 1 Grand Prix

      Essential building blocks for differentiated connectivity

      Differentiated connectivity comprises capabilities and end-to-end resources on a 5G SA network, along with associated devices and applications. Together, they enable dynamic and flexible network configuration and management, driving an optimal connectivity experience.

      Bringing differentiated connectivity to market requires seamless integration with business and operations support systems, enabling service orchestration, billing, charging, customer relationship management, and analytics.

      Our comprehensive portfolio of products and services spans from RAN and Core networks to support systems and service exposure platforms. This enables service differentiation with end-to-end key performance levels geared toward SLAs and monetization in the broader ecosystem.

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      Network slicing

      Network slicing a key enabler of differentiated connectivity — where characteristics such as throughput, latency, and security can be optimized to deliver consistent, predictable performance tailored to diverse application needs.

      Crowd at concert, person filming with phone, bright lights.

      RAN capabilities

      Features to support multiple slices and traffic types, such as priority-based admission control (PBAC) relative priority scheduling (RPS), rate-controlled scheduler (RCS) and latency improvements.

      Sway Compensation Antenna, MINI-LINK 6352 on monopole site.

      Transport capabilities

      Quality of Service (QoS) management and traffic steering principles is required to support multiple deployment paths. Domain-specific software-defined networking (SDN) controllers and transport orchestrator is required to enable effective network slice creation, deployment, resource mapping and delivery of SLAs.

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      5G Core capabilities

      User equipment route selection (URSP) functionality supports devices switching between slices on an application basis. Access to network slicing and different QoS categories, routing principles and charging parameters need to be configured on the user control planes and the data management elements.

      Person holding mobile telephone, filming an event.

      OSS/BSS capabilities

      SLA-based assurance requires monitoring capabilities to optimize network performance in real time using feedback from users and applications, while also considering the network conditions. Multi-domain service orchestration, dynamic network slicing support, and assurance capabilities can be implemented, and continue to evolve in succeeding stages.

      Smartphones raised during live concert

      L4S

      Explore how Low Latency, Low Loss, and Scalable Throughput (L4S) enables predictable, low latency performance in 5G standalone networks—turning congestion into smoother application experiences in a growing ecosystem.

      People celebrating in stadium

      Moments of hope, desire, or unease make people's willingness to pay suddenly skyrocket, these moments represent an untapped market opportunity for the telecom industry. Explore the business value of moments for consumers and businesses.
       

      Explore the moments

      Further reading