Ericsson activates 5G standalone at 5TONIC Open Innovation Lab
The deployment of 5G standalone at 5TONIC is a standalone landmark and instrumental for the validation of innovative solutions developed by 5TONIC vertical collaborators and will be central towards unleashing greater capabilities enabled by 5G technology moving forward.
As the main 5G infrastructure provider of 5TONIC, Telefónica’s Open Innovation Laboratory, Ericsson has played a major role in activating an end-to-end 5G standalone (SA) solution already in use for technical and business validation of industry applications. The deployment, a key technology milestone, involves the integration of Ericsson’s Radio Access Network (RAN) and Core solutions for 5G NR standalone in the lab’s premises in Madrid.
The Madrid-based laboratory, which promotes joint project development and entrepreneurial ventures, housed the integration of Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core deployment and Ericsson Radio System configuration. These technologies will provide the infrastructure needed to support the growing demand for high-bandwidth connections and the real-time, high-reliability communication requirements of mission-critical applications.
The accomplishment builds on the five-year collaboration between Ericsson and 5TONIC to unlock the full potential of 5G moving forward. The activation of 5G non-standalone (NSA) technology in the lab in 2019 made 5TONIC one of the first live 5G networks in Europe.
To date, key use cases at 5TONIC have included an Industry 4.0 trial by INNOVALIA, a 360-degree recording and production system by YBVR, and remote real-time control of AGVs of ASTI Mobile Robotics, which can all benefit from the 5G SA network in both performance (namely, improved latency), and even more importantly, in flexibility for network slicing and deployment in different vertical industries.
The 5TONIC lab is interconnected with other 5G site facilities in Turin, Paris, Athens, making up the 5G EVE validation platform, backed by H2020 EU 5GPPP. With this SA deployment at 5TONIC, multiple vertical industry firms validating their solutions over the 5G EVE platform will also be able to start leveraging 5G SA.
Erik Ekudden, CTO and Head of Technology & Strategy, Ericsson, says: “Since its start, Ericsson has been a prominent member of 5TONIC, with the key objective of fostering 5G research and development and strengthening the competitiveness of European industry in the areas of 5G and innovation. We’re seeing huge advantages using our 5G SA technology, which will allow verticals industries to achieve simultaneously their respective key performance targets.”
Enrique Blanco, CTIO Telefónica, says: “At our Open Innovation Lab, 5TONIC, we are showcasing innovative solutions in the 5G research and development area. We’re able to provide a unique space that allows powerful collaborations to take place and bring out the best capabilities that 5G technology has to offer.”
