The latter is, in my opinion, the key innovation that will revolutionise mobile services in the telecommunications sector.
Network Slicing is based on the reservation and segmentation of network resources, forming an end-to-end architecture that allows the creation of virtual networks independent of each other, allowing a more adaptable and efficient use of resources, which can be applied to different uses, needs or conditions according to demand.
Types of services
There are 4 main types of services that can be offered through Network Slicing: mobile broadband services (eMBB), low latency (uRLLC), internet of things oriented connectivity (mMTC) and connected mobility (V2X). In this area, Telefónica is working specifically on the former, known as Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), as it is currently the only slice supported in the network that mobile handsets can handle.
What does this translate into in terms of user experience?
In terms of the partitions and slices that will be used to offer these services, when a user is in a slice with resource reservation, their connectivity will not be affected during times of congestion, and they will be able to continue browsing smoothly even when the radio node that provides the service is saturated, which in normal conditions could imply a bad browsing experience. Thanks to this technology, users subscribing to the service (premium lines) will enjoy an optimal connectivity experience in high-demand situations.
How can this be put into practice? Possible ways to achieve objectives
In order to achieve this objective, different aspects can be worked on, such as, for example, the development of the necessary capacities in the IT systems to provide the services that will include this new technology with the capacities for contracting, billing, provisioning and service model. This could be built on the basis of the GSMA QoD mobile API, which allows dynamic or static provisioning of lines in the prioritised slice .
Another option, or example, would be to deal with the deployment of the partitions already defined and configurations of the slices associated with these partitions throughout the network.
Conclusions
Network slicing in 5G SA represents a step forward in the personalisation and optimisation of mobile connectivity services. It opens up new opportunities for services where stable and prioritised connectivity is crucial, such as critical communications services or private connectivity services over the mobile network.
As the 5G SA infrastructure continues to expand and more devices become compatible, we will see a boom in the development of new services. This is just the beginning of a new era in mobile connectivity, in which the ability to offer customised and adaptive services will be paramount to meet the expectations of our customers and the needs of various sectors of the economy.
