Matthew Boyle- Successful field tests using 5G Reduced Capability ( RedCap ) technology are conducted by BT Group, Nokia, and MediaTek.
- Operators can now offer more services to more devices on their 5G networks thanks to the growth of the ecosystem and the simplicity with which they can use their mobile devices.
BT Group, along with Nokia and MediaTek, announced today that they have successfully completed trials of 5G Reduced Capability ( RedCap ) technology with RedCap devices. The AirScale RAN portfolio from Nokia, the 5G Standalone ( SA ) network from EE, and the RedCap testing platform from MediaTek were all used in the trial, which was conducted at the Adastral Park location of BT Group. With the release of 3GPP Release 17, RedCap technology makes 5G available to devices that don’t need it in its entirety. The IoT ecosystem could grow as a result, and its adoption within the sector could be sped up. RedCap is being evaluated by BT Group to support new 5G use cases that could help EE’s consumer and business customer bases.
Smartphones and other 5G devices frequently have complicated hardware and power-hungry features, which increases their price, size, and energy consumption. RedCap technology focuses on streamlining 5G devices, especially little IoT devices like wearables and health trackers for consumers, as well as rugged routers, environmental monitoring sensors, and other condition-based sensors. Battery life and bandwidth requirements are lower on these devices. They are kept running smoothly and have their power consumption reduced by RedCap. Along with the telecommunications sector, Nokia has been instrumental in advancing RedCap IoT functionality.
This trial with Nokia demonstrates the potential of RedCap technology in launching a new wave of innovation within the 5G services ecosystem, according to Greg McCall, Chief Networks Officer at BT Group. This is particularly true as we approach the rollout of 5G SA, which will bring with it improved dependability, responsiveness, security, and speed and which, through the use of a network of fresh IoT devices and use cases, is expected to be beneficial.
Our partnership with Nokia and BT Group for this trial of 5G RedCap technology, according to Robert Moffat, Deputy Director Europe Mobile Business Development at MediaTek,” contains with mediaTek’s commitment to driving innovation and broadening the potential of the 5R SA to include a wider ecosystem of devices and use cases.”
The introduction of RedCap will unlock new 5G opportunities for some industries, with possibly billions of new devices connected, according to Phil Siveter, CEO in UK and Ireland at Nokia. Our field tests with BT Group demonstrate that RedCap devices can be supported by Nokia 5G Standalone networks.
The UK’s top provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications as well as relevant secure digital products, solutions, and services is BT Group. Additionally, we offer managed telecommunications, security, network, and IT infrastructure services to clients in 180 different nations.
