Bharti Airtel, in collaboration with Ericsson, has successfully conducted tests of Ericsson's pre-commercial Reduced Capability (RedCap) software on the Airtel 5G network. These tests, utilizing Qualcomm's 5G RedCap test module, mark the first implementation and validation of RedCap in India.
RedCap is Ericsson's new radio access network (RAN) software solution, designed to enable various 5G use cases and increase the number of 5G connections from devices such as smartwatches, wearables, industrial sensors, and AR/VR devices.
This successful testing is expected to facilitate the adoption of futuristic IoT broadband technology for devices, ensuring cost and energy efficiency. Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Bharti Airtel, emphasized the significance of this technology in enhancing connectivity for various IoT devices.
RedCap represents the next evolutionary step in 5G technology, catering to use cases not fully addressed by current new radio (NR) specifications. In comparison to LTE device category 4, RedCap offers similar data rates with improvements in latency, device energy efficiency, and spectrum efficiency.
Ericsson's RedCap technology will create opportunities for communication service providers to introduce services beyond enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) on 5G standalone architecture, broadening the ecosystem and unlocking new monetization prospects in both consumer and industrial domains.
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Sandeep Hingorani, Head of Network Solutions for Customer Unit Bharti at Ericsson, acknowledged Airtel's commitment to network development and its readiness to seize opportunities presented by 5G technology. The commercialization of RedCap capabilities is expected to foster consumer business growth, drive new industry applications, and enhance network performance and energy efficiency.
With this successful testing, Airtel and Ericsson are poised to contribute to India's progress in 5G technology, offering improved connectivity and expanding the range of 5G use cases for a variety of devices.
Inputs from IANS
