Until recently, mobile operators have been deploying 5G non-standalone (NSA) networks - 5G networks that rely on a 4G core. While this evolution of the next generation of mobile technology was a big step towards 'real' 5G, customers on 5G today are still experiencing VoLTE calls - and in some cases, 2G and 3G calls. As customers continue to expect more from their 5G experience, it's critical that mobile operators match expectations with reality.
Now, the focus is shifting toward true 5G — 5G Standalone (5G SA). Unlike NSA, which overlays a 5G NR (New Radio) access network onto an existing 4G LTE core, 5G SA operates with a 5G NR access network running on a dedicated 5G core.
The widespread use of 5G SA has myriad benefits, including:
Critically, 5G SA will act as a key driver in the monetization of 5G, allowing telcos to recoup their investment into the new network by enabling new use cases for the entire sector, including:
With the Ericsson Mobility report highlighting that the 5G SA rollout will double by the end of 2022 and that within 5 years, 5G SA-compatible devices will account for nearly half of all mobile subscriptions, it’s crucial that we understand what its impact is going to be on the industry.
Across the globe, we’re beginning to see operators rolling out 5G SA to deliver a fully 5G experience to end users. In 2021, Vodafone Germany launched a 5G SA network, with 1000 antennas in 170 cities and municipalities, and plans to deploy a fully-SA network by 2023. Late last year, Telia launched its 5G SA core in Finland, with the service being initially available to selected users in around 20 areas across Finland.
Many other EMEA operators have Many other EMEA operators are planning to or have already launched 5G SA networks, including Telenor Denmark, Orange, Vodafone Spain and Vodafone UK, with the latter launching a commercial pilot trial of 5G SA in 2020.
However, despite this development and proliferation of 5G SA, there is still a vast number of operators who are without plans to roll out the technology and are lagging behind. This could be for a variety of reasons, however, the fundamental challenge operators face is integration.
Integration of 5G SA is challenging, and it requires new infrastructure and architecture, rethinking operations, embracing cloud-nativity principles, and a software-centric approach. This entirely new way of thinking and operating could be holding telcos back from investing in 5G SA, however, the benefits it will bring and the use cases it unlocks are set to outweigh the challenges of implementation.
Therefore, with the phasing out of the circuit switch (CS) legacy (2G/3G sunset), increased customer demand and the need to provide faster connections, operators should make the transition to offering voice services over 4G and 5G networks on a permanent basis. While the standard for voice over 4G networks is called VoLTE, the new standard for voice over 5G networks is called Voice over New Radio (VoNR) and uses a standalone architecture to deliver significantly better sound quality and lower latency. With the widespread rollout of 5G well underway, service providers need to rethink voice services to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the new technology. If service providers are to truly deliver on their 5G standalone promise, Voice over New Radio (VoNR) must be part of their 5G strategy.
Here is an overview of what VoNR is, why it is important for service providers, and why ng-voice's VoNR solution is key to delivering on the 5G voice promise.
Voice over New Radio (VoNR) is the process of encapsulating Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) using 5G radio and core network architecture. This enables the transmission of media components over the new radio or 5G network. More simply, Voice over New Radio (VoNR) provides voice services for 5G standalone networks. Both VoLTE and VoNR use the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), which integrates packet-based calls into a network infrastructure using a mobile network as the source. The difference between VoLTE and VoNR lies in the underlying mobile network and radio architecture. Voice over New Radio (VoNR) takes telephony calls and converts them into data packets, which are then carried by 5G and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS).
As mentioned above, 5G networks open up new possibilities for voice solutions and the way they are delivered. By deploying VoNR, operators can meet customer demands and provide faster and better voice services.
According to a whitepaper by Rohde & Schwarz, the increase in 5G deployments will drive major changes for voice service providers. When moving to 5G, it is essential for operators to deploy an easy-to-maintain and highly scalable IMS solution for voice in 5G. A good starting point for 5G can be an IMS/VoLTE-based architecture that allows future-proofing of new technologies. By reducing the amount of switching in the background, the VoNR becomes much faster because the connection setup is linear. By reducing the number of paths, message transmissions become shorter and, when deployed, voice is utilised via IMS.
VoNR allows customers to get the most out of the network and enables telcos to reap the benefits of significantly lower latency, such as
The higher quality of service that VoNR can offer will support revenue growth for telcos by creating an overall higher quality of experience and encouraging adoption over other voice services. For example, users may choose to use VoNR instead of OTT services such as WhatsApp or Skype. In addition, a better experience will contribute to lower churn rates for operators. More fundamentally, VoNR will enable operators to offer a higher quality of service overall, through more stable call connections, lower latency and reduced battery consumption on mobile devices.
The VoNR architecture comprises several core components, including the User Equipment (UE), which refers to the 5G-enabled mobile device, the 5G New Radio (NR) serving as the radio access network technology, the 5G Core Network (5GC) providing the core infrastructure, and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) framework responsible for delivering IP multimedia services.
Within the 5G core network, key network functions for VoNR include the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), User Plane Function (UPF), Policy Control Function (PCF), Unified Data Management (UDM) and Authentication Server Function (AUSF). These components work together to manage registration, connection, mobility, session establishment, user data routing, policy rules, subscriber data and authentication.
More specifically, here is the role of each of them.
Operators that need to modernise their infrastructure can benefit from moving to a cloud mobile infrastructure in 5G by deploying VoNR with a truly cloud-native IMS.
To unlock the true benefits of 5G SA, being cloud-native is key. Moving to a fully cloud-native infrastructure can add additional benefits to the already enhanced service, including flexibility and fast deployment, with lower costs. Service providers need to be able to deliver voice services in a way that meets subscriber demands and needs, while reducing costs and improving margins. A truly cloud-native approach to VoNR will help them do exactly that.
We at ng-voice offer a VoLTE/VoNR/VoWiFi solution that is truly cloud-native. The Hyperscale IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) Solution is infrastructure-agnostic, cost-efficient and fully automated. Being 100% containerised (with a container size of less than 25MB) and Kubernetes-based, our offering is ready to deliver VoNR with up to 80% lower total cost of ownership (TCO), very fast deployment times and simplified lifecycle management. Whether you're a small operator or a Tier 1, ng-voice is the perfect partner to help you explore new revenue opportunities and future-proof your networks.
ng-voice is a Germany-based telco software provider, dedicated to revolutionising voice production in 4G/5G networks for both consumer and IoT use cases. Our flagship product - the Hyperscale IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) Solution - is infrastructure-agnostic, cost-efficient and fully automated. Being 100% containerised (with a container size of less than 25MB) and Kubernetes-based, our offering is ready to deliver VoLTE and VoNR with up to 80% lower total cost of ownership (TCO), very fast deployment times and simplified lifecycle management. Whether you're a small operator or a Tier 1, ng-voice is the perfect partner to help you explore new revenue opportunities and future-proof your networks.
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/ngvoice
Web: www.ng-voice.com
Contact: sales@ng-voice.com
