-- Technological collaboration to advance 5G development in
South Korea with initial testing
focusing on virtualized RAN to support next generation mobile
architecture
PARIS, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatel-Lucent
(Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) has signed a memorandum of
understanding with South Korean telecommunications provider, KT,
under which the companies will collaborate to test technologies for
the eventual introduction of 5G mobile networks and infrastructure
capable of meeting the huge connectivity demands expected in the
future.
The collaboration will initially focus on Alcatel-Lucent's
virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) technology. At Mobile World
Congress this year, Alcatel-Lucent demonstrated how its vRAN
capability could help operators dynamically meet changing customer,
market and environmental demands while enhancing network
performance and lowering costs.
Amid the exploding demand today for data caused by smartphones
and other mobile devices, and increasingly via technologies such as
'the Internet of Things' and machine-to-machine networks, 5G
technology promises greater speeds, capacity and flexibility,
enabling mobile operators to meet the data demand in a highly
personalized way. It will also deliver a completely 'untethered'
experience, enabling people and connected devices to access any
information from anywhere and in any way they choose.
South Korea has a strong
appetite for data: according to the Ministry of Science, ICT and
Future Planning at the end of February
2015 72% of mobile subscribers were smartphone
users.1 KT wants to leverage the flexibilities and
efficiencies promised by 5G to offer subscribers a high-quality
seamless mobile broadband experience, with new differentiated and
personalized revenue-generating services.
Key Facts
- Agreement sees Alcatel-Lucent and KT collaborating to develop
the future of 5G network architecture. This will allow KT to meet
the massive connectivity demands of the Internet of Things (IoT) –
delivering a personalized experience as more people, devices and
machines are connected.
- The scope of the agreement includes the development and testing
of mobile ultra-broadband access, network functions virtualization
(NFV) and software defined networking (SDN) technologies for 5G
network architectures and interfaces as well as the driving of
interworking and 3GPP standardization activities.
- Alcatel-Lucent has proven experience in both wireless networks
and virtualization and has already announced virtualization of a
wide range of network functions, including the evolved packet core
(vEPC), and IMS (vIMS), Content Delivery Network (vCDN) and service
routing (VSR). The company demonstrated its vRAN solution at Mobile
World Congress 2015. Its NFV leadership is underpinned by the
participation of the CloudBand NFV platform in over 30 customer
projects, an NFV ecosystem of over 60 members and extensive Nuage
Networks SDN capabilities - including the launch of the Virtualized
Networks Services (VNS) in 2014 - which further builds on
Alcatel-Lucent's strategy of delivering a complete range of cloud
networking solutions for a software-driven world.
Quotes
DongMyun Lee, CTO and Senior Vice President of KT said: "KT
recognizes Alcatel-Lucent as a global leader in vRAN and SDN. We
are eager to use their vRAN and SDN technology to help us implement
the 5G architecture that we have defined in our GiGatopia
Vision."
Chi Il Yoo, Head of Alcatel-Lucent Korea said: "Alcatel-Lucent
has a long-history of innovating to solve the world's biggest
communications challenges. We are fully aligned with KT's vision
and committed to help KT in its strategic network evolution. We see
NFV technologies, such as vRAN as a vital step in this evolution
and by working with KT we are further underlining our leadership in
this area."
About Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE:
ALU)
Alcatel-Lucent is the leading IP
networking, ultra-broadband access and cloud technology specialist.
We are dedicated to making global communications more innovative,
sustainable and accessible for people, businesses and governments
worldwide. Our mission is to invent and deliver trusted networks to
help our customers unleash their value. Every success has its
network.
For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on:
http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the
Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow
the Company on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
1 http://www.itstat.go.kr/stat.it?no=1444
http://www.itstat.go.kr/stat.it?no=1149