Korean operator SK Telecom says it has managed the world’s first standalone 5G data session on a multi-vendor commercial 5G network.

Single vendor set-ups are increasingly out of fashion in the telecoms world, with the traditional wariness about vendor lock-in compounded by geopolitical uncertainty that threatens to compel the exclusions of certain vendors that shall remain nameless. So this is an important step for 5G as well as another opportunity for South Korea to virtue-signal about how cutting-edge it is when it comes to 5G.

“With the successful standalone 5G data call on our multi-vendor commercial 5G network, we are now standing on the threshold of launching standalone 5G service, a key enabler of revolutionary changes and innovations in all industries,” said Park Jong-kwan, Head of 5GX Labs at SK Telecom. “SK Telecom will offer the best 5G networks and services to realize a whole new level of customer experience in the 5G era.”

The two vendors in question were Ericsson and Samsung. SKT wasn’t inclined to go into great depth on how this pivotal feat was achieved. We do know it involved applying SA NR radio to existing NSA base stations and, hey presto, it all worked a treat. While it was at it SKT decided to dabble in a spot of network slicing and edge computing, which frankly seems like showing-off, but then again if you’ve got it, flaunt it, innit.