ZTE claims its slicing 5G up faster than everyone else

ZTE has stepped up to claim it has released the world’s first 5G E2E network slicing solution across 5G RAN, core network and bearer network.

Should the claim prove to be accurate it would certainly put ZTE into a strong position as the major vendors jostle for position ahead of the upcoming 5G windfall. Enabling a physical network to be allocated across several virtualised network slices for different usecases and services would certainly be an attractive proposition for customers.

“The release of the 5G E2E network slicing solution is a key milestone towards the 5G commercialization,” said You Yan, Vice President at ZTE. “It not only provides an industrial leading implementation method of network slice, but also turns the network slice into an operational and valuable product for the vertical industry, inaugurating a new mode of the 5G network slice operation.

“ZTE vigorously attempts to promote the cross-border integration of the 5G and the vertical industry, stimulates massive application innovations, realizes a perfect combination of 5G’s social and commercial values and builds up a digital economy ecosystem.”

The team has stated the new solution will also support life-cycle management of end-to-end network slices through its intelligent operation and orchestration system, as well as on-demand customization of network slices and the real-time provisioning. With a gluttony of usecases being discussed by the 5G blue-sky thinkers, such as industrial control, automatic driving, intelligent power grid and remote medical treatment, network slicing has become an important talking point in the industry.

The product release is just one of numerous positive announcements which have come out of the ZTE press office in recent months. Whether it is sourcing cash to invest further in R&D or growing revenues against the backdrop of a sluggish landscape, ZTE is certainly making positive moves as the 5G promise starts to mature.

What should be worth noting is that while ZTE is shouting the loudest for the moment, it isn’t the only one playing in this field. Back in September, Huawei successfully demonstrated a 5G network slicing application for smart grids, while Ericsson has also been exploring the possibilities with BT.