Orange taps Nokia for a 5G slice with 4G on the side

Network slicing is one of the features that is held up as a key advantage of new 5G standalone networks, as it allows operators to slice up their networks in a virtual fashion and serve different user and application requirements.

In February 2020, Nokia launched what it called "end-to-end slicing network functionality for 4G and 5G New Radio (NR)."

The solution, developed in collaboration with A1 Austria and Telia Finland, essentially aims to support connectivity from 4G and 5G devices over the sliced network to applications running in private and public clouds.

Figure 1: Slice it up: Nokia's network slicing tech is being used in a manufacturing 4.0 factory owned by Schneider Electric.
(Source: Erika Osberg on Unsplash)

The big idea was to allow operators to start building up a network slicing business with existing 4G and 5G non-standalone networks, before taking the leap into the standalone 5G world.

In October 2020, the Finnish vendor subsequently introduced automated 4G/5G network slicing within radio access network (RAN), transport and core domains including new network management, controller and orchestration capabilities.

Orange plots industrial use cases

Orange is now bringing the Nokia solution to France. The operator is using Nokia's 4G/5G network slicing technology to deploy a 4G/5G private mobile network at a factory in Le Vaudreuil owned by Schneider Electric. According to Orange, the "slice continuity" between LTE and 5G NR allows it and Schneider Electric to operate an indoor network in an industrial setting.

Schneider Electric is one of Orange's key partners that has been helping it to evaluate 5G's role in industrial production processes. Indeed, the two partners first deployed a 5G private network at the Le Vaudreuil factory using experimental frequencies in March 2020.

Arnaud Vamparys, senior vice president for radio networks at Orange, said the operator and Schneider Electric will continue to explore how private 4G/5G connectivity can be applied to industrial uses.

Orange Business Services, the France-based group's enterprise services unit, already offers a mobile private network portfolio to its enterprise customers.

Growing trend

Indeed, it seems that deployments of private LTE and 5G networks are now in full swing. The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) said it has identified 40 countries or territories with private network deployments based on an LTE or 5G or LTE or 5G-suitable private network spectrum license.

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The GSA's latest report in May 2021 categorizes 311 private mobile network deployments around the world. The association's data also suggests that manufacturing is an early adopter of private mobile networks, with 67 companies identified. Mining is second, followed by ports.

Joe Barrett, president of the GSA, said: "GSA has counted 38 equipment vendors that have been involved in the supply of equipment for private mobile networks based on LTE or 5G. In addition, we have identified 63 public network operators which between them are known to be involved with 106 projects."

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— Anne Morris, contributing editor, special to Light Reading