Samsung Electronics and KDDI today announced the companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to form a 5G Global Network Slicing Alliance.
This partnership aims to bring various commercial 5G network slicing services to the market and explore new business opportunities driven by this innovative technology.
This announcement builds upon the companies' ongoing efforts to advance network slicing, a market projected to grow at an annual rate of over fifty percent from 2023 to 2030. In January 2023, KDDI and Samsung successfully conducted a field trial in Tokyo, Japan, demonstrating Service Level Agreements (SLA) assurance network slicing on a live 5G standalone (SA) network. Additionally, in 2020, they pioneered network slicing with a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), marking an industry first.
“KDDI has been at the forefront of network slicing innovation, and we are excited to take another significant step forward with Samsung to show how this technology can augment 5G experiences for consumers and businesses,” said Toshikazu Yokai, Chief Network Officer, Managing Executive Officer, Deputy General Manager of Technology Sector at KDDI. “Through the strategic alliance, we not only aim to create new and immersive use cases, but also explore the infinite potential in transforming industries.”
Network slicing enables the creation of multiple virtual networks within a single physical network infrastructure, with each slice dedicated to a specific application or service. For example, operators can establish a low-latency slice for automated vehicles, an IoT slice for smart factories, and a high-bandwidth slice for live video streaming—all within the same network.
This versatility allows a single network to simultaneously support a wide range of use cases, accelerating the introduction of new services and catering to the specific needs of different enterprises and consumers.
“Combining Samsung’s strong technical expertise and KDDI’s business acumen, this new alliance will help us facilitate innovation with a shared commitment to keep advancing 5G to the next level,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to expanding our collaboration with KDDI to fully tap into the numerous opportunities that 5G network slicing offers.”
Samsung has been a pioneer in delivering end-to-end 5G solutions, encompassing chipsets, radios, and cores. Through continuous research and development, Samsung is leading the industry in advancing 5G networks with its extensive product portfolio, spanning vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, Core, private network solutions, and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently supplies network solutions to mobile operators worldwide, connecting hundreds of millions of users.
