AIS, Thailand’s leading mobile operator, joined forces with Huawei to complete the nation’s inaugural 5G RedCap commercial test, marking a significant leap towards 5G technology evolution.
The test, conducted in Bangkok, showcased the seamless integration of RedCap technology into the existing commercial network, utilizing diversified commercial RedCap terminals.
The test encompassed a comprehensive evaluation of various aspects, including downlink and uplink peak throughput, mobility performance, and the coexistence of RedCap and eMBB UEs across both 700MHz and 2600MHz commercial networks. The results validated that both AIS’s 5G network and RedCap terminals surpassed expectations, setting a crucial milestone for the future commercialization of RedCap.
Understanding 5G RedCap: A Glimpse into the Future of IoT
RedCap, defined in 3GPP Release 17, stands as a beacon of innovation in the 5G landscape, catering to medium- and high-speed IoT applications. Designed for industrial sensors, smart wearables, video surveillance, and more, RedCap simplifies baseband, RF, and antenna units, resulting in significantly lower costs and power consumption compared to 5G eMBB. Furthermore, RedCap inherits the native capabilities of 5G, such as high capacity and lower latency, and supports crucial business functionalities like slicing and positioning.
Wasit Wattanasap, Head of Nationwide Operations and Support Business Unit at AIS, emphasized the importance of technological advancements in bolstering Thailand’s digital economy. He expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration with Huawei, showcasing AIS’s commitment to transforming Thailand’s 5G network into world-class digital infrastructure in line with the vision of Cognitive Tech-Co.
RedCap, seen as a pivotal achievement in 5G technology evolution, holds the promise of drastically reducing 5G module costs by 70 percent, thereby accelerating the adoption of 5G industry applications. AIS aims to collaborate with Huawei and industry partners to explore RedCap’s potential applications in various sectors, including industrial control, energy and power, smart cities, and smart wearables.
Huawei, recognizing the potential of RedCap to unlock 5G network capabilities across diverse scenarios, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting AIS in building high-quality 5G networks through joint innovation. The partnership aims to incubate more 5G applications in collaboration with industry partners, propelling Thailand’s industry digital transformation forward.
