In a significant development poised to redefine network capabilities, Nokia has introduced its Multi-Access Edge Slicing innovation, in partnership with e& UAE.
The announcement, made by Nokia, marks a milestone in network technology and will be demonstrated live on e& UAE’s network at the Mobile World Congress 2024 (MWC 2024) in Barcelona.
Multi-Access Edge Slicing represents a paradigm shift, empowering e& UAE to offer a range of premium slicing services across multiple access technologies including 4G/5G, Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), and Fixed Access (FA). This breakthrough technology enables simultaneous support for various use cases and applications, ushering in a new era of connectivity versatility.
With Multi-Access Edge Slicing, e& UAE can tailor network slices to cater to diverse user needs. For instance, a smartphone user could securely transmit business-sensitive data via one slice while engaging in a high-quality video call on another slice concurrently.
Similarly, within a multi-sliced FWA or FA network, households could allocate slices for activities like HDTV streaming, cloud gaming, or remote work, each tailored with distinct network characteristics such as routing, bit rate, Quality of Service (QoS), latency, and security.
Nokia’s innovation extends support to a wide array of devices including laptops, tablets, game consoles, IoT devices, and 4G/5G smartphones, including the latest URSP (UE Route Selection Policy) capable multi-slice smartphones.
Furthermore, it facilitates on-demand network slicing, allowing subscribers to activate slices tailored to specific applications, such as gaming, with enhanced network performance and low latency at the edge cloud.
Multi-Access Edge Slicing ensures service continuity across access technologies, including 4G, 5G, FWA/Wi-Fi, and FA/Wi-Fi, delivering a consistent subscriber experience. Built on industry standards such as 3GPP and IETF, Nokia’s solution integrates into multi-vendor networks, ensuring interoperability and scalability.
This innovation aligns with Nokia’s portfolio of edge slicing solutions, complementing its 5G edge slicing capabilities and recently introduced edge cloud network slicing solutions. These advancements empower mobile operators to deliver Virtual Private Network services tailored to enterprises and industries, leveraging and cost-efficient network infrastructure.
Khalid Murshed, CTIO at e& UAE, emphasized the company’s commitment to driving digital transformation through technological innovation, stating that Multi-Access Edge Slicing represents a crucial step towards offering innovative services to customers.
Olivier Loridan, Senior Analyst at Omdia, hailed Nokia’s Multi-Access Edge Slicing as promising, noting its seamless integration of Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) and Network Slicing to address evolving connectivity needs.
Ari Kynaslahti, Head of Strategy and Technology, Mobile Networks at Nokia, underscored the significance of collaboration with e& UAE in driving innovation. He emphasized Nokia’s leadership in network slicing and expressed confidence that Multi-Access Edge Slicing will empower operators to deliver premium services that enhance customer experiences.
