SKT to Commercialize 'Next-Generation 5G Core' Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Joesulgina] SK Telecom will commercialize the next-generation 5G core designed and developed based on a cloud environment in 2022.

SK Telecom announced on the 15th that it has started building the 'Cloud-Native based Next-Generation 5G Core' equipment, aiming for commercialization in the first quarter of next year. This is the first case in Korea to reach the construction stage. SK Telecom, recognizing the need to introduce this technology in the mobile communication sector, proactively developed and verified it with Ericsson before starting construction.

Cloud-Native refers to the design and development of various services or applications (apps) based on a cloud environment, offering advantages such as shortened service launch times through faster updates compared to hardware equipment and improved stability.

The next-generation 5G core fully embraces the advantages of Cloud-Native, enabling rapid application of new features and significantly enhancing service stability. Additionally, based on flexible software mobility and real-time recovery functions, it allows quick recovery in case of network errors or failures. In particular, the latest technologies related to packet acceleration processing, path optimization, and multi-flow control for ultra-high-speed and large-capacity 5G services are applied, which is expected to improve traffic processing efficiency by up to 50% compared to existing physical-based systems.

Moreover, it facilitates faster introduction of specialized networks such as private 5G, which require separate data centers, and even in situations like localized traffic surges, it can provide communication services without quality degradation through rapid resource allocation on the cloud.

SK Telecom expects that customers will experience an advanced level of network quality simultaneously with the introduction of 5G standalone mode (SA, Option 4).

Jonggwan Park, Head of Infrastructure Technology at SK Telecom, said, “Through the construction of the Cloud-Native based next-generation 5G core, we can present newly developed network functions to customers more quickly and stably,” adding, “We will continue to develop and apply next-generation network technologies that help customers use 5G.”

Monica Jethzon, Head of Ericsson Solution Packet Core, said, “We are pleased to achieve another significant 5G milestone together with SK Telecom in Korea, which is leading the 5G communication market,” and added, “With Ericsson’s 5G core solution, we will continue to support an innovative ecosystem that enables customized 5G services for consumers and businesses worldwide.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.