Ericsson and Far EasTone pave the way for new 5G Network Slicing use cases through Local Packet Gateway

The latest technical achievement in the companies’ two-decade old partnership saw the world’s first demonstration of 5G multiple network slicing based on the Ericsson Local Packet Gateway, Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning function, and dual-mode 5G Core. The commercial readiness trial was performed using commercially available 5G Standalone Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) and Android handsets and comes shortly after the Local Packet Gateway was officially launched. 

Announced at MWC in Barcelona this year, the Ericsson Local Packet Gateway is designed to enable communication service providers (CSPs) take advantage of the edge computing opportunity in virtual and hybrid 5G private networks segments to deliver efficient use of bandwidth, data security, low latency, and create a more efficient network overall. It is built on cloud-native, microservices-based technology and delivers a small footprint, easy-to-deploy edge user plane which brings network user traffic management closer to its source meaning CSPs and enterprises are better able to keep traffic on, or close to, the premises.

The demonstration involved the completion of the first Local Packet Gateway call globally, taking place in the Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) 5G lab for commercial introduction. It also was the first to successfully demonstrate 5G network slicing using Ericsson dual-mode 5G Core including the Local Packet Gateway, and Dynamic Radio Resource Partitioning (a 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) Slicing solution from Ericsson) to efficiently allocate radio spectrum and manage the service-level agreement of the network slices.

Chee Ching, President of Far EasTone Telecommunications, says: “As a leading communication service provider, Far EasTone Telecom actively seeks, through substantial R&D investment, to develop the most innovative technologies with which to best serve our customers. Our demonstration of the world’s first data call using Ericsson Local Packet Gateway shows a clear way towards creating 5G networks and services that meet our customers’ demands for low latency, increased efficiency, security, and flexibility. With Ericsson’s continuing support we will work with our customers to explore the full potential of this innovative and valuable new solution.”

David Chou, President of Ericsson Taiwan, says: “With FET’s high-performing 5G network underpinning the digitalization of industries, the capability of 5G has opened up a wide range of possibilities in edge use cases. Ericsson Local Packet Gateway is designed to help CSPs address the edge opportunity in virtual and hybrid 5G private networks segments. The trial will accelerate the realization of more edge use cases require high data bandwidth and low latency.”

Monica Zethzon, Head of Solution Area Packet Core at Ericsson says: “Ericsson developed its Local Packet Gateway solution to help CSPs support the most in-demand enterprise edge use cases via network slicing and low latency. With over two decades of close strategic partnership behind us, we are proud to have achieved the first successful customer demonstration of this technology globally with FET. As demand for deployments of this type increase locally, and internationally, we are looking forward to advancing the capabilities we have demonstrated with FET and bringing this technology to enterprises and other users.”

The demonstration comes as the latest in a series of breakthroughs in 5G network slicing Ericsson has announced with CSP and device manufacturing partners. In February, for example, Ericsson and FET published a full case study of their success in showing the world’s first 5G end-to-end (E2E) multiple network slicing on multiple commercial Android devices. The trial allowed each app to have its own communication channel with promised speed, latency, and reliability – all on one device and one network.