The proposed research and testing areas cover pre-standard 5G technologies as well as new functionalities being incorporated into LTE Advanced Pro technologies, allowing for valuable input on performance and potential application to future 5G systems. However, other areas of cooperation may be incorporated if deemed necessary and depending on the development stage of the selected technologies.
The joint assessment and research tasks will encompass two main areas: firstly, a line of work related to 5G wireless systems, primarily focused on millimeter wave Radio Access Technology (TAR), low-latency operation, cell-less Radio Access Networks, MIMO systems, device-to-device (D2D) communications, and radio technologies that support IoT (Internet of Things) services. Secondly, there is a line of work focused on network virtualization technologies for 5G networks.
Testing and research on the most relevant topics in the field of Radio
5G networks are still in an early stage of development, but industry experts generally agree that the next generation of mobile technology will significantly improve latency, increase data throughput by 1,000 times, allow for a 10- to 100-fold increase in the number of devices connected simultaneously, and extend battery life by up to 10 times, among other advantages. All of these requirements will necessitate significant improvements in radio technologies and systems.
5G will include frequencies up to 100 GHz. The suitability of using frequencies above 6 GHz is still subject to intensive research. The objective of the Millimeter Wave Radio Access Technologies research area is precisely to conduct tests that can help evaluate the feasibility, costs, and applications of using high-frequency bands (>6 GHz) in 5G access.
In 5G, low latency is expected to enable new use cases that may be of interest to both users and operators. The objectives in this regard are twofold: firstly, to validate the advantages that low latency can provide to certain applications and services (e.g., online gaming, manufacturing support processes, etc.), and secondly, to test initial developments expected in LTE Advanced Pro, such as 0.5 ms Transmission Time Intervals (ITT), when they become available.
The possibility of introducing a new Radio Access Network architecture where the user is always connected to the same cell (at least from the user equipment (UE) perspective) is considered one of the main innovations in Access Network architecture. The aim here is to test different solutions that cover this type of architecture in order to analyze their impact on mobility management and capacity, as well as to identify potential developments that might be necessary in user equipment, Radio Access Networks, and the transport network layers to support them.
Another area that can contribute to increased spectral efficiency in 5G systems involves the use of Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technologies to support increased spectral efficiency, either through beamforming techniques or multi-user MIMO. A top priority area is the potential expansion of these technologies to the FDD spectrum.
Device-to-Device (D2D) communications are another area of interest. The goal is to explore the various applications of Device-to-Device communications in the context of future 5G systems: D2D communications to extend coverage in a cooperative manner, using user equipment as repeaters; D2D communications in critical applications such as inter-vehicle communication; and the integration of 3GPP D2D technologies with other standards such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Direct.
Finally, with regard to radio technologies for IoT services, the idea is to test the new capabilities provided by the LTE technologies defined for IoT services in 3GPP Release 13 (UEs Cat-M1 and Cat-M2) by analyzing the impact in terms of data traffic volume and control plane for different traffic profiles as well as the impact of the various traffic profiles on battery life.
Network virtualization technologies as enablers of 5G
Future 5G networks will largely incorporate network virtualization technologies, so this agreement will also focus on topics related to this concept: network function virtualization (NFV); software-defined networking (SDN); security services, network control and management planes; cloud services and signaling services.
Special emphasis will be placed on RAN (Radio Access Network) virtualization. In this regard, Intel and Telefónica will collaborate with other companies to foster an ecosystem that extends the benefits of virtualization to radio access networks. Current cooperation with companies such as Artesyn (whose MaxCore platform is being used for the virtualized infrastructure) and ASOCS Networks (a developer of virtualized base station functionalities) are examples of this expanded ecosystem.
Enrique Blanco, Telefónica Global CTO
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Intel to cooperate in defining next-generation mobile communications technologies. 5G has not yet been defined in terms of its technology, solutions, or architecture, and this collaboration will allow us to test wireless systems that are candidates for 5G certification, as well as network virtualization technologies and new LTE functionalities. This will provide very useful knowledge for building the network of the future.”
Sandra Rivera, Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Network Platforms Group
“Collaboration between ecosystems is fundamental, as it lays the foundation for defining the future 5G networks that will offer new and exciting experiences to our lives. Our ongoing collaboration around NFV and SDN technologies lays the groundwork for new joint efforts with Telefónica to test 5G client devices, mobile network technologies, and IoT use cases, which will enable the transformation of Telefónica’s network today and in the future.”.
