NGMN Alliance sets new 5G testing work items
The Next Generation Mobile Network Alliance plans to focus on 5G technology testing and trails, end-to-end architecture and “vehicle-to-x” communications as part of its 5G work. The NGMN Alliance board last week agreed on new work items in those areas and discussed them with its partners. The board is made up of CTOs from more than two dozen international wireless operators including Sprint, Verizon Communications and AT&T, Telefonica, Vodafone, NTT DoCoMo, KT and China Mobile.
The trial and testing initiative is said to include establishment of a “globally aligned trial and testing platform” for all NGMN partners, along with definition of proof points and testing methodologies, and comparison and benchmarking of technologies and support of standardization. NGMN also intends to work on development of an end-to-end architectural framework and an overall “big picture” view, from which it will derive design guidelines and requirements, and work to establish synergies in standards bodies.
Bruno Jacobfeuerborn, chairman of NGMN and CTO of Deutsche Telekom, said in a statement that along with contributing input to standardization in the broader 5G ecosystem, the new work items “will ensure global alignment of 5G development” and aid in getting a commercial, standards-based solution available by 2020.
The group is also including vehicle communications in its program. NGMN Alliance is focusing on evaluation of V2X technologies and business opportunities along with cooperation with the automotive industry.
NGMN Alliance has put significant effort into projects around spectrum, operations, security and intellectual property rights.
Small Cell Forum plots a path to 5G with Release 7
In related news, Small Cell Forum framed its most recent release as outlining a path for operators. Release 7, made public last week at London’s 5G World, focuses on the heterogeneous networks and self-organizing network underpinning of small cell integration.
“Ultra-dense networks, including the use of high frequency spectrum, are already at the heart of the forum’s rich work program and they will also be at the heart of 5G,” Small Cell Forum declared in Release 7. “This means the forum will make unique and foundational contributions to the way 5G develops in the real world.”
The group went on to note “the need for density and flexibility means that most key aspects of 5G architectures will take small cells into account from day one, in contrast with previous generations.”
Small Cell Forum said it believes three things must be built into the standard in order to speed adoption and leverage hetnets: an interface for virtualized small cells; a multi-operator/neutral host environment; and an API/services framework.
