Vodafone allocated two dedicated network slices at the Principality Stadium during the Wales vs. Ireland Men’s Guinness Six Nations match
U.K.-based telco Vodafone said it has successfully trialed the use of multiple 5G Standalone (5G SA) network slices operating simultaneously for different purposes at a live event. The operator claimed this trial was the first of its kind in the country.
The trial took place at the Principality Stadium during the Wales vs. Ireland Men’s Guinness Six Nations match, where Vodafone allocated two dedicated network slices for distinct use cases.
The first dedicated slice, developed in partnership with Nordic vendor Ericsson, provided connectivity for Vodafone customers in the hospitality area of the stadium. This allowed attendees to live stream the match, browse the internet and share content without interruptions.
The second slice was designated for the Welsh Rugby Union’s official in-house photography agency, to ensure that image uploads were not affected by network congestion due to the large crowd in the stadium.
Vodafone also noted that this specific slice was configured to guarantee a minimum upload speed, allowing large unedited image files to be uploaded within 30 seconds, regardless of network congestion.
The U.K. carrier also explained that network slicing, a feature enabled by 5G Standalone technology, allows Vodafone to create multiple virtual networks on the same physical infrastructure. Each slice is tailored to a specific service, ensuring consistent performance regardless of overall network demand.
Nick Gliddon, business director at Vodafone UK, said: “Network slicing allows us to work with our customers and adapt the network to suit their needs. This is a huge advantage of 5G Standalone – customers can define their own experience with a network which is built for them.”
This network slicing capability was made possible through Vodafone’s collaboration with Ericsson, which provided the necessary technology to separate a portion of the network for the trial.
In December 2024, the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decided Vodafone’s merger with Three should be allowed to proceed if both operators sign binding commitments to invest billions to roll out a combined 5G network across the U.K.
In 2023, Vodafone Group and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings had entered into binding agreements in relation to a combination of their telecommunication businesses in the U.K. Under the terms of the deal, Vodafone will own 51% of the new entity while Hutchison Group will own 49%.
Vodafone and Three had committed a total investment of £11 billion (currently $13.9 billion) in the new company. The new entity will reach 99% of the U.K. population with 5G Standalone (SA) networks. Vodafone had previously said that the merger is expected to be fully completed during the first half of 2025.
