Operator Vodafone Oman and vendor Ericsson say they have carried out a successful test call that will pave the way for the commercial introduction of 5G standalone (SA) voice and data services for Vodafone subscribers in the Sultanate.
Vodafone Oman’s successful voice over new radio (VoNR) proof of concept call over a standalone 5G network is said to be part of Vodafone and Ericsson’s ongoing project to develop a highly efficient and reliable nationwide standalone network, allowing for high-quality, seamless voice and data services.
Using Ericsson dual-mode 5G Core and Ericsson IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology, the proof of concept showed the potential of the mobile network to enhance speech quality across the country. It also demonstrated the capability of Vodafone’s network to enable 5G-specific voice and communication services for both consumers and enterprises, using an experimental terminal, which will subsequently be replaced by commercial terminals made by Vodafone’s partners.
Non-standalone (NSA) 5G networks build on existing 4G networks and technology. Standalone (SA) 5G networks pair 5G radios with a cloud-native 5G core network – allowing for flexibility and speed to meet current and future customer demands. Going ahead with 5G SA will make Vodafone Oman one of the few operators around the world to deploy a standalone 5G network.
In fact, Ericsson and Vodafone Oman say they are working closely together to deliver a state-of-the-art 5G standalone network and enhance Vodafone’s radio access network (RAN) and transport capabilities, as well as develop a cloud-native 5G infrastructure and microservices architecture.
