British telco giant BT expects to launch 5G stand-alone — or ‘true' 5G — later this year

BT plans to launch its stand-alone 5G network later this year. The telco group conducted a trial with Ericsson and Qualcomm, demonstrating network “slicing” which is required for stand-alone 5G. The network will have much lower latency than current 5G technology. BT’s chief technology officer stated that they are waiting for the right ecosystem and devices before launching. Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 have already launched 5G stand-alone solutions. BT’s EE is waiting to see if the upcoming iPhone supports stand-alone 5G in Europe. 5G stand-alone offers network slicing for specific bandwidth and latency requirements.

BT plans to launch its stand-alone 5G network later this year. The telco group conducted a trial with Ericsson and Qualcomm, demonstrating network “slicing” which is required for stand-alone 5G. The network will have much lower latency than current 5G technology. BT’s chief technology officer stated that they are waiting for the right ecosystem and devices before launching. Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 have already launched 5G stand-alone solutions. BT’s EE is waiting to see if the upcoming iPhone supports stand-alone 5G in Europe. 5G stand-alone offers network slicing for specific bandwidth and latency requirements.