Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- For a standalone 5G service that would be commercialized soon, LG Uplus, a mobile carrier in South Korea, will use core equipment based on containers, which are a standard unit of software that allows applications to be deployed quickly, efficiently and securely.

South Korea has rolled out a 5G network that can improve efficiency in massive data traffic and enable ultra-low latency and much higher capacity. In 2019, domestic companies commercialized a 5G service based on non-standalone (NSA) standards, using 4G infrastructure, before switching to 5G standalone (SA).

A container that combines code and all of its dependencies onto one package is an independent operating system that can be run anywhere. Many mobile carriers regard a cloud-native network architecture coupled with containers as a key component for making 5G networks agile and efficient.

LG Uplus (LGU+) said on November 17 that it has completed the testing of container-based 5G core equipment. Containers would allow telecom companies to quickly install and deploy applications and modularize them by function and characteristics so that they can only configure specific functions needed by different applications.

Containers can achieve high performance by optimizing hardware resources and secure stability by automating operational tasks. "Through container technology, which is a core technology of next-generation core equipment developed this time, we will be able to provide various services for general and corporate customers with optimal quality," said Lee Sang-hun, head of LGU+'s NW development division.

The transition to SA services requires the development and introduction of equipment that meets international standards. In June, KT opened a limited 5G service using SA technology in an actual commercial network in an industrial complex in the northern city of Paju to secure upgraded and uninterrupted SA data communication in a mobile environment.

SK Telecom has completed preparations through successful data communication in a 5G commercial network. The company has applied technologies such as international standard-style network slicing and mobile edge computing (MEC), which provides ultra-low delay and high-speed services regardless of physical distance.