Ericsson introduces new 5G tech that will help boost your phone's battery

Ericsson has introduced a new solution in the 5G landscape called Reduced Capability (RedCap). This innovative software addition to 5G standalone (5G SA) networks, set to be commercially available in November 2023, promises to strengthen the ecosystem for a wide range of devices that can be connected to 5G networks. The best part? RedCap achieves this without requiring any new hardware, making it a cost-effective and efficient solution.

By expanding the New Radio (NR) device ecosystem with new capabilities, RedCap is expected to spur the growth of an even greater number of 5G use cases. With its ability to optimize device energy consumption and support wearables that were previously only compatible with LTE devices, RedCap is set to open up a whole new world of possibilities for a diverse range of devices.

David Hammarwall, Head of Product Area Networks at Ericsson, expresses his excitement, stating, "Ericsson Reduced Capability will open up a new world of possibilities for new types of devices that do not require the full range of 5G's capabilities. The RedCap software will enhance 5G connectivity for everything from consumer wearables to industrial sensors in a way that is both cost- and energy-efficient, unlocking a whole range of new use cases."

Thanks to Ericsson RedCap, communications service providers will be able to offer more connectivity options for a wide array of consumer and enterprise use cases. This includes industrial settings, utilizing both the FDD (frequency division duplex) and TDD (time division duplex) spectrums. The solution supports devices with reduced complexity, such as low-end augmented reality (AR) wearables, video surveillance equipment, industrial sensors, and smart grids. Not only is RedCap more energy-efficient than existing LTE low categories, but it has also captured the attention of the wearable original equipment manufacturer (OEM) industry.

Bill Stone, Vice President for Technology Planning at Verizon, emphasizes the significance of customization in 5G, stating, "5G is designed fundamentally as a highly customizable service. The evolution of NR RedCap from Ericsson, coupled with the advanced technologies deployed throughout our 5G network, will serve to bring that customization to life for a variety of devices, allowing us to efficiently allocate network resources while giving customers the best possible experience on our network. We look forward to how this advancement will help evolve the 5G ecosystem."

Ericsson is actively collaborating with leading chipset vendors to bring a wide range of 5G devices to the market. HC Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication Systems & Partnerships at MediaTek, highlighted the significance of Ericsson's infrastructure readiness in supporting MediaTek's upcoming solutions that will be compatible with 5G RedCap. “This collaboration ensures that operators, consumers, and businesses can immediately benefit from the next generation of innovative 5G products and services,” he said.

So, what exactly is NR RedCap? It is a device category that serves to expand the 5G ecosystem, enabling a significantly larger number of connections to the 5G network. NR RedCap bridges the gap in capability and complexity between Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) in existing 5G settings, offering an optimized design for mid-tier use cases.

By effectively scaling down the complexity, size, and capabilities of device platforms, RedCap facilitates cost-efficient integration into devices such as wearables and industrial sensors. Initially introduced in 3GPP Release 17, RedCap brings together a mix of capabilities in throughput, battery life, complexity, and device density, making it a cost-effective solution for powering diverse use cases that don't necessarily require the high-performance capability of current 5G technology.

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