China Mobile, Tencent and Huawei have jointly completed the verification of 5G network slicing at the recent Mobile World Congress in Shanghai, China. The verification was conducted by testing augmented reality (AR) games which require stable network latency in the eMBB mode.
The Phase 1 of the 5G slicing verification project saw terminals, networks and AR game platforms being connected before the applications were run. The test verified the effects of data rate acceleration with slicing at the terminal side, and with slicing at both the terminal and network sides. The slice management function was also examined. The completion of the first phase of the exercise marks successful verification of the 5G network slicing usability, representing a significant step in promoting its application for similar use cases in future.
Current mainstream AR games allow for positioning based on real-time maps, incorporate diverse AR scenarios and converge game and real-world settings to offer users an optimal, fully immersive experience. E2E Quality of Service (QoS) assurance is indispensable since network latency and data rate play decisive roles in delivering smooth, uninterrupted gaming experience.
The 3 companies involved have also started the Phase 2 of the 5G slicing verification. A new round of tests is scheduled for completion by the end of this year. The project will focus on 5G core networks' movement towards users and the sensing of access network and bearer network slices.