Page 54 - SAMENA Trends - April 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

data network. The QoS flow is the finest effectively, making it economic to provide offer network slices on a wholesale basis,
granularity of QoS differentiation in the network slicing-based services that today allowing third parties to sell them on to
PDU session. User plane traffic with the are limited to niche use cases. enterprise users in addition to some value-
same QoS flow receives the same traffic added services. However, the risk here
forwarding treatment (e.g., scheduling, In a recent Heavy Reading survey, we asked – like in the case of IoT – is that MNOs
admission threshold, etc.). 3GPP’s 5G QoS CSPs where they saw the value in network become relegated to dumb network slice
indicator defines for a given flow: slicing. Surprisingly, the top response was vendors while the value-added services
• Priority level: 11-66 cost reduction. Around 40% of respondents are captured by third parties.
• Packet delay budget: 5-300 ms • Packet said it would positively affect revenue.
error rate: 10-2 to 10-6 Fifteen percent of respondents were Network slicing should enable operators to
• Maximum data burst: 160-1,358 bytes sceptical that there was any quantifiable be more agile, launch customized services
value. more quickly (e.g., for a music festival or
Operators could offer Adopting network slicing rather than sports tournament), and target smaller
opportunities. Slicing enables isolation
network slices on a building dedicated networks for different during service deployment and reduces
wholesale basis, allowing service types would certainly generate a interoperability testing, thereby enabling
third parties to sell them cost savings. But implementing network faster launches. However, the operator will
need to develop an ecosystem of partners
slicing is unlikely to lead to any significant
on to enterprise users in cost savings compared with today’s one- to exploit such short-lived or small
addition to some value- size-fits-all network. Dedicated slices opportunities.
for service types could increase overall
added services. However, network efficiency. For example, an IoT In the initial phase of network slicing,
the risk here – like in the slice for smart meters would not need the operators are likely to launch a handful
of slice types (e.g., eMBB, URLLC, and
mobility and IP Multimedia Subsystem
case of IoT – is that MNOs (IMS) capabilities of the network. But the mMTC) with multiple tenants per slice.
become relegated to dumb cost savings potential seems marginal. Over time, the number of slice types
network slice vendors So where is the new revenue going to come should increase and become more service
specific (e.g., video gaming and smart
while the value-added from? The idea is that rather than simply meter connectivity). Eventually, we could
services are captured by selling buckets of bytes with a few service- see application-specific slicing (e.g.,
level agreements (SLAs – for enterprise
Netflix video streaming), although this
third parties. customers), mobile network operators could run into net neutrality restrictions
(MNOs) will be able to market highly in some countries. Vodafone UK’s chief
For each PDU session, the Network differentiated “slices” of network capacity. technology officer (CTO), Scott Petty,
Slice Selection Assistance Information These must be carefully priced and recently commented that, "If net neutrality
(S-NSSAI) is carried from the core to positioned to make them more attractive is applied, the whole premise of network
the radio access network (RAN). The to the enterprise than basic connectivity slicing will fall apart."
RAN will use the slice identity to ensure plans – yet more profitable for the
consistency between the QoS and network operator. Organizations that might benefit It is even feasible to have customer-
slice, including the resource allocation from a dedicated slice include emergency specific slices that are fully configurable
and scheduling policy, etc. As such, the services, healthcare, and industrial plants. via a portal. Enterprise customers could
key difference between QoS and network Another obvious opportunity for network specify their necessary data rate, latency,
slicing is that traditional QoS is only slicing is in the wholesale/MVNO market. reliability, and security. An automotive
applied in the core network whereas with Operators could offer network slices on a manufacturer might want a URLLC slice
network slicing, this flow-based quality wholesale basis, allowing these must be for autonomous vehicles, an eMBB slice
differentiation is carried all the way carefully priced and positioned to make for in-car entertainment, and a mMTC slice
through to the RAN. them more attractive to the enterprise for vehicle diagnostics.
than basic connectivity plans – yet more
Once mature, network slicing should profitable for the operator. Organizations By moving away from the one-size-fits
have much greater automation thanks that might benefit from a dedicated slice all approach of current networks, slicing
to orchestration platforms such as include emergency services, healthcare, should allow operators to be more creative
Open Networking Automation Platform and industrial plants. Another obvious in their service offerings. Slicing should
(ONAP; see here). This should enable opportunity for network slicing is in the maximize their revenue potential while still
network slicing to be delivered more cost- wholesale/MVNO market. Operators could using the same underlying infrastructure.

54 APRIL 2020