Following successful trials, the Finnish and Austrian firms leveraged BICS's Service Hub solution to simplify the management of 5G SA roaming connections, becoming the first operators in their respective countries to offer this capability.
The pair add to the eight operators BICS has already helped expand 5G SA-ready services, using its hub to streamline the management of roaming services and enhance cross-border connectivity options.
5G SA differs from its non-standalone predecessor by operating on a dedicated 5G core network rather than relying on existing 4G architecture.
The next-generation standard has the potential to enable enhanced capabilities, such as lower latency, network slicing, and improved efficiency, all features required for more advanced enterprise applications and IoT deployments.
BICS cited from Kaleido Intelligence that projects 5G IoT roaming traffic to increase by 500% within the next two years.
“5G’s potential hinges on operators and industry leaders driving innovation and pushing boundaries,” said Jorn Vercamert, the newly appointed chief product officer at BICS parent Proximus Global. “Advancements in global IoT are fueling demand and bringing us closer to a pivotal tipping point.
“Operators investing in the right infrastructure now will lead and thrive when 5G reaches widespread adoption.”
BICS's Service Hub functions as a connectivity exchange point that incorporates advanced Transport Layer Security (TLS) and a management portal to provide additional functionalities, including steering of roaming and detailed analytics.
“Partnering with BICS on 5G Standalone roaming is a significant step forward in delivering next-generation connectivity to our customers,” said Bernhard Sommer, head of wholesale strategy and services at Drei. “This collaboration allows us to unlock new possibilities in cross-border communication.”
Mika Pyyppönen, head of telco services at Hutchison Drei Austria, said: “We're excited to lead the way in delivering innovative 5G services internationally. In [the] next few years, our main focus will be to increase 5G SA, VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution) and VoNR (Voice over New Radio) roaming service coverage in collaboration with our partners around the world.”
BICS has been expanding its 5G SA capabilities since establishing its first connection in a lab environment back in 2021. The company achieved its first 5G SA live roaming connection between the Middle East and Europe last year, followed by its first Asian connection with Thailand's AIS.
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