Ericsson, the Swedish telecommunications technology company, has unveiled a software solution called RedCap, aimed at enhancing 5G connectivity and enabling new use cases for a variety of devices. According to Ericsson, the software will reduce complexity and extend battery life, making it ideal for smartwatches, wearables, and industrial sensors.
Also Read: Ericsson Named Leader in 5G Network Infrastructure Market 2023
RedCap Software for Enhanced 5G Connectivity
Ericsson said, RedCap will be commercially available in November 2023 and will be offered as a software addition to existing 5G standalone (5G SA) networks powered by Ericsson, requiring no additional hardware. RedCap will strengthen the ecosystem for connecting new types of devices to 5G networks.
Expanding the 5G Ecosystem with New Use Cases
Ericsson also said, with an expanded New Radio (NR) device ecosystem and enhanced capabilities, the adoption of RedCap is expected to drive the growth of numerous 5G use cases. The software solution will support leaner procedures to optimize device energy consumption and enable the use of wearables that were previously only compatible with LTE devices.
According to Ericsson, "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."
Also Read: Telefonica, Ericsson and Partners Collaborate to Develop 5G Infrastructure Along German Train Tracks
Optimized Design with Connectivity options
The introduction of RedCap will provide communication service providers with more connectivity options for diverse consumer and enterprise use cases, as well as industrial settings. RedCap will operate on both the FDD (frequency division duplex) and TDD (time division duplex) spectrums, offering increased flexibility.
Ericsson RedCap is designed to support devices with reduced complexity, including low-end augmented reality (AR) wearables, video surveillance equipment, industrial sensors, and smart grids. Notably, the solution is more energy-efficient than existing LTE low categories, making it an ideal prospect for wearable, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Ericsson said it is collaborating closely with leading chipset vendors to bring multiple types of 5G devices to the market.
Also Read: Sweden’s Ericsson Backs EU-US Agreement on AI, 6G, and Quantum Technology
NR RedCap Solution
New Radio (NR) RedCap is a device category designed to expand the 5G ecosystem by enabling a significantly higher number of connections to the 5G network. New Radio RedCap, part of the concept introduced in 3GPP Release 17, bridges the gap between Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) and ultra-reliable low latency communications (URLLC) use cases in existing 5G settings.
RedCap offers an optimized design for mid-tier use cases, effectively scaling down complexity, size, and capabilities to provide cost-efficient integration into devices such as wearables and industrial sensors. This enables diverse use cases that may not require the high-performance capability of current 5G technology.
