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Bharti Airtel in partnership with Ericsson on Thursday successfully tested Ericsson's pre-commercial Reduced Capability (RedCap) software on the Airtel 5G network.

Carried out in collaboration with chip-maker Qualcomm using its 5G RedCap test module, the testing on the 5G TDD network represents the first implementation and validation of RedCap in India.

Ericsson RedCap is a new radio access network (RAN) software solution that creates new 5G use cases and enables more 5G connections from devices such as smartwatches, other wearables, industrial sensors and AR/VR devices, the company said.

“The successful testing of RedCap technology on our network will enable futuristic IoT broadband adoption for devices, including wearables and industrial sensors in a way that is both cost and energy-efficient,” Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, said in a statement.

According to the company, RedCap is the next evolution of 5G technology to cater for the use cases that are not yet best served by current new radio (NR) specifications. 

Compared to LTE device category 4, RedCap offers similar data rates with improved latency, device energy efficiency and spectrum efficiency. 

“With our customers like Airtel continuously investing in network capabilities to seize the opportunities offered by 5G, the commercialisation of RedCap capabilities will enable them to grow their consumer business and enable new industry applications, all while improving network performance and energy efficiency,” said Sandeep Hingorani, Head of Network Solutions for Customer Unit Bharti at Ericsson states.

Ericsson RedCap will open up a new world of possibilities for communications service providers, allowing for the introduction of services beyond enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) on 5G standalone architecture, broadening the ecosystem and offering new monetisation opportunities in both the consumer and industrial spaces.