The lack of true 5G networks has slowed the adoption of network slicing so far
The sluggish shift to 5G SA, however, is moving network slicing along
An analyst tells us that it will mostly be static – rather than dynamic – network slicing to begin with
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before, but could 2025 be the year when 5G network slicing actually becomes mainstream?
5G network slicing refers to the creation of multiple virtual networks, or slices, on a single 5G cellular infrastructure. This requires a standalone 5G (5G SA) network in order to deploy the virtual networks, and it has taken a painfully long time to roll such slices. Many operators still use a non-standalone (NSA) 5G network, with 5G radios based on a 4G LTE core.
Operators are using and planning to use 5G network slices for a variety of use cases: to enable a priority slice for first responders, support financial or mission-critical applications, or offer broadcasters a dedicated fast 5G layer to transfer video from cameras to production teams at sporting or other live events.
T-Mobile was the first operator in the world to shift to a nationwide 5G SA in August 2020 and it started to provide network slicing for select events in August 2023. China also has had network slicing for quite a while, since its operators quickly moved to 5G SA. India’s Reliance Jio began offering network slices in the first quarter of 2024 after it rolled out a nationwide 5G SA network in India.
Yet many operators around the world still don’t have the standalone capabilities that enable network slicing. Some of them are slated to move into the slicing space in late 2024 and into 2025.
Nokia has been working with United Arab Emirates operator du to accomplish the first live transport slicing deployment in the region.
Nokia said that “network slicing allows operators to flexibly allocate resources for optimal performance and quality within each slice.” By using Nokia’s slicing technology with its Network Service Platform (NSP), du will use the technology in the future to deliver a wide range of services, such as low-latency communications for gaming and video streaming to massive machine-type communications that can be used for industrial devices.
The analyst view
Fierce asked several analysts what their expectations are for network slicing in 2025. Generally speaking, they think network slicing will see more growth next year.
“There will be definitely more rollouts of network slicing capabilities as 5G SA networks mature, and as 5G NSA networks move to SA in the next few years,” AvidThink principal analyst Roy Chua said in an email. “Using a network slice for privacy/security/isolation or for ensuring QoS (live broadcasts, sporting events, emergency and disaster support) will likely continue.”
Lead analyst at Techsponential Avi Greengart agreed that more network slicing deployments will happen in the coming year as more operators upgrade to 5G SA.
“Network slicing has been a long-touted feature of 5G, and we’re starting to see it used for large venues (ex: sports stadiums) and public safety,” he told Fierce.
He warned, however, that slicing is not a panacea with private networks or Wi-Fi making sense in many use cases.
Watching a kettle boil
“I do think that network slicing will be operator specific,” noted neXt Curve executive analyst Leonard Lee. “There is still the open question of what the generally monetizable services will be and the scenarios that make them viable. This, each operator will be answering for themselves on their own timeline. For outside observers, it will be like watching a kettle boil,” he said, adding a note of caution.
AvidThink’s Chua also noted that dynamic slicing – which can offer different levels of quality-of-service on separate virtual slices on a single physical 5G infrastructure – won’t be widespread next year despite vendors vouching for the technology.
“I don't expect the promises of dynamic slicing via APIs won't go mainstream in 2025 – it'll stay in proof of concept territory for now,” the analyst concluded.