GUWAHATI: Bharti Airtel, one of India’s top communication providers, in collaboration with Ericsson has successfully tested the Reduced Capability (Red Cap) software on the former’s 5G network. With the help of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., this testing marks the first deployment of Red Cap in India.
The new technology is set to open up new possibilities for 5G networks. Designed to support devices such as smartwatches, wearables, and industrial sensors that aren’t fully covered by current 5G technology, Red Cap provides faster data speeds, lower latency, and better energy and spectrum efficiency.
Randeep Sekhon, CTO of Bharti Airtel, said, “Airtel is committed to innovation and enhance customer experiences. Testing Red Cap on our network will enable new applications for consumers and industries while being cost and energy-efficient.”
The application areas for Red Cap are vast, from consumer use cases like wearables and augmented reality/virtual reality to industrial applications such as video monitoring and inventory management. For Bharti Airtel, Red Cap can enhance operational efficiency, optimise cost structures, and accelerate the transition to Industry 4.0 with 5G private networks.
Compared to older LTE technology, it can also support advanced 5G features like precise positioning and network slicing.
Sandeep Hingorani of Ericsson noted that Red Cap will improve network performance and open doors for new industrial applications. “With our customers like Airtel continuously investing in network capabilities to seize the opportunities offered by 5G, the commercialisation of Red Cap capabilities will enable them to grow their consumer business and enable new industry applications, all while improving network performance and energy efficiency.”
In essence, Red Cap simplifies 5G technology for devices, catering to needs that don’t require high-performance 5G capabilities. This is beneficial for both everyday consumer gadgets and industrial tools. For Airtel, Red Cap could also help in streamlining operations and costs.
