Android 12 will support 5G network slicing

Google on 02/11/2021 announced that its latest smartphone which will be balsed on Android 12 will  support  5G network slicing.

This will see the light in two flavors :

• The first flavor is targeting the enterprise-owned handsets, and will route all data sent and received by a device over the network slices provided by that company’s mobile operator. This will possible with the new Android 12 that will give operators the ability to manage slices using a new dynamic policy control mechanism called User Equipment Route Selection Policy (URSP). This URSP enables devices to automatically switch between different network slices according to which application they are using. For example, someone working for a financial institution might require a highly-secure network slice for sending and receiving sensitive corporate data, but will then require a reliable, high-throughput, low-latency slice so they can participate in a video meeting.
• The second flavour is implemented in the work profile. For years, enterprises have had the option of creating work profiles on Android devices to use as a separate repository for enterprise apps and data. With Android 12, enterprises will be able to route data to and from that repository over a network slice.

Network slicing has been discussed from a long time, but currently more telcos are migrating to virtualised networks in support of their 5G SA deployments, paving the way for 5G network slicing. As these deployments are scaled up, telcos will be on the lookout for partners that can help facilitate enterprise adoption of slicing, and lend a hand with implementation and management. This is where Google would like to come in.