Advancing 5G RedCap: Collaborative Trials by Mavenir, Qualcomm, and EchoStar

Mavenir, Qualcomm, and EchoStar have successfully trialed a 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) service utilizing Mavenir’s virtualized open RAN equipment and the Boost Mobile network in the US. The initial RedCap chipsets are anticipated to hit the market later this year, with commercial services launching soon after. This technology aims to deliver enhanced peak data rates through low-power 5G standalone networks, optimizing costs for use cases that do not demand full 5G capabilities, such as IoT.

Mavenir reported that Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System was deployed alongside its own open vRAN (virtualized RAN) stack. This stack includes centralized and distributed units that can be deployed from private cloud servers, data centers at cell sites, or servers for mobile edge computing networks.

The vendors are striving to capture RedCap market share early in the commercialization process. Over the past year, industry activity has intensified. In April, Telefonica Deutschland announced it had trialed 5G RedCap devices in a Munich-based commercial 5G network. In May, Infovista introduced 5GCap and FWA functionality to its network planning suite, Infovista Planet, enhancing simulation test availability to accelerate operators’ market readiness.