Singapore – Telecommunications firm Singtel has recently announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean mobile carrier SK Telecom to work together on developing next-generation telecommunications networks over the next two years.
This strategic partnership is set to drive innovation, improve network performance and security, and deliver enhanced customer experiences.
Through the alliance, the two will utilise the potential of artificial intelligence and orchestration tools and deepen their domain knowledge of network virtualisation and other technologies.
They will also be putting together a white paper on their advancements in areas including virtualisation, slicing, and network evolution that can help other telcos globally capitalise on the capabilities of 5G and prepare for 6G.
The said partnership will also collaborate on creating differentiated innovative solutions to advance their network capabilities, such as edge-AI infrastructure. This eliminates the computational burden concentrated on the cloud through edge computing and performing AI inference by combining AI solutions.
The said move then aims to enhance connectivity and offer customers with unique AI service services, allowing the operators to restore services faster and improve the customer experience.
More specifically, key features of the collaboration include pushing the boundaries of network virtualisation, and together they aim for a fully disaggregated mobile network that will provide a more flexible, cost-effective, and scalable approach to network design and management.
The partners further intend to develop standardised telco application programming interfaces, facilitated by an Open Gateway, for developers to create and deploy new services that can be easily integrated into networks.
In addition, they will also collaborate to build more efficient orchestration platforms like Singtel CUBE to help enterprises better automate and coordinate various network functions and streamline service delivery seamlessly and efficiently.
Lastly, the partners will also explore the capabilities of automation and AI to advance operational efficiency and sharpen service responsiveness, establishing the foundations for a 6G era.
Kang Jong-ryeol, head of ICT Infra at SK Telecom, commented, “The collaboration between SKT and Singtel marks a significant first step in shaping the future of the global telecommunications industry.”
“By combining the strengths of both companies, we aim to achieve significant advancements in next-generation communication technologies such as 6G and AI infrastructure,” Kang further said.
Meanwhile, Anna Yip, deputy CEO and CEO for business development at Singtel Singapore, further said, “As a global leader in 5G technology, we’re keen to capitalise on the myriad of capabilities this technology has to offer, especially in the areas of network slicing and with the inclusion of AI.”
“With SKT, we’re looking to not only enhance the experience of our customers but to also drive industry innovation and help us prepare for the evolution to 6G,” she concluded.
