Revolutionizing Connectivity: How Does 5G-A Intelligent Core Boost Network Value?

As 5G technology reaches its fifth anniversary since entering commercial service, it has made tremendous strides worldwide, with 332 operators across 116 countries now offering 5G services. The widespread adoption of this revolutionary wireless standard has facilitated seamless connectivity for a broad spectrum of use cases, ranging from individual devices to complex ecosystems. In doing so, 5G has transformed the lives of individuals, families, and numerous industries by expanding the scope of connectivity and enabling new levels of performance.

According to the latest statistics from GSMA Intelligence as of June 2024, the number of 5G connections worldwide surpassed the cumulative total of 2G and 3G connections, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of mobile communications. Furthermore, estimates suggest that by the end of 2024, there will be over 2 billion 5G connections and more than 30,000 5G industry-specific private networks. This highlights the rapid adoption and widespread deployment of this nascent technology.

As 5G continues to revolutionize the world of connectivity, its impact on various sectors is poised to reach new heights with the advent of 5G-Advanced (5G-A). With 2024 marking the inaugural year of commercial 5G-A deployments and the adoption of on-device AI, the era of mobile AI has officially begun. This advancement has been realized through collaborations between China's leading telecom giants and more than 60 operators and partners worldwide.

As operators prepare to capitalize on the benefits of 5G-A and mobile AI, they face a pressing question: how can they leverage the new capabilities and AI technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) models, to unlock the full business value of 5G-A? To answer this question, we must first understand the transformative impact of AI on the mobile industry.

AI's fusion with devices, networks, and services is revolutionizing experience, reshaping service entries, and rebuilding business models

On-device AI has fundamentally altered the nature of human-device interactions, transforming mobile terminals into intuitive, context-sensitive hubs that respond to users' multi-modal cues, including tactile, auditory, and visual inputs, as well as natural language, gestures, and emotional signals. This paradigm shift has catapulted mobile terminals beyond their traditional role as mere smartphones, transforming them into AI-fortified personal assistants and embodied agents that effortlessly integrate into all kinds of scenarios.

Meanwhile, the infusion of AI into networks has transformed business models, redirecting the focus from conventional traffic-based operations to experience-oriented operations. Operators can no longer rely solely on traffic volume to generate revenue; instead, they must cater to diverse user needs and deliver tailored experiences across disparate scenarios.

In addition, the convergence of AI and services has reshaped digital service entry points, transforming them from app-centric to AI-driven interfaces. Thanks to advancements in AIGC, users can now access services without downloading apps. For instance, AI-enhanced calling capabilities have elevated the user experience to enable a broad spectrum of B2C and B2B services and unlock greater business value. Customer service hotlines, once static, have evolved into AI-powered assistants that offer personalized support and streamlined interactions for enhancing overall customer satisfaction and loyalty.

New opportunities: 5G-A Intelligent Core unlocks differentiated experiences and revenue streams

As AI continues to converge with existing services and technologies such as glasses-free 3D, virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) emerge, human communication patterns are undergoing a profound transformation, shifting rapidly from singular, one-dimensional interactions to multifaceted, multi-modal engagements. This accelerated shift fuels the proliferation of bespoke, localized, and personalized service experiences.

In response to this seismic change, the 5G-A Intelligent Core is set to allow operators to capitalize on these differentiated services, thereby fostering new revenue streams. Built upon intelligence and a hyper-distributed gateway architecture, the 5G-A Intelligent Core enables seamless connectivity across all devices. Its cognitive capabilities manifest in three distinct areas: service intelligence, network intelligence, and O&M intelligence. By integrating multi-access edge computing (MEC), service intelligence allows operators to identify and seize lucrative service entry points, network intelligence redefines business models, and O&M intelligence streamlines cloud-based infrastructure maintenance. This underpins operators' strategic transformations to boost revenue, reduce costs, and enhance overall user satisfaction.

Service Intelligence: Reshaping B2C and B2B service entry points and driving new growth

As AIGC and user demand for immersive experiences propel New Calling forward, this revolutionary technology is transforming the calling experience into a more engaging, interactive, and practical affair. In particular, the dial pad has evolved into a preferred, user-friendly gateway to various services.

By fusing AIGC technologies with visualized voice calling capabilities, phone screens have transformed into a novel form of mobile media. During the average 90-second call, users' and enterprises' images can be seamlessly displayed on the screen in a customized, fun manner. Moreover, network intelligence has upgraded calling to encompass multi-modal communications and a smart assistant for users. This includes features like auto transcription and real-time translation, taking communication efficiency to new levels.

The dial pad has also become a platform, effortlessly integrated into users' daily calling habits. With no need to download additional apps, users can access innovative in-call services, such as telecom service support, restaurant reservations, and remote vehicle damage assessments for insurance settlements. Clearly, calling is poised to generate significant value for operators' platform operations and tap into new business opportunities.

As China's largest operator, China Mobile successfully rolled out its New Calling suite across the country in 2023, featuring innovative services like Real-Time Translation, Fun Calling, Visualized Voice Calling, and Auto Transcription. Within just two months of their launch, these services garnered over 1 million users, many as paid subscribers. This unprecedented adoption not only enhanced users' calling experience through increased ease-of-use and enjoyment but also created all-new revenue streams for operators. Having undergone verification tests throughout Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, New Calling is due to be commercially deployed in these regions by 2024, marking a pivotal shift from pilot testing to rapid growth.

Beyond consumer applications, New Calling is now driving the evolution of calling services towards B2B scenarios, fostering partnerships between enterprises and third-party providers on its platform. A notable milestone was reached in May 2024 when China Mobile and Huawei collaborated to introduce New Calling-Advanced services, comprising Enhanced Visualized Voice Calling, Intelligent Customer Service, and Real-Time Voice Driven Avatar. These groundbreaking offerings have revolutionized calling by delivering more comprehensive, stable, interactive, intelligent, and efficient experiences, paving the way for the voice industry's future success.

According to a recent estimate by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), the number of 5G and 5G-A private networks will soon reach 50,000, with more than a quarter of factories worldwide to be powered by these advanced networks. New MEC capabilities will further accelerate and expand industrial digitalization, and connectivity will gradually extend to every aspect of manufacturing, from workshops to production lines and all service scenarios, enabling operators to pounce on industry service opportunities.

Network Intelligence: Satisfying the demands of diverse users in various service scenarios

According to recent statistics from China Association of Performing Arts, China boasts an impressive 150 million-plus live streaming users, with a staggering 95 million of them being active participants. Moreover, this user base is experiencing exponential growth, with an annual increase of over 10%. The rapid development of complementary services like cloud gaming and online conferencing further highlights the trend towards experiential consumption. As operators introduce diverse service assurance packages, users are showing that they are willing to pay a premium for tailored and high-quality experiences. The industry now recognizes the potential of experience-based service monetization, with the market value exceeding CNY¥10 billion. This paradigm shift presents a significant opportunity for operators to innovate and experiment with novel operational models that transcend traditional traffic-oriented revenue streams.

China Mobile is revolutionizing users' basic services through its 5G-A network, harnessing 3 Component Carrier (3CC) aggregation to boost maximum network speeds to a blistering 5 Gbps, with plans to hit 10 Gbps in the near future. By 2024, the company aims to achieve seamless network–service integration, enabling real-time sensing between services and networks. And by 2025, China Mobile's carefully crafted experience guarantee schemes will enable tailored service operations based on distinct user experiences.

Operators can unlock unparalleled user experiences by integrating network intelligence into their offerings, tailoring service packages to distinct user segments, services, and scenarios. For instance, VIP customers can enjoy prioritization across all services and scenarios, KOL streamers may receive live-streaming assurances, business professionals benefit from office-related service guarantees, and users can opt for on-demand packages tailored to specific situations, such as high-speed rail travel or festivals. The intelligent core network's experience assurance capabilities eradicate traditional service limitations, including inaccurate experience assessments, lack of guarantees, and inadequate user notifications. By sensing and assessing user experience in real-time, the network dynamically adjusts service guarantees to deliver the most optimal experience possible. Throughout the process, a prominent in-service guarantee symbol appears on the mobile screen, followed by a post-guarantee report delivered by SMS. This seamless integration enables true perception, optimization, and operation of service experiences.

By utilizing network intelligence, operators can revolutionize traditional traffic-driven operations, shifting their focus towards experience-centric services that cater to users' unique preferences. This shift empowers operators to create a bespoke service marketplace, where they can curate tailored experience-based offerings, seamlessly integrating user choice with personalized experiences and revenue streams.

O&M Intelligence: Reshaping the O&M framework for higher network stability and efficiency

As AI-powered mobile networks revolutionize information production, processing, transmission, and exchange, they are driving unprecedented growth in video, traffic, connectivity, and services. However, this shift demands more sophisticated experience-based service operations and automated network management capabilities.

Huawei's 5G-A based ICN-Master solution leverages communications foundation models to reimagine cloud-based O&M frameworks. By integrating copilots with dual roles and agents for three scenarios, operators can unlock greater value from service enablement, network maintenance, and experience guarantees.

Copilots assume the roles of network operations centers (NOCs) and customer service support personnel, transforming human-machine interactions through intelligent Q&A and augmented O&M capabilities. This has significantly enhanced the efficiency of O&M. Meanwhile, agents are tailored to three primary O&M functions: alarm analysis, signaling analysis, and complaint resolution. Equipped with intent recognition, task decomposition, process orchestration, and tool coordination, these agents empower operators to achieve scenario-driven autonomous O&M, resulting in unparalleled efficiency and smoothness. In a proof-of-concept deployment at a Chinese operator's FOA site, ICN-Master resolved 80% of trouble tickets, freeing up 750 person-days per month.

Conclusion: Revolutionizing connectivity with 5G-A Intelligent Core

It's clear that this technology is set to revolutionize the way we think about connectivity. By integrating AI and experience-based services, the 5G-A Intelligent Core is enabling operators to deliver unprecedented levels of user satisfaction, revenue growth, and operational efficiency.

The 5G-A Intelligent Core is not just a technology — it's a catalyst for change. It's a chance for operators to reimagine their networks, their services, and their business models. Whether you're an operator, a vendor, or a researcher, we hope that this blog post has provided valuable insights into the 5G-A Intelligent Core and its potential to transform the mobile industry.

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Disclaimer: Any views and/or opinions expressed in this post by individual authors or contributors are their personal views and/or opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views and/or opinions of Huawei Technologies.