At the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2023, Qualcomm has announced that it has teamed up to Ericsson and Airtel to successfully demonstrate Reduced Capability (RedCap) device capabilities using Snapdragon X35 5G Modem-RF System and Ericsson’s RedCap software on Airtel’s 5G TDD network.
It was the first-ever implementation and validation of RedCap in India, marking a significant milestone in Qualcomm Technologies’ continuing journey of powering the evolution of 5G in India, said the company.
Qualcomm said that it has been working closely with telecom companies and OEMs in India to advance the development and accelerate the deployment of 5G networks, capabilities, and devices in the country.
Applauding the successful demonstration of RedCap, Savi Soin, SVP & President, Qualcomm India, said:
This demonstration showcases Qualcomm Technologies’ commitment towards making 5G a huge success in India while also accelerating the digital transformation of industries and enterprises. 5G RedCap is poised to drive many use cases within the country, spanning across applications such as video surveillance, medical devices, industrial sensors, automotive and various other industrial and consumer applications. These Qualcomm technologies-based Redcap devices will accelerate the design, development and make in India for India and global markets.
Gautam Sheoran, VP & GM, Wireless Broadband & Communications, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc, said:
RedCap brings a new class of 5G that bridges the complexity gap between high-speed mobile broadband devices and extremely low-bandwidth NB-IoT devices, ushering 5G connectivity into consumer devices such as wearables and AR/VR headsets, as well as enterprise and industrial applications. RedCap devices can be smaller, more cost-efficient, and provide longer battery life than traditional mobile broadband devices, thanks to their reduced complexity.
Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of South East Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson, said:
Ericsson RedCap will open up a new world of possibilities for communications service providers, allowing for the introduction of services beyond enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) on 5G standalone architecture, broadening the ecosystem and offering new monetization opportunities in both the consumer and industrial spaces.
Commenting on the testing, Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel said:
The successful testing of RedCap technology on our network will enable futuristic IoT broadband adoption for devices including wearables and industrial sensors in a way that is both cost and energy efficient. RedCap’s broader applicability, will further our innovation agenda to bring out newer applications for consumers, industries and enterprises.