en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ericsson and SoftBank have successfully demonstrated a field trial of communication services based on 5G Standalone (SA) and millimeter wave (mmWave) technology at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, setting a new record in Japan for the number of network slices used simultaneously during an event.
As a supporter of the F1 Japanese Grand Prix, Ericsson Japan and SoftBank Corp. conducted this joint trial at Suzuka Circuit from March 27 to 29. The two companies built five independent network slices, including mmWave communication, on SoftBank's commercial network and provided services simultaneously to users within the venue. This approach aims to provide optimized connectivity for specific use cases while enhancing and optimizing network capacity to improve communication quality for general attendees.
At large event venues, multiple communication demands coexist, including users posting on social media, watching and uploading videos, transmitting event operation broadcast videos, and processing cashless payments. This trial demonstrated five use cases: high-quality communication for 5G SA users (by allocating more wireless bandwidth); a dedicated slice for XR (Extended Reality) experiences; stable private 5G connectivity for payment terminals at designated stores; public Wi-Fi services for SoftBank and Y!mobile users via FWA (Fixed Wireless Access); and a 5G wireless camera video transmission environment for broadcasters.
Trial results showed that Ericsson and SoftBank deployed tri-band Massive MIMO (AIR6476) to support energy-efficient, high-capacity communication, and added mmWave radio units (AIR1281). Compared to the previous year's event, communication speeds and connection capacity were significantly improved. For general SoftBank users, compared to the 2025 event, 5G SA users experienced approximately a 4x increase in downlink speed and over a 14x increase in uplink speed; 5G NSA users saw improvements of approximately 1.5x and 6x, respectively.
By leveraging network slicing and Ericsson's "5G Advanced features," including throughput control, low-latency optimization, and mmWave control, the two companies managed bandwidth and latency. While providing stable communication services to general users, the network maintained streaming quality and ensured smooth processing for video transmission and payment terminals. For XR use cases requiring low latency, the two companies confirmed that the wireless segment's downlink latency was reduced to one-tenth compared to general 5G SA users during the same period.
At selected base stations, the two companies also demonstrated "self-tuning operations," which visualized the communication quality of each slice at one-minute intervals and automatically allocated resources at high speed through external control. Based on insights gained from this trial, Ericsson and SoftBank will accelerate network evolution toward communication experiences optimized for specific use cases. The latest article on this trial has been included in the latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report.
Teruyuki Oya, Senior Vice President and Chief Network Officer of SoftBank Corp., stated that this trial demonstrates SoftBank's network is evolving from providing uniform connectivity to delivering tailored quality for each use case. Through 5G SA network slicing and automated control, multiple use cases can be supported simultaneously even in extremely congested environments. Jawad Manssour, President and Representative Director of Ericsson Japan, noted that simultaneously validating five use cases proves the technology's ability to provide optimized connectivity in highly challenging scenarios, and will support the digital transformation of Japanese industry and society in the future.
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