Japan’s SoftBank used Broadcom-sourced hardware and software components powering the carrier’s segment routing IPv6 mobile plane (SRv6 MUP) running in a live 5G-powered fixed-wireless access to provide “limited services,” marking a significant advance in providing new 5G-based services.

SoftBank’s SRv6 MUP offering uses Broadcom’s Jericho2 routing chipset and VMware’s Telco Cloud Platform along with Arrcus’ ArcOC network operating system. This system is designed to provide greater flexibility in how network traffic is transported into cloud environments to support low-latency services like multi-access edge compute (MEC) and network slicing at a lower overall cost.

SRv6 MUP includes a control plane that constructs border gateway protocol (BGP) routes to route data plane traffic from the 5G core control plane. It also includes a “provider edge” component that is at the edge of a transport network to connect that traffic to a cloud, radio access network (RAN) or MEC environment.

This architecture provides greater user flexibility for traffic routing management and removes the need for various routing protocols.

SoftBank completed its initial SRv6 deployment in early 2019. That work was done with Cisco and Barefoot Networks before it was acquired by Intel.

SoftBank later worked with Arrcus to demonstrate automated network slicing over 5G mobile networks and MEC applications, and interoperability with existing 5G network standards without the need for additional equipment. VMware was next brought into this work, which then more tightly integrated Broadcom into the program.

Advanced 5G services

MEC and network slicing have been viewed as key architectural features of advanced 5G network deployments. The former has so far seen only tepid commercial success, while the latter has begun to power new services.

Network slicing allows an operator to basically set up siloed virtual networks that act as independent, scalable networks and can support revenue-generating premium services. Analyst firms have for been touting the financial benefits of commercial network-slicing capabilities, especially tied to penetrating different market verticals.

Verizon Business recently launched an enterprise-focused FWA service using 5G network slicing technology. This will allow for more consistence service performance and support service-level agreements (SLAs).

Rival T-Mobile US started providing developers access to its network slicing work in 2023, and has since ramped those efforts to support streaming video services, enterprise security services, and more recently in support of its enterprise-focused SuperMobile offering.