In the wave of global digital transformation, 5G technology, as a representative of the new generation of communication technology, is expected to be high. Huawei, one of the leading companies in 5G technology, has opened a new chapter in 5G lightweighting with RedCap (Reduced Capability) technology, providing innovative solutions to high-cost problems.
RedCap technology, short for Reduced Capability, is a new type of 5G device defined in the 3GPP Release 17 standard and designed for large-scale Internet of Things (IoT) applications. RedCap offers reduced performance and complexity compared to traditional 5G devices, but is optimized for coverage, cost, and power consumption, providing an ideal connectivity solution for mid- to high-speed IoT applications.
Figure: RedCap is now available globally
At the RedCap Industry Summit, Wang Fa, Director of Huawei's 5G Innovation Dept in China, highlighted the excellent balance between performance and cost. Huawei not only leads the industry in technological innovation, but also actively promotes the application of RedCap technology in various fields, including video simulcasting, Internet of Vehicles, and industrial energy. According to Huawei, RedCap technology can support speeds of 80~90 Mbps, which is enough to meet the needs of most industrial applications.
According to market research firm Omdia, the global 5G IoT market will reach tens of billions of dollars by 2025. The lightweight nature of RedCap technology has enabled it to show strong growth momentum in several industries. However, there are still challenges in the process of large-scale commercial use, such as the continuous enrichment of service applications, the acceleration of network provisioning, and the further improvement of network capabilities.
Huawei works with the three major carriers, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, industry customers, and upstream and downstream partners in the industry chain to promote the rapid development of RedCap technology. At the RedCap Technology Summit, more than 200 industry experts discussed strategies to scale up the 5G Internet of Things to achieve the goal of 100 million connections. Xiang Xiang, Vice President of Huawei's Wireless Network Product Line, said that Huawei will continue to support operators and partners in building an open, diverse, and win-win RedCap ecosystem.
In October 2023, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the Notice on Promoting the Evolution of 5G Lightweight (RedCap) Technology and Application Innovation and Development, proposing the development goal of significantly improving the comprehensive capacity of the 5G RedCap industry by 2025. The policy provides strong support for the commercialization of RedCap technology. According to the data of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, as of the end of September 2023, the total number of 5G base stations in China will reach 3.189 million, covering all prefecture-level cities and counties, and the number of 5G base stations per 10,000 people will reach 22.6.
In short, Huawei's leading role in the field of 5G lightweight technology has not only promoted the development of RedCap technology, but also brought new growth points to the entire industry. With the support of policies and the joint efforts of the industry, RedCap technology is expected to accelerate the popularization and application of 5G technology while reducing the cost of 5G applications, and inject new impetus into the development of the digital economy.
