Syniverse and NTT DOCOMO offer inbound 5G roaming service in Japan
Syniverse said it is working with NTT DOCOMO to be the first to offer inbound 5G roaming service to mobile operators and their mobile customers when traveling to Japan. DOCOMO is Japan’s leading mobile operator with more than 80 million subscriptions and one of the world’s foremost contributors to 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies.
DOCOMO launched in September an inbound 5G roaming service to allow foreign mobile operators and their customers visiting Japan to roam on DOCOMO’s 5G network.
Syniverse is using its IPX Network as a core solution to enable DOCOMO’s 5G roaming service. The Syniverse solution reduces complexity and delivers end-to-end quality of service to ensure roaming and interworking for mobile services, with a secure and reliable network connected to more than 750 mobile operators in more than 150 countries.
DOCOMO plans to actively collaborate with other foreign mobile operators around the world to gradually expand the number of countries where travelers to Japan can enjoy seamless 5G roaming service.
5G service is rapidly becoming more prevalent around the world with more than 105 commercial launches resulting in 7% penetration with one-third of the population to be covered by 5G networks by 2025, according to the GSMA.
The Syniverse IPX Network and Diameter Signaling Services serve as the bridge between 4G LTE and 5G since the two technologies will have to interoperate for many years to come. Syniverse provides active mediation services enabling mobile operators to launch 5G roaming, providing the critical 4G to 5G interoperability required.
Syniverse has also developed and launched a 5G roaming hub and 5G signaling proxy service to help mobile operators launch more advanced services based on the 5G stand-alone architecture.
Additionally, in support of DOCOMO customers outbound roaming with 5G capable handsets, the Syniverse Mobile Policy Control Center (MPCC) enables DOCOMO to monitor and control the data speed used by these devices, should they latch onto their roaming partners 5G networks.
The MPCC solution provides added data management to ensure a quality user experience and cost containment for DOCOMO.
Enabling cross-network 5G roaming for mobile users is the first step in delivering on the promise that 5G will ultimately foster larger ecosystems of industries and market sectors. A global study by Heavy Reading and commissioned by Syniverse shows 59% of mobile operators expect to shift focus from subscribers to these business ecosystems.
In addition, 77% said they expect to offer advanced 5G business services, which will power such innovations as smart cities, smart driving, healthcare systems, factory operations, and virtual reality broadcasting.