19 October 2023

The successful connection enabled AIS and stc Kuwait to deliver an international 5G roaming connection carrying data, texts, and calls using a 5G mobile core network. Until now, 5G connections in the region used non-standalone (NSA) 5G technology and were routed as 4G/LTE traffic in core networks. This meant previous connections did not offer network slicing and real-time-critical communication, or scalability, and therefore didn’t support 5G innovation use cases.

“As 5G gains momentum across Asia, AIS continues to push the technology forward with a breakthrough roaming connection for the region,” said Saran Phaloprakarn, head of mobile and consumer products department at AIS. “For 5G to work for businesses and consumers, it needs to be scalable, and it needs to be secure. This successful roaming connection takes a huge step forward in both regards, and ushers in the next generation of 5G for our customers and the wider industry.”

“We are proud to yet again be part of a breakthrough moment that is another step in the right direction in establishing round-the-world 5G connectivity for our subscribers. stc believes in the benefits that Standalone 5G will bring, and through our partnership with BICS, we’re excited to be at the forefront, offering our customers opportunities for innovation,” said Mohammed N. Al-Nusif, CEO of solutions by stc.

All traffic is sent from the operators’ SEPPs through BICS’ new 5G SA Service Hub. While the operators already have the security protection of the SEPP firewall, BICS adds data analytics, business intelligence, quality monitoring, and a powerful layer of fraud protection for the 5G roaming traffic exchanged between the operators around the world, meaning they can scale with ease.

“5G is the biggest overhaul of mobile technology in generations, offering a range of benefits to users and enterprises. But the real potential of 5G will only be realized through the global adoption of 5G Standalone,” said Mikaël Schachne, VP telco at BICS. “At BICS we believe in the power of communications, which is why we are committed to building the foundations that will accelerate the rollout of 5G SA roaming around the world. The more we work together to cement these foundations and make 5G SA roaming a reality, the quicker operators like AIS and stc Kuwait, and enterprises and end-users alike, can unlock its potential. This latest achievement brings global 5G SA even closer to reality, arming operators not only with the technical readiness, but an array of secure, quality assurance services to protect consumers and operators’ future revenues in the 5G era.”