Alcatel-Lucent has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s KT Corp under which the pair will collaborate to test technologies for the eventual introduction of 5G mobile networks and infrastructure ‘capable of meeting the huge connectivity demands expected in the future’. With the collaboration reportedly expected to initially focus on Alca-Lu’s virtualised Radio Access Network (vRAN) technology, the scope of the agreement also includes the development and testing of mobile ultra-broadband access, network functions virtualisation (NFV) and software defined networking (SDN) technologies for 5G network architectures and interfaces, as well as the driving of interworking and 3GPP standardisation activities.

Commenting on the partnership, DongMyun Lee, chief technical officer and senior vice president at KT said: ‘KT recognises Alcatel-Lucent as a global leader in vRAN and SDN. We are eager to use their vRAN and SDN technology to help us implement the 5G architecture that we have defined in our GiGatopia Vision.’ Meanwhile, Chi Il Yoo, head of Alcatel-Lucent Korea, was cited as saying: ‘Alcatel-Lucent has a long-history of innovating to solve the world’s biggest communications challenges. We are fully aligned with KT’s vision and committed to help KT in its strategic network evolution. We see NFV technologies, such as vRAN as a vital step in this evolution and by working with KT we are further underlining our leadership in this area.’