Ericsson and AT&T have conducted a field trial in Plano, Texas, to evaluate low-latency mobility technology designed to minimize data interruptions during network transitions. The in-field test, described as a first for North America, deployed Ericsson’s Low-Latency Mobility feature on the AT&T network. This system utilizes Layer 1 and Layer 2 triggered mobility to manage cell changes more efficiently than previous methods.
The Swedish telecommunications vendor reported that the new technology reduced data interruption time during handovers by up to 25 percent compared to legacy Layer 3 mobility. The trial is part of Ericsson’s 5G Advanced Critical IoT subscription. The company stated that the technology aims to provide faster and more reliable connections, which could support extended reality applications, time-critical communications, immersive video conferencing, and cloud-based services.
Taiwanese chipmaker MediaTek joined the collaboration. Dr. HC Hwang, general manager of wireless communication systems and partnerships at MediaTek, said the partnership demonstrated that the technology helps deliver faster, more reliable handovers and steadier data rates throughout a device connection. He noted these capabilities are essential for critical IoT and advanced consumer experiences like extended reality.
Rob Soni, vice president of RAN technology at AT&T, added that the work with Ericsson and MediaTek shows the technology can improve mobility performance while users are moving. He stated this consistency is foundational for AI-enabled services that rely on real-time edge and cloud processing as users and devices move across the network.
Mårten Lerner, Ericsson’s head of networks strategy and product management, commented that the milestone shows how 5G Advanced can translate into a better user experience with seamless connectivity. He said the collaboration demonstrates how smoother mobility can help deliver more responsive and reliable services for people and industries that depend on connectivity every moment they are on the move.
The field trial expands on previous demonstrations between the partners. Last summer, AT&T deployed a third-party application on its live production network using Ericsson’s service management platform. Earlier this year at Mobile World Congress, MediaTek held a demonstration with Ericsson focusing on the data requirements of AI and 6G-native devices such as smart glasses.
