Google Fiber and Nokia are pushing the boundaries of home broadband through network slicing technology. Nick Saporito, director of product management at GFiber, sees this as a key step towards offering customized service tiers for home users. This partnership aims to enhance how we experience home internet by dynamically prioritizing certain applications over others.
Details on the specific technology used in the demonstration were scarce. However, Saporito affirmed the experiment’s success, illustrating how network slicing allocates bandwidth to prioritize certain activities. For example, prioritizing a video conference call or a high-demand gaming session over routine traffic optimizes user experiences. “We can see a future where applications like AI and VR require next-level performance. Network slicing could be how we level up network performance,” says Saporito.
The concept, originating from 5G architecture, takes advantage of innovative technologies like network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN). These allow for flexible and programmable networks. Simply put, this approach enables various services to operate on a single network infrastructure, each “slice” functioning as an isolated network tailored to user needs.
An exciting development comes in the potential for “transactional slices.” These are temporary slices that can spin up automatically and without user detection. Envisioned for secure activities like bank transactions, these slices offer peace of mind by connecting directly to a bank rather than through the wider internet.
The companies have not set a commercial deployment timeline. However, they see this pilot as crucial for enhancing consumers’ control over their home broadband. “Network slicing represents the next logical step in how we think about GFiber service, particularly our Core, Home, and Edge products designed for unique internet lifestyles,” Saporito explained.