LG Uplus announced on July 9 its plans to collaborate with the Radio Research Agency (RAPA), Qualcomm Technologies Inc., and Newgenes to commercialize "Reduced Capability" (RedCap), a lightweight 5G IoT technology designed for device validation and demonstration. This initiative marks a significant step toward activating Korea’s 5G IoT ecosystem and aims to bolster the technological competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
RedCap is a next-generation 5G technology that simplifies IoT device functionalities while maintaining essential data transmission performance. Offering a cost-effective yet high-performing solution, RedCap is expected to find extensive applications across industries such as smart manufacturing, logistics, and sensors. According to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), 30 mobile carriers across 21 countries are currently investing in RedCap, highlighting its emerging role as a key technology for future industry growth.
The demonstration project will be centered at the IoT Technology Support Center located within RAPA’s Elektropical Technology Institute in Songdo, Incheon. RAPA has established a dedicated validation system for specialized network devices at a commercial network scale, enabling domestic SMEs to conduct rapid performance testing of their IoT devices. This infrastructure is anticipated to shorten product development cycles and facilitate commercialization.
LG Uplus is actively supporting all stages of the proof-of-concept process, offering technical consulting and testing environments. Qualcomm leverages its experience in global standardization and chipset development to conduct interoperability tests of RedCap within commercial and specialized network environments alongside LG Uplus. Newgenes and Ericsson are contributing to the development of specialized network environments through network construction and technical support tailored to diverse industrial applications.
The demonstration involves integrating 5G RedCap dongles (by AllRadio) with industrial equipment such as autonomous mobile robots (Wizcore Co., Ltd.) and drones (Alogos Dain Co., Ltd.), enabling real-time performance comparisons against existing Wi-Fi and LTE communications. This approach aims to analyze the impact of low-latency, high-reliability communications on actual device control.
Based on the findings, LG Uplus plans to expand IoT applications across various sectors, including smart factories, logistics robots, smart meters, and industrial sensors. The company aims to offer industry-specific solutions through RedCap-based private network services, ultimately reducing costs for enterprise clients.
Kang Jong-oh, Director of LG Uplus’s Business Service Development Lab, commented, “Through validation of the RedCap-based 5G IoT technology, we aim to support SMEs in commercialization and contribute to expanding the IoT ecosystem across industries.”
RAPA President Kim Hyung-jun emphasized future support for SMEs manufacturing devices and components for 6G IoT, stating, “We plan to establish a quality management system that meets demands by collaborating with specialized network providers, ensuring practical technical support for SMEs.”
