Domestic telecom major Bharti Airtel (Airtel) and Ericsson have announced the successful testing of Ericsson’s pre-commercial Reduced Capability (RedCap) software. The software was tested on the Airtel’s 5G network. The test was carried out in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies using its 5G RedCap test module. The testing on the 5G TDD network represents the first implementation and validation of RedCap in India.
What is Ericsson RedCap
Ericsson RedCap is a new radio access network (RAN) software solution that creates new 5G use cases and enables more 5G connections from devices such as smartwatches, other wearables, industrial sensors and AR/VR devices.
Importance of Ericsson RedCap
RedCap is the next evolution of 5G technology to cater for the use cases that are not yet best served by current new radio (NR) specifications. Compared to LTE device category 4, RedCap offers similar data rates with improved latency, device energy efficiency and spectrum efficiency. There is also the potential to support 5G NR features such as enhanced positioning and network slicing.
Ericsson’s RedCap software will open up a new world of possibilities for communications service providers, allowing for the introduction of services beyond enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) on 5G standalone architecture, broadening the ecosystem and offering new monetisation opportunities in both the consumer and industrial spaces.

RedCap can effectively scale down the complexity, size and capabilities of device platforms to offer cost-efficient integration into devices such as smartwatches and industrial sensors.
This approach facilitates diverse use cases that may not always require the high-performance capabilities of current 5G technology. Some consumer applications that can benefit from RedCap are wearables and augmented reality/virtual reality.
Industrial applications include video monitoring and inventory management. For Bharti Airtel, RedCap can also improve operational efficiencies with optimized cost structures accelerating the industry 4.0 transformation with 5G private networks.