The 2026 F1 Japan Grand Prix served as the venue for a joint technology trial by Ericsson and SoftBank focused on 5G network slicing and millimeter wave communications. Conducted at Suzuka Circuit between March 27 and March 29, the demonstration brought five separate network slices onto SoftBank’s commercial network and delivered them concurrently to attendees. According to the companies, this represented the largest number of network slices used simultaneously at an event in Japan.
🔑 Key Highlights
- Five network slices operated simultaneously during the event
- Trial used SoftBank’s commercial 5G SA network
- 5G SA users recorded faster uplink and downlink speeds
- XR slice reduced radio latency to one-tenth
- Automated optimization adjusted resources every minute
The demonstration covered five distinct communication scenarios. One slice enhanced performance for SoftBank customers subscribed to 5G Standalone services. Another supported an XR experience requiring high bandwidth and low latency. Additional slices enabled stable connections for payment terminals, provided public Wi-Fi through Fixed Wireless Access using mmWave technology, and supported wireless camera video transmission for live broadcasting. The approach allowed each service to receive network resources tailored to its operational needs.
The project addressed the wide range of communication demands that emerge during major public events. Attendees typically engage in social media activity, video viewing, content uploads, and other data-intensive tasks, while event operators and commercial vendors rely on communication systems for broadcasting and payment processing. Ericsson and SoftBank used the trial to assess how network controls could maintain service quality across these competing requirements within a single venue.
To support the simultaneous operation of all five use cases, the companies deployed triple-band Massive MIMO equipment, expanded mmWave radio infrastructure, and completed detailed network planning. The resulting environment increased capacity and improved performance compared with the previous year's event. Measurements showed that SoftBank users on 5G SA achieved roughly four times faster download speeds and more than fourteen times faster upload speeds, while 5G NSA users also recorded gains in both categories.
The trial also introduced automated optimization capabilities. At selected base stations, communication quality for each slice was monitored every minute and adjusted through external controls. The system dynamically allocated resources according to changing traffic conditions and service requirements. As a result, the network maintained support for demanding applications such as video transmission, XR experiences, and payment processing while continuing to provide stable connectivity for general users during periods of heavy congestion.
📊 What This Means (Our Analysis)
This demonstration highlights how a single mobile network can accommodate very different communication needs at the same time. Rather than treating all traffic equally, the trial showed how network slicing can assign resources according to the requirements of specific applications, helping maintain service quality even when demand rises sharply.
The results also point to a more flexible operating model for future networks. The combination of automated controls, frequent performance monitoring, and tailored resource allocation suggests a practical path toward delivering differentiated connectivity experiences across multiple services without compromising overall network performance.
📌 Our Take: The trial illustrates how intelligent network management is becoming as important as network capacity itself.