SoftBank Corp, T-Mobile US and Telia Sweden teamed with Ericsson to trial an enterprise service which connects laptops with the operators’ 5G services, which the companies claimed would simplify network IT functions by automating eSIM profile management.

Ericsson’s Enterprise Virtual Cellular Network (EVCN) service enables businesses to access their own virtual 5G networks by activating multiple eSIM profiles on Microsoft Windows 11 PCs compatible with the next-generation technology.

The vendor explained the service would enable enterprises to automatically connect to 5G networks using established policies, eliminating the need for IT or end-user involvement.

Ericsson noted combining centralised control of connectivity with cloud-based services “boosts the potential of 5G to remove on-site IT infrastructure”.

The set-up has been trialled on the operator’s networks in Japan, the US and Sweden.

Microsoft’s Intune mobile device manager was used to bulk activate eSIM profiles on 5G networks based on staff’s demographic and data usage.

Automatic switching between the operators’ networks took place on Ericsson employees’ laptops as they travelled between select cities.

“Network and device provisioning, connectivity optimisation and policy-based management are all enabled through this service,” stated Ian LeGrow, Microsoft corporate VP of Core OS Innovation.

The trial also included eSIM management of a private 5G network in Ericsson’s US-based D-15 laboratory using Thales eSIM-as-a-service to demonstrate dynamic switching between public and private 5G networks on the laptops.