Configuring 5G Network Slicing from the IBM MaaS360 Portal

Configure 5G network slicing from the IBM® MaaS360® Portal for mobile network operators to customize traffic through a 5G network, along with specific quality of service (QoS) requirements for latency, throughput, and packet loss.

The 5G network meets the needs of different types of apps and services, such as high-bandwidth video streaming, low-latency communications, and mission-critical business apps.

Note: This feature is supported in iOS 17+ devices and Android 13+ devices (DO, PO, and WPCO) only.

Configure 5G Slicing for iOS devices

Follow the steps to configure 5G network slicing from the IBM MaaS360 Portal for iOS devices.
  1. From the IBM MaaS360 Portal home page, go to Security > Policies.
  2. Select an iOS policy, under Device settings in the Configure settings tab, select Network Slicing.
  3. Click Edit and select the Configure Network Slicing checkbox. The administrator can create and define the slices by using the following guidelines.
    1. Enter a unique Slice Name.
    2. In Configure slicing apps, enter the app to associate with the slice by using the Bundle ID.
    3. Make sure that an app is mapped to only one slice. The user can add more than one slice by using the Add icon.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Click Save and publish the policy.
Devices with iOS 18+ and iPadOS 18+ offer the following features.
  • Simultaneous VPN and Network Slice usage
    Enabling the simultaneous usage of VPN and 5G Network Slicing makes sure that activating a VPN does not disrupt the functioning of Network Slices.
  • Expanded App Categories
    Apps can now support 5G Network Slicing for Communication, Gaming, and Streaming app Categories. The apps use multiple network slices based on application category and network traffic type.
Important: Consult the provider to set up a network slice. The DNN assignments for network slicing varies based on provider, plan, or subscription. For more information, see Apple device support for 5G Network Slicing.

On the iOS device, the users can confirm by seeing an Enhance 5G notification informing them that the app is using the Network Slice.

Configure 5G Slicing for Android devices

Follow the steps to configure 5G network slicing from the IBM MaaS360 Portal for Android devices.

  1. From the IBM MaaS360 Portal home page, go to Security > Policies.
  2. Select an Android policy, under Android Enterprise Settings in the Configure settings tab, select Restrictions > Configure Restrictions.
  3. Go to Network Restrictions and select Configure 5G network slicing. The administrator can + (Add), - (Delete), or Reset a slice.
  4. Enter the details for the network slice. For more information, see Network Restrictions - Configure 5G network slicing.
  5. Click Save and publish the policy.