One of the most promising aspects of proposed 5G architectures is network slicing, which will allow virtual slices of capacity to be created on-demand for specific services or users. This should finally be the enabler of a vision expounded for a decade by Google and others – a huge pool of capacity which could be used by large numbers of service providers on a pay-as-you-go basis, allowing small and specialist operators to compete alongside the giant spectrum owners. Early steps towards this approach, and to a new wholesale business for MNOs, are being seen in 4G, notably in AT&T’s use of its virtualized platforms to support network-on-demand services for enterprises. And the idea of micro-operators is at the heart of…