The Broadband Forum has unveiled ‘major’ enhancements that it believes will improve the convergence between 5G and fixed-line networks. The new Phase 18.1 specifications are an extension of the 3GPP’s upcoming Release 18 standards and are focused on QoE and QoS. Convergence is the term used to describe how licensed cellular will, from the user perspective, be blended together seamlessly with other networks. Usually, convergence discussions focus on WiFi, which is (of course) backhauled via fixed-line networks. Here, the new specifications “promise to deliver customized QoS and QoE and more freedom to smoothly migrate to using a single converged 5G Core with a multivendor broadband network, and consolidate their IT systems for more efficient operations, and lower their TCO.” The…