In a new trial conducted by US Cellular in collaboration with Nokia and Qualcomm, the telecom operator has achieved a new distance record over 5G mmWave. The three companies were able to achieve an extended range connection of more than 10 kilometres over the 5G millimetre wave. This comes just weeks after US Cellular demonstrated sustained average downlink speeds of about 1 Gbps and a peak speed of 2 Gbps in its live network at a distance of 7 kilometres.
5G mmWave Trial Recorded Downlink and Uplink Speed of 1 Gbps and 57 Mbps Respectively
The 5G mmWave trial was in partnership with Nokia and Qualcomm as it utilized Nokia’s AirScale Baseband and mmWave Radios in the 28 GHz (n261) band and Qualcomm’s Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) Platform generation 1. FWA is a method through which homes and business receive wireless connectivity through radio links between two fixed points. The FWA method does not need any fibre and cables for last-mile connectivity. Qualcomm says that FWA enables mobile operators to address connectivity gaps in under and unserved communities. The 5G mmWave trial conducted by the three companies have also achieved other milestones along with the 10 Km distance record. They recorded average downlink speeds of about 1 Gbps, and uplink speeds reached 57 Gbps approximately during the trial.
5G mmWave Technology Can Provide High Performance 5G
US Cellular’s Executive Vice President, Mike Irizarry, has stated that these latest trial results indicate the important role that fast, reliable wireless service plays in keeping people connected irrespective of where they live or work. He further added that with 5G mmWave technology by Nokia and Qualcomm, US Cellular could provide its customers with leading-edge capabilities of high performance, ultra-low latency 5G. US Cellular will also be able to offer an even wider range of communications services to enhance their wireless experience. President of Mobile Network at Nokia, Tommi Uitto, also commented on the trial and said that the results demonstrate what 5G mmWave will bring to customers, enterprises and industries. He also said that extending the reach of 5G mmWave technology without giving up on speed or latency will deliver an exceptional 5G experience to even wider areas.
