The Chinese firm aims to carry out ‘5G’ testbeds with a number of companies in 2016
SHANGHAI – Chinese ICT provider Huawei believes future 5G networks will benefit not only mobile subscribers but also vertical industries, the firm’s VP of wireless marketing Daisy Chu told RCR Wireless News.
Chu said that Huawei is currently in talks with a number of companies to carry out 5G testbeds, and that a 5G testbed will be implemented in Germany during 2016. “Through this testbed we will see how 5G wireless networks can benefit vertical industries,” she said.
Chu also said that Huawei has carried out cooperative activities with Swedish vendor Ericsson and U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm to research the C-Band. Last month, these companies published a joint report about the benefits of the C-Band. “Huawei believes that the C-Band can offer benefits for the development of the mobile telephony industry,” Chu said.
Huawei’s latest development related to future 5G technology was released in July during Mobile World Congress Shanghai. At the event, Huawei showcased a 5G prototype network operating on sub-6 gigahertz spectrum showing peak download speeds of 10 gigabits per second.
Chu also said that Huawei is carrying out 5G research and development with mobile providers such as Vodafone and Japanese telco NTT DoCoMo. Huawei and NTT DoCoMo have recently launched a multiuser testing site in Chengdu, China.
The Chinese company said it plans to invest $600 million in 5G research and innovation globally between 2014 and 2018. Huawei also said it’s committed to developing 5G standards before 2018. Toward that end, it plans to launch its first pilot network with partners in 2018, work to improve the industry chain, complete interoperability testing in 2019 and commercially launch networks in 2020.
Last year, Huawei and Russian mobile operator MegaFon signed a memorandum of understanding through which both companies will collaborate to trial 5G networks during the FIFA World Cup 2018 that will be hosted in 11 Russian cities.
The company has recently announced a partnership with the University of Surrey for the opening of a 5G Innovation Centre at Surrey University’s campus in Guildford, U.K. The Chinese firm currently employs a team of more than 500, who are dedicated to 5G research, and has established partnerships with more than 20 universities on joint research, including Harvard University, Stanford University, the Technical University of Munich and Tsinghua University.
