Based on a new application for an experimental license, Qualcomm is seeking permission from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to test pre-standard 5G technologies using a 100 megahertz channel in the 3.4-3.55 GHz band.
As planned, the test network would cover a half-mile radius and is configured “to generate the smallest amount of RF interference to incumbents…while also providing the RF coverage area required for engineering development and showcasing advanced wireless technology for indoor, outdoor, static and mobility user environments,” according to the application. The plan calls four four fixed sectors serving at most 30 devices.
Qualcomm is broadly engaged in the development and commercialization of gigabit LTE and 5G. From the standards side, the company is actively involved in the 3GPP standardization process for 5G New Radio, and Wanshi Chen, a company principal engineer and manager, was elected earlier this month to chair 3GPP’s RAN Working Group.
5G technology could provide a $12 trillion revenue opportunity by 2035, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said during a keynote presentation at Mobile World Congress Shanghai earlier this year. Mollenkopf said this figure is a potential revenue target from 5G-related goods and services globally. The automotive industry alone could generate a revenue opportunity of $2.4 trillion, he added.
According to estimates from the U.S. chipmaker, the economic impact to the 5G value chain in China, Korea and Japan by 2035 could reach $1.6 trillion, while 12.5 million jobs could be created in that timeframe in those regions.
The FCC application notes the test network “is for technology development purposes only and not targeted for future wireless communication deployment in the United States.”
