Qualcomm Technologies and Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo announced they have enabled what it claims to be the world’s first commercialization of 5G sub-6 GHz carrier aggregation (sub6-CA) in Japan.
The partners said that the deployment of 5G carrier aggregation is already enabling customers to enjoy improved performance on DoCoMo’s 5G network.
Using the carrier’s new 5G network and select devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Mobile Platform with the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System, the partners said that customers can now experience mobile download speeds of up to 4.2 Gbps – which they added are the fastest speeds available in Japan.
This level of service is achieved through 5G sub-6 GHz carrier aggregation, which combines a 100 MHz carrier in band n78 (3.7 GHz) and a 100 MHz carrier in band n79 (4.5 GHz) to boost 5G performance and network capacity using DoCoMo’s diverse spectrum assets.
The deployment of 5G Sub6-CA, along with the 5G mmWave 28 GHz band that the operator began operating commercially in September, will allow the Japanese carrier to strengthen its position in the 5G segment.
“It is a pleasure to continue our work with DoCoMo to advance and accelerate 5G technology throughout Japan,” said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 4G/5G, Qualcomm Technologies. “By providing access to breakthrough technologies like 5G carrier aggregation, we are enabling consumers and companies throughout Japan to access faster connectivity, enhanced capacity and better reliability.”
“In collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, we are pleased to begin delivering this advanced and groundbreaking mobile technology to our customers nationwide,” said Naoki Tani, executive vice president and chief technology officer, NTT DoCoMo. “DoCoMo subscribers can now enjoy superior 5G service together with exciting mobile experiences. Moreover, by establishing a new standard of possibility for the industry, we are proud to help initiate a new era of connectivity in Japan.”
Last month, NTT DoCoMo selected compatriot company NEC to supply a 5G mobile core network (5GC) compatible with standalone (SA) 5G.
NTT DoCoMo aims to launch 5G services through a SA 5G architecture next year.
The carrier had ended September with a total of 380,000 subscribers in the 5G segment, the company’s President and CEO Kazuhiro Yoshizawa said during a recent conference call with investors.
Yoshizawa said NTT DoCoMo’s had over 500,000 subscribers in the 5G segment by the end of October.
The company is maintaining its target of 2.5 million 5G subscribers at the end of the financial year ending March 30, 2021.
“We have rolled out the 5G service in 144 cities, and we have commenced the millimeter wave service in September. The year-end target which is the rollout to 500 cities, including all designated cities by the government, we believe we are making progress towards this end,” the executive said.
NTT DoCoMo previously said it expects to reach 10,000 5G sites by June 2021 and 20,000 by March 2022.
