Samsung said it used eight component carriers (8CC) to aggregate 800 megahertz of mmWave spectrum
Samsung Electronics announced it recently used mmWave spectrum to achieve record data rates over a distance of 10 kilometers in trials with Australian operator nbn.
The Korean vendor noted that this test demonstrates the expanded reach possible with this spectrum and its ability to deliver widespread broadband coverage across the country.
Samsung said it used eight component carriers (8CC) to aggregate 800 megahertz of mmWave spectrum. The company also said it achieved downlink speeds of 1.75 Gbps and uplink speeds of 61.5 Mbps. At its peak, Samsung also reached a top downlink speed of 2.7 Gbps over a 10km distance from the radio.
Ray Owen, CTO at nbn, said: “As we roll out the next evolution of our network to extend its reach for the benefit of homes and businesses across the country, we are excited to demonstrate the potential for 5G mmWave. nbn will be among the first in the world to deploy 5G mmWave technology at this scale, and achievements like Samsung’s 10km milestone will pave the way for further developments in the ecosystem.”
nbn plans to use software enhancements and advances in 5G technology, and in particular 5G mmWave technology, to extend the reach of the existing fixed wireless footprint by up to 50% and introduce two new, wholesale high-speed tiers.
“This new 5G record proves the massive potential of mmWave technology, and its ability to deliver enhanced connectivity and capacity for addressing the last mile challenges in rural areas,” said Junehee Lee, EVP and head of R&D of networks business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to work with nbn to push the boundaries of 5G technology even further in Australia and tap the power of mmWave for customer benefit.”
Samsung also said that 5G mmWave spectrum is not only viable for the deployment of high-capacity 5G networks in dense urban areas, but also for wider FWA coverage. Extending the effective range of 5G data signals on mmWave will help address the connectivity gap, providing access to rural and remote areas where fiber cannot reach, the vendor said.
For the trial, Samsung used its 28 GHz compact macro and third-party 5G mmWave customer premise equipment (CPE). Samsung noted that its compact macro solution brings together a baseband, radio and antenna into a single form factor, adding that the solution can support all frequencies within the mmWave spectrum. The solution has been deployed in commercial 5G networks across the globe, including Japan, Korea and the U.S.
Last month, Nokia said it has been selected by nbn to supply 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) mmWave customer premises equipment for the latter’s fixed wireless network upgrade.
The Finnish vendor noted that this upgrade program will enable nbn to deliver faster speeds to thousands of homes and businesses across semi-rural, regional and remote Australia.
nbn’s existing FWA network currently covers almost 650,000 premises across Australia. The upgrade program will extend nbn’s existing fixed wireless footprint by up to 50%, enabling approximately 120,000 former satellite-only eligible premises access to fixed wireless services for the first time. The 5G mmWave upgrade utilizes the 28 GHz band to be operated in Non-Standalone (NSA) mode.
