European telecom Vodafone, U.S.-based chipmaker Qualcomm and network equipment giant Ericsson have successfully completed two 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) trials that pave the way for its use in complex scenarios like consumer broadband and private networks.
Ramping up mmWave is becoming necessary due to data consumption increasing more than 30% year-over-year as more devices are connected to networks and consumers use their devices for data rich applications on smartphones and other internet-enabled applications. Vodafone is experimenting with how mmWave can help to improve customer experiences.
“While mmWave is a niche technology for mobile network operators in the UK, the uplift to customer experience will be incredible,” said Andrea Dona, chief network officer, Vodafone U.K. “With installations on a small number of sites, millions of people could benefit multiple times per week. This trial demonstrates how we can significantly improve customer experience by strategically targeting today’s challenges.”
What is 5G mmWave?
5G mmWave technology uses a higher frequency than the airwaves that connect to devices. This allows for faster data speeds, increased capacity, reduced latency and enhanced network performance even from standard 5G.
mmWave frequencies also enable more devices to be connected simultaneously without experiencing network congestion and present a future platform for innovative applications and services. However, while 5G mmWave technology has many benefits it also suffers from:
- Limited range
- Poor penetration
- Higher deployment costs
- Interference issues
- Network complexities
Both trials used Ericsson radio system products like the antenna-integrated radio AIR 5322 and Baseband 6651. Several devices were used in the network powered by Quacomm’s Snapdragon X65 5G modem-radio frequency (RF) system and used on Vodafone’s cellular network.
The first trial
During the first trial, the companies focused on the upload and download speeds of mmWave and how it could potentially deliver fiber-like speeds for home broadband services over the cellular spectrum and without any significant infrastructure deployment.
During the trial, devices within 100 m were able to reach peak download speeds up to 4 Gbps and 500 Mbps in upload. At 400 m, peak download speeds reached 2.3 Gbps and 200 Mbps in upload speed. At 700 meters, peak download speeds reached 500 Mbps. Latency was found to be four to five times lower than existing 5G capabilities, the companies said.
Ericsson said this trial showed that more than just home broadband could be a use case but higher upload speeds for wirelessly connected cameras and broadcasting equipment for media companies to cover events that might not be possible today.
The second trial
In the second trial, which took place in a London soccer stadium, the companies tested network congestion. With a capacity of 20,000 people, the stadium can often cause network congestion due to so many devices trying to connect simultaneously.
High capacity mmWave allows more people to connect concurrently. Using a commercial Qualcomm Snapdragon-powered smartphone, the trial registered peak download speeds up to 2.8 Gbps in unobstructed views and even 500 Mbps for locations that did not have direct line-of-sight.
Additional use cases could be found where low latency and ultra-fast speeds are important such as factory automation, robotics, transportation, remote assisted training and healthcare.
“Our successful trials with Vodafone and Qualcomm demonstrate the potential of mmWave technology to revolutionize connectivity experiences,” said Evangelia Tzifa, CTO of networks and managed services at Ericsson U.K. and Ireland. “With the ability to deliver fiber-like speeds, and support for massively dense traffic environments, such as stadiums, mmWave opens the door to transformative connectivity experiences for mobile users, as well as new advanced use cases across various sectors.”