Vodafone, Qualcomm and Ericsson trial 5G mmWave in UK

The UK’s 5G industry has received a potential boost with the news that technology provider Ericsson has been working in partnership with Vodafone and Qualcomm to demonstrate the benefits of millimetre wave (mmWave) communications in two trials.

The successful trials are said to pave the way for high-speed and high-capacity connectivity services in complex scenarios, such as fixed wireless access for home broadband and addressing mobile network congestion in busy locations.

At the heart of the trials is Vodafone’s desire to examine how 5G high-band frequency spectrum can help improve customer experience. With data consumption increasing by more than 30% year on year due to the increasing number of devices connected to the network, and consumers using more data-rich applications on their smartphones, it said there was an ongoing risk of network congestion.

By using a higher frequency than the airwaves currently connecting devices in the UK, 5G mmWave offers the potential of faster data speeds, increased capacity, reduced latency and enhanced network performance. mmWave frequencies also enable more devices to be connected simultaneously without experiencing network congestion, and present a future platform for innovative applications and services.

The first of the two trials focused on how the higher download and upload speeds of mmWave spectrum could help deliver fibre-like speeds and home broadband services over the airwaves without the need for extensive underground infrastructure deployment. The second trial took place at a London football stadium to address network congestion.

Equipment used for both included Ericsson’s AIR (antenna integrated radio) 5322 and Baseband 6651 technology, as well as various devices powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System.

The first trial took place in Newbury using mmWave technology to provide a fibre-over-the-air experience for Vodafone customers. It focused on the higher download and upload speeds of mmWave spectrum.

Within 100 metres of the mast, the devices (from Askey and ZTE, and a MiFi from Netgear) were able to achieve peak download speeds up to 4Gbps and uploads up to 500Mbps. At 400-metre range, the peak download speeds were 2.3Gbps and upload speeds were 200Mbps. At the edge of the coverage zone – up to 700 metres – the peak download speed was 500Mbps. Latency was found to be four to five times lower than existing 5G capabilities.

The trial also demonstrated a higher level of data uploaded to the network. In addition to the home broadband use case, Vodafone said the higher upload speeds could be used to wirelessly connect cameras and broadcasting equipment to provide a more cost-effective and flexible solution for media companies covering events than is currently feasible.

The second trial took place at a 20,000-capacity London football stadium where the club’s fans often experience network congestion due to the large, concentrated number of devices trying to connect at the same time. Using a commercial Snapdragon-powered smartphone, the trial registered peak download speeds up to 2.8Gbps for unobstructed views of the mast at various points, and 500Mbps for locations that didn’t have a direct line of sight.

Besides high-capacity use cases, Vodafone said mmWave technology would be ideal for low-latency use cases for business customers, such as factory automations, robotics, automobiles, remote assisted training and surgery.

“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 at Vodafone UK. “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.”

Dino Flore, vice-president for technology at Qualcomm Europe, added: “The trials in the UK demonstrate the significant capacity and speed improvements that mmWave offers, enabling ultrafast and reliable connectivity experiences, whether at home or in a stadium.”

Evangelia Tzifa, chief technology officer of networks and managed services at Ericsson UK and Ireland, said: “With the ability to deliver fibre-like speeds, and support for 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.”