Vodafone, Ericsson complete 5G mmWave trials in the UK

Telecom companies Vodafone, Qualcomm and Ericsson have successfully completed 5G Millimetre wave (mmWave) trials in the UK.

5G mmWave technology uses a higher frequency than the airwaves which currently connect devices. The technology has the potential to offer faster data speeds, increased capacity, and allow more devices to be connected simultaneously without network congestion.

The first trial took place in Newbury where mmWave technology provided a fiber-over-air experience and delivered home broadband connectivity speeds of around four Gbps.

The second test scenario focused on providing enhanced capacity to Vodafone customers in crowded public venues such as stadiums, concerts, and transport hubs, where mmWave technology can help to alleviate network congestion.

The trial achieved 2.8 Gbps downlink peak speed at a London football ground with a capacity of 20,000.

The companies said that data consumption is increasing more than 30 per cent every year due to the increasing number of devices connected to the network, while consumers are also using more data rich applications on their devices which increases the risk of network congestion.

These trials will 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.

“Our successful trials with Vodafone and Qualcomm demonstrate the potential of mmWave technology to revolutionise connectivity experiences,” said Evangelia Tzifa, chief technology officer, networks & managed services, Ericsson UK 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.”