Samsung 5G Technology Shows Mobile Data At 1Gbps

Samsung has successfully developed 5G technology that allows data transmission speeds of up to 1Gbps over a cellular network.

The speeds, which are several hundred times faster than even the LTE-Advanced technology due to be rolled-out for 4G services later this year, are achieved by using millimetre-wave bands (frequencies around 28GHz).

The bands have long been recognised as an option for providing the capacity necessary for 5G networks, but it was believed that they had limitations in transmitting data over long distances due to the unfavourable propagation characteristics.

Samsung 5G technology

To overcome this, Samsung has created adaptive array transceiver technology that uses 64 antenna elements to help solve radio propagation loss. It transmits data using the millimetre-wave bands at a frequency of 28GHz achieving transfer rates of up to 1.056Gbps over a distance of up to 2 kilometres.

“The millimetre-wave band is the most effective solution to recent surges in wireless internet usage,” said Chang Yeong Kim, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics and Head of Digital Media & Communications (DMC) R&D Center. “Samsung’s recent success in developing the adaptive array transceiver technology has brought us one step closer to the commercialisation of 5G mobile communications in the millimetre-wave bands”

Samsung plans to accelerate research and development into the technologies with the aim of commercialising them by 2020 and believes that its innovation will invigorate 5G research across the world.

5G competition

It also hopes that the development will establish its as a leader in the field and fend off competition from the Chinese government-established 5G research group and the European Commission, which plans to invest €50 million to bring 5G to market by 2020.

In the UK, the government has provided £35 million in funding for 5G Innovation centre, while the University of Surrey has announced plans for a 200Mbps 5G network trial. Ofcom has only recently completed the auction of 4G spectrum, but is already planning for the next generation of mobile data services by freeing up some 700MHz bandwidth.

The UK currently only has one commercial 4G operator, EE, but Three, Vodafone and O2 will all offer competing services later this year.

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