U.S. Cellular and Ericsson have completed joint testing of various 5G use cases at 28 GHz in Madison, Wisconsin. The tests, a significant step toward the launch of a 5G network, were conducted in rural and suburban environments.
The trials were conducted under a variety of real-world conditions, and they achieved peak throughput speed of 8.5 Gbps. In addition, virtual reality was tested, achieving peak speeds of 4 Gbps. This virtual reality test was one of the highlights of the trial, as it proved how the ultra-high speeds and low latency of 5G will enable VR applications. The companies also tested augmented reality, advanced beamforming and massive MIMO.
The live over-the-air trials expanded on previous 5G trials by the two companies in 2016 that achieved 9 Gbps at 15 GHz.
U.S. Cellular EVP/CTO Michael Irizarry says: “This was an important trial for us to understand the propagation characteristics and path loss at 28 Ghz, and we are pleased. Our customers deserve to have a network that keeps up with their lifestyle, so we are constantly working to ensure that they will always have access to the latest technology and data speeds available.”
According to the most recent Ericsson Mobility Report, approximately 25 percent of all subscriptions will be 5G in North America in 2022, representing the highest market penetration in the world.
October 26, 2017
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