FEATURE : MOBILE
The higher capacity of mmWave spectrum can help connect more people simultaneously , to improve customer experience . Using a commercial Snapdragon-powered smartphone , the trial registered peak download speeds up to 2.8Gbps for unobstructed views to the mast at various points , and even 500Mbps for locations that didn ’ t have a direct line-of-sight .
Besides high-capacity use cases , mmWave technology would be ideal for low-latency use cases for business customers such as factory automations , robotics and automobiles , remote assisted training and surgery .
Andrea Dona , Chief Network Officer , Vodafone UK , said : “ While mmWave is a niche technology for mobile network operators in the UK , the uplift to customer experience will be incredible . 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 .”
THE HIGHER UPLOAD SPEEDS COULD BE
USED TO WIRELESSLY CONNECT CAMERAS AND BROADCASTING EQUIPMENT TO PROVIDE A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE AND FLEXIBLE SOLUTION .
mmWave is a higher frequency than anything connecting consumer devices in the UK today . Ofcom is currently preparing to award the spectrum .
Dino Flore , Vice President , Technology , Qualcomm Europe , said : “ We are excited to collaborate with Vodafone and Ericsson to showcase the transformative potential of mmWave technology . The trials in the UK demonstrate the significant capacity and speed improvements that mmWave offers , enabling ultra-fast and reliable connectivity experiences , whether at home or in a stadium .”
Evangelia Tzifa , Chief Technology Officer , Networks & Managed Services , Ericsson UK and Ireland , said : “ Our successful trials with Vodafone and Qualcomm demonstrate the potential of mmWave technology to revolutionise connectivity experiences . With the ability to deliver fibre-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 .”
Vodafone believes mmWave frequency spectrum can be utilised in a small number of locations which would have a significant impact on customer experience . Thanks to its characteristics , it can alleviate network congestion in busy areas ( for example , the concourse in train stations ) and also connect high-volume data use cases ( for example , fixed wireless access for home broadband ). In both of these examples , the equipment can be strategically placed to negate the impact of obstacles on the airwaves and connect a significant number of people simultaneously . p
Moving up the spectrum frequencies
Telecommunications companies generally use a wide range of spectrum frequencies to connect devices to the wider network . The characteristics of each frequency vary , therefore the benefits and considerations also do .
The higher the frequency of the spectrum in use , the more data it can carry ( both volume and speed ), but there is a compromise on coverage distance . Lower frequency spectrum carries less data , but it offers greater coverage and is better able to penetrate obstacles .
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