Vodafone Qatar has announced its latest milestone in the development of its GigaNet 5G network, with the completion of Qatar’s first successful trial on the millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum.
According to a press release from the Doha-headquartered operator, the trial achieved system capabilities of 8.1 Gbps on downlink (DL) and 734 Mbps on uplink (UL), by using new and advanced 5G features and delivered over the mmWave Spectrum.
Vodafone Qatar Chief Executive Officer, Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al-Thani, said: “The potential of mmWave technology industries and use cases is huge, and it will pave the way for the future of 5G and connectivity. The results of this trial will enable Vodafone Qatar to continue working to roll out mmWave technology for the benefits of its consumer and business customers alike.
Vodafone’s trial took place at a specific site and delivered impressive throughput results compared to current standards. For consumers, this means higher-quality video and multimedia content can be delivered faster via increased capacity and bandwidth, the release said.
For businesses, 5G mmWave promises to transform performance and user experience beyond what is currently possible with existing network capabilities, including across mobile broadband, fixed wireless and industrial applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Augmented Reality (AR).
mmWave solutions operate in high frequency range and provide ultra-capacity over short distances. They allow users to leverage the true promise of faster access speeds and lower latency of 5G and will be a key enabler for several critical applications across multiple industries, from autonomous vehicles to surveillance in ports and airports, video streaming and broadcast in smart cities, and automated manufacturing in smart factories.