Page 82 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Vodafoneziggo Makes Call on Virtual Open RAN

VodafoneZiggo, NEC Europe and Altiostar and open standards.’ Vodafone Mobile solutions of leading Open RAN technology
have jointly announced a successful voice Networks Director Ruud Koeyvoets added: vendors, such as Altiostar and various
call made on an open virtual Radio Access ‘The introduction of the technology other radio vendors, including NEC’s own
Network (Open RAN) on the Vodafone enables us to introduce new suppliers, 5G radio products, using commercial
Netherlands mobile network. A press such as Altiostar, giving us greater off the shelf (COTS) hardware from third
release said: ‘Open RAN technology is the flexibility when rolling out our mobile parties, enabling Vodafone to transform its
foundation of next-generation wireless network. During the course of the ongoing network to a software-based one suiting
infrastructure driven by innovation trial, Vodafone and NEC intend to integrate multiple deployment scenarios.

Optus Claims New 5G Speed Record as It Launches ‘Ultra-High-Speed’ Site

Australian mobile network operator (MNO) Optus claims to have Optus customers with capable 5G handsets and 5G SIM … The
broken the country’s record for real commercial 5G speeds, having speeds we have achieved today are a real taste of what we are
delivered a downlink rate in excess of 2.5Gbps on a Samsung capable of delivering to Optus 5G Mobile customers in the coming
Galaxy S20 5G device. Working with technology partner Ericsson months as we progressively roll out 5G ultra-high-speed sites
and Samsung, the MNO said it had utilized mid-band spectrum in Sydney and Melbourne.’ According to Optus, it currently has
and 5G carrier aggregation to achieve these speeds at a live site more than 920 5G sites in operation, with its network footprint
in Sydney. The announcement came as the cellco launched what encompassing around 650,000 premises, with its infrastructure
it called ‘the first of its ultra-high-speed 5G sites earmarked for rollout ‘continuing at pace’.
Sydney and Melbourne’. A further 150 ultra-high speed 5G sites
will be deployed on existing Optus infrastructure by November,
in selected areas of the two aforementioned cities. Meanwhile,
it also expects its ‘5G Home Internet’ customers to benefit from
faster speeds as part of its plans to unlock 100MHz of 3.5GHz
mid-band spectrum in selected areas of Sydney and Melbourne
‘in the coming months’. With Optus’ ‘5G Home Internet’ service
reported to be delivering average download speeds of 214Mbps
currently, the operator has suggested the 60% increase in
spectrum bandwidth will result in even faster average speeds for
consumers. Commenting, Optus Managing Director Networks
Lambo Kanagaratnam was cited as saying: ‘As they roll out, these
new ultra-high-speed sites will provide a real speed boost to

T-Mobile US Aggregates 600 MHz, 2.5 GHz in New SA 5G Trial

T-Mobile US has successfully staged a that by aggregating the two bands, existing capacity from one of those 5G layers at a
standalone (SA) 5G data session which 5G download speeds were boosted by time. With new radio carrier aggregation
aggregated the 600MHz and 2.5GHz an average of 20%. The cellco explains: (NR CA) that changes, giving devices the
spectrum bands. The cellco teamed up ‘Today T-Mobile customers can access ability to combine the capacity of the
with Ericsson, LG and MediaTek for the three different types of 5G spectrum – low, different layers.’
trial, which utilized a commercial LG mid and high-band (AKA millimeter wave
VELVET 5G smartphone. T-Mobile notes [mmWave]) – but they can only unleash

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