Page 89 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Qualcomm Doubles 5G Mmwave Range to 2.36 Miles for Broadband Modems

As 5G networks have continued to spread multiple gigabit per second transfer modem, communicating with Ericsson’s
across the world, the biggest issue with speeds, thanks to generally huge blocks Air5121 and Baseband 6630 tower
ultra-fast millimeter wave (mmWave) of available wireless spectrum. In the hardware, enhanced by extended-range
towers has been their short transmission United States, Verizon has thus far relied software. No details were provided on
distance, which is generally measured exclusively on millimeter wave for its 5G speeds or other details of the connection,
in city blocks rather than miles. Today, service, enabling both home broadband but Qualcomm characterized the
Qualcomm announced a breakthrough in modems and handsets to reach 1-2Gbps successful range test as “the first step in
mmWave transmission range, successfully speeds if they’re in close proximity to utilizing mmWave for an extended-range
achieving a 5G data connection over a 5G towers. Combined with fast network 5G data transfer,” hinting that there may
3.8-kilometer (2.36-mile) distance — over responsiveness (aka low latency), those have been compromises in speed or other
twice the range originally promised by speeds are expected to enable everything areas. The company previously noted that
its long-range QTM527 antenna system from real-time mixed reality streaming to carriers would be able to deliver up to
last year. It’s important to put today’s next-generation industrial applications. 7Gbps download speeds if the QTM527
news into perspective, as the record is But until now, mmWave has struggled to could access a full 800MHz of mmWave
specific to broadband modems rather than reach devices at long distances, requiring spectrum. Existing tower hardware has
smartphones. Qualcomm is touting the carriers to deploy large numbers of hit 4.3Gbps for a single device or 8.5Gbps
achievement as evidence of mmWave’s short-range “small cells” just to achieve for two devices. Qualcomm has already
viability as a fixed wireless access coverage. Each doubling of range should announced the more capable Snapdragon
solution, enabling carriers to offer fiber- significantly reduce the required small X60 modem as a followup to the X55
speed 5G coverage in rural, suburban, cell density, making deployment less but hasn’t yet revealed a successor
and urban communities that might have expensive for carriers and more practical antenna solution to the QTM527, which
had poor wired home broadband options for actual 5G service rollouts. However, was announced just under a year ago.
in the past. The successful test was range improvement promises have thus As improving mmWave’s long-distance
conducted in Regional Victoria, Australia, far been focused on home broadband performance appears to have been a top
presumably with minimal physical modems, not handheld devices. priority for the company and its partners,
interference between the sending and The test relied on two existing Qualcomm it’s highly likely that we’ll see continued
receiving devices. Millimeter wave 5G hardware solutions — the Snapdragon X55 gains in future consumer and carrier
has the potential to be the fastest flavor modem and QTM527 antenna — inside a offerings.
of the new cellular standard, enabling consumer premises equipment broadband

T-Mobile US Adds 121 New Cities to 2.5GHz 5G Footprint

T-Mobile US has added 121 new towns a ‘nationwide’ 600MHz 5G network – a limited millimeter wave (mmWave) 5G
and cities to its 2.5GHz 5G footprint, incorporating both Standalone (SA) and system.
meaning the cellco now serves a total Non Standalone (NSA) architecture – and
of 210 locations with the former Sprint
spectrum. New locations include the likes
of: Minneapolis, Atlantic City and Virginia
Beach. Going forward, T-Mobile says it will
be lighting up 1,000 mid-band 5G sites a
month. The cellco explains: ‘T-Mobile has
the first and largest nationwide 5G network,
covering over 250 million people across
1.3 million square miles – that’s bigger
than AT&T and Verizon’s 5G networks
combined.’ In April this year – shortly after
the T-Mobile-Sprint merger closed on 1
April – T-Mobile repurposed the acquired
company’s 2.5GHz spectrum for a new
5G network in Philadelphia. Alongside the
2.5GHz network, T-Mobile also operates

89 SEP-OCT 2020