Samsung has announced that it has managed to clock a speed of 7.5Gbps (940 MB per second) over a 5G data connection, becoming the first company to do so in a stationary environment. It also broke the record of data transmission in a mobile environment – the company managed to clock 1.2Gbps (150 MB per second) in a vehicle moving a speed of over 100 kilometers an hour, achieving a stable and uninterrupted connection. Samsung used a 28GHz 5G network; 5G connections at such high frequencies aren't usually employed due to their short range, but Samsung says it was able to overcome that limitation by using its Hybrid Adaptive Array technology.
“We will continue to build upon these milestones and develop advanced technologies that contribute to the 5G standard,” said Chang Yeong Kim, Head of DMC R&D Centre at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to leveraging our own global R&D capabilities, we will also continue to cooperate with other industry leaders and research centres across the world. Whether you are talking about mobile devices, the cloud, or the Internet of Things, the demand for 5G telecommunications standard and its supporting technologies will continue to grow.”
With even 4G networks still not prevalent in most parts of the world (Samsung's own mobile processors didn't support inbuilt 4G LTE until very recently), 5G networks are a long way from making their way to the commercial market, but it seems Samsung is working hard on ensuring it is at the forefront of the industry when 5G data networks do go mainstream.
Press Release:
Samsung makes milestone achievements in 5G development with industry best 7.5Gbps speed record and first-ever, uninterrupted 1.2 Gbps 5G connection while travelling 100km/h
London UK – 15th October, 2014 – Samsung Electronics today announced two industry first milestones in the development of 5G telecommunications networking technology, as the company clocked 7.5Gbps, or 940MB per second, the fastest-ever 5G data transmission rate while in a stationary environment. The company was also the industry’s first to achieve an uninterrupted and stable connection at 1.2Gbps, or 150MB per second, in a mobile environment from a vehicle travelling at over 100km/h.
“We will continue to build upon these milestones and develop advanced technologies that contribute to the 5G standard,” said Chang Yeong Kim, Head of DMC R&D Centre at Samsung Electronics. “In addition to leveraging our own global R&D capabilities, we will also continue to cooperate with other industry leaders and research centres across the world. Whether you are talking about mobile devices, the cloud, or the Internet of Things, the demand for 5G telecommunications standard and its supporting technologies will continue to grow.”
In addition to sheer numbers, Samsung’s recent stationary test was also the industry’s first successful 5G test that was conducted in an outdoor setting. Previous successful 5G tests throughout the industry have been conducted in stabilised, indoor environments, including laboratories. Meanwhile, the mobile test took 5G testing to another level, as it was conducted from a vehicle racing at high speeds on a 4.35km professional outdoor race track.
Both the stationary and mobile tests were conducted over a 28GHz 5G network. Until now, the industry as a whole has not used higher frequencies, such as 28GHz, despite their speed-related benefits, due to the likes of short communication range. However, Samsung overcame these obstacles through the company’s own Hybrid Adaptive Array Technology, which uses millimetre wave frequency bands to enable the use of higher frequencies over greater distances. While the 5G standard has yet to be ratified, 5G networks are expected to offer data transmission rates that are tens, if not hundreds, of times greater than 4G LTE.
The recent milestones were also a seven-fold increase upon testing results from May 2013, when the company became the industry’s first to achieve 1Gbps over a 28GHz 5G network.
While Samsung maintains its focus on technical developments, the company has also continued to engage other industry members in discussions, including those through standard-setting organisations, to help steer the overall direction of 5G development. Most recently, Samsung proposed the 5G Rainbow to other industry members. The 5G Rainbow identified seven core technical pillars of 5G technology that would truly ensure a differentiated 5G user experience. These pillars are maximum data rate, spectral efficiency, speed of mobility, and data transmission rate at the cell boundary, the number of simultaneous connections, communication delays, and cost. In order to address these technical needs, Samsung has already been developing a diverse range of key technologies, such as transmission technologies for high frequency bands, multiple access schemes and low latency networks.
